The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-04
'p0STMAKESF|GHT
ON CLOSED SHOP.
Suit Against Federation Officers
and Bucks Stove Com
pany.
CLAIMS s75o,ooo DAMAGES
Action Taken to Restrain Car
rying Out Of Tentative
Agreement.
CLAIMS s75o,ooo DAMAGES

st. Louis, Mo, September &c. w.
Post. OF Battle Creek, Mich, to-day
filed suit in the United States Circuit
Court for the Eastern District of Mis-
souri,. against the American Federation
OF Labor. and the Bucks Stove and
Range Company, of st. Louis. not only
to restrain the officers OF the latter
from carrying out an allegedly tenta-
tive agreement with officers of the
former to make the st. Louis institu-
ton closed shop, but setting up q
claim for damages of $4,000 under
the Sherman act.
The case Is suit in equity, and
includes among the defendants. Samuel
Gompers, president; John Mitchell,
vice-president; Frank Morrison, Sec
rotary. and other officers of the Fed
nently identified with union labor in
America.
Because OF the absence OF Judge D..
P. Dyer from the city the Injunction
feature of the suit Will be taken up
early next week, 1t is announced by
attorneys for Mr.. Post. The action
grows out OF the meeting held In Gin
cinnati July 10, at which arrangements
were perfected between Gompers and
his associates and the officers OF the
stove company to have lifted the boy-
colt. which had been in force during
the life OF ]. w. Van Cleave. who died
May 10.
Hend-Off Action.
The complainant states In his peti-
ton that he Ia a stockholder OF the
Bucks Company, and that his interests
and those OF the company will suffer
by reason OF the proposed agreement
A meeting between the American Fed
Grafton leaders and the stove company
officers has been set for next Tuesday
and 1t was to head off possible action
that the suit was filed to-day.
1t is claimed. among other things,
that the contamination OF the pro-
posed agreement would deprive the
stove company OF any opportunity of
recovering hundreds of thousands of
dollars lost because OF the union boy
colt. and that irreparable injury to
the concern will result because of the
destruction of prestige it gained
through its victory over the labor
unions In the District OF Columbia
courts. A claim for damages in the
the result OF the boycott IS set UP
under the Sherman act, making the
case Identical In many respects with
the famous Danbury hat suit, in which
the matters recovered s225,ooo as the
result of boycott by the labor unions.
Charge Against Directors.
The petition charges that the pres-
emit directorate OF the Bucks Company
is about to enter a deal to thwart any
efforts on the part of The company
10 collect damages sustained through
the boycott.
Following the death of J. w. Van
Cleave, who had been the backbone OF
the company's opposition to the feder-
alton leaders, it is alleged. Fred w.
Gardiner. a majority stakeholder, as
sumed managerial control of the COM
pany, and planned to change its policy
to Its detriment
The petitioner claims he made every
effort to prevent contamination OF
the proposed deal to close the plant of
the company to all except union men.
but that the net result Of his efforts
has been to gain from Mr.. Gardiner
the emphatic announcement that the
deal will be carried out.
1t is further alleged that 1t is pros
posed by the defendant companys
present directorate to violate con-
tract with the American Anti-Boycott
| Association. which is prosecuting the
cases against Gompers and his asso-
ciates. now pending in the Supreme
Court. This contract was entered into
during the life Of VanCleave.