The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-24
Use WEAPON IN
LAUNDRY STRIKE
William Ruff Wounded by
Guard of Linen COppany'S
Delivery Wagon.
CONVENTIONS OF OWNERS
AND LEADERS OF WORKERS
Points Involved in Dispute as
They Are Viewed by
Both Sides.


Ruff. one of the striking laupdryworkers
was fired upon and wounded In the !ef
arm by H. Thcissen, guard cmpioyet
on one OF the wagons Of the Americai
Linen & Supply company Theisset
arrested and Is held at the city Jai
under charge OF assault with deadly
weapon. \ complaint charging Ruff VIII
assault and battery was sworn To by
George a. Steiner. manager Of the Amer
lean company but up To Il late Eoui
Ruff had not been arrested.
The shooting was in front OF 80 West
First South street, saloon and cafe
under the management of Charles G
Sindar. Joseph Watson Was the dilvei
OF the wagon and rhciSscn accompanied
him as guard. IS during the past few
days. since the strike Of the Laundry
workers assumed serious proportions, imS ne
guards for most of its wagons useu IN
The business district.
II was a few minutes after IL o'clock
when the trouble occurred. The wagon
was driven in front of the saloon Tor The
purpose OF making a delivery OF lam
AS 10 just what actually took place. the
accounts of the principals and those who
were bystandcrs vary widely.
Run declares that lie had made no
assault upon Theissen and was only dis
cussnE the strike situation when he MAS
shot. Thcissen contradicts this with the
David. had assaulted him and that he.
in terror of his life, fired The shot in
self-defense. Some OF the bystanders
say that Thelssen fired the shot even be-
fore Run reached the wagon. aud others
support the story OF the guard,
Patrolman Tyler. who was among the
detail OF officers that reached the scene
within few minutes after the shooting
says that he heard Theissen say: Il
shot TO kill and ! wish | had killed
Contentious of Owners.
The shooting is really little more than
an incident in the struggle which be
gan about two weeks ago between the
laundry owners and managers.
In discussing this question last night.
George A Steiner, manager of the Ameri-
can Linen e. Supply company. said:
The laundrymcn are making this fight
for the business interests Of the city
as much as for themselves. We are
standing together and we have received
assurances OF support from the leading
business men OF the city.
There is absolutely no discrimination
against laundry workers who belong. TO
ditch. evs- If / have TO take to a push
cart myself. against the closed shop: In
plain words I absolutely refuse 10 have
any organization 10 dictate TO me that
shall hire only certain people and shall
decline TO hire capable people who do not
choose TO belong to the union.
us Tuesday. We have with US seventy
FIVE men and thsrtv-five girls who are
still loval and, believe. will remain so.
We are only a little behind In our work.
and by putting In overtime expect TO
catch up within day or two. / can
state positively that We have lost only
FIVE customers and that one OF these has
since returned.
Managers of the other aundries OF the
city. when interviewed THURSDAY voiced
practically the same views as those ex-
pressed by Mr.. Steiner
One manager. who refused 10 permit
his name to be used. admitted that there
1tD6 hao IicHr rlf11in Ipn If,cf
those who had agitated the question OF
forming an organization of laundry
workers: but justified this with The state
ment: II viii not have anybody working
for me who undertakes 10 tell me how
] shall run my business
Another manager said: This business
is different from that OF the skilled proc
fessons and IL would he dangerous in the
extreme 10 allow the laundry workers
10 control all the laundry help In the
city. The movement Is not backed hv
the workers themselves. but by agitators
whose motives ! question.
Strikers Version Different.
Diametrically opposed TO these state
ments are those OF the striking Laundry
have used no coercion. that they only
ask that they be allowed 10 form q union
voluntarily. and demand that owners
shall not discharge employees for ih,.
sole reason that they belong to the
union. They say they arc satisfied WITH
thcir existing scale OF wages and hours
ask for no concessions lin this regard.
but they do insist that what they term
the blacklist be abolished. Their state
ilent as 10 what constitutes the "black
list" varies from that OF the laundry
mana gers. The strikers declare that no
employee. discharged from one laundry
can obtain employment at another In this
city. This the managers deny. but ad-
nit that they make inquiry into the
records Of those applying for employ
ment
Serious Phase of Question.
One phase of the question that threat
ems to become serious unless adjusted al
n nearly date is that affecting the linen
delivered daily 10 all union barber shops.
restaurants and saloons, The Utah Fed
Grafton of Labor Is backing the laundry
workers In their fight and in furtherancc
OF this move is on foot to have union
restaurants. saloons and barber shops re-
fuse 10 take any linen from the lauu-
deTies OF the city so long The dispute
remains unsettled. The American Linen
Is Supply company furnishes most OF this
linen TO the places mentioned and a gem
cral boycott would undoubtedly work a
great hardship upon the propretors II
would not only mean thai new supplies
would have to be purchased for these
places, but also would place them in
the. position Of having no place where
their laundry work could be done
The question OF a general boycott was
laundry workers held last night i'm Fed
Grafton hall. the officials OF the laundry
WORKERS noIdinG mat this question Is one
TO be taken up by the proper officials Of
the various union organizations.
More Union Members.
AZ last nights meeting There was an
attendance OF about 175. principally union
laundry workers who have walked out,
with fair shrinking Of their svmpa
thizers F. w. Graham. inierna :iouaI
president of the Laundry Workers union
presided and made the principal address.
He counseled all members of the union
10 refrain from violence of any kind and
aiso cautioned them against the carving
of firearms. 40
Eighteen new members were received
INTO the union. making n total, accord
ing TO The statements OF union officials
of 3s7 received into tue union up 10 Tho
present time. The union officials as
sert that more than score OF aDplIca-
upon.
Special Police Authorized,
At a special session OF the city conn
cu held-last night, Chief OF Police Bar
low was authorized to employ twenty
special policemen, each to receive a paI