Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-05-17
LABOR LEADERS ARE UPHELD.
Federal Supreme Court Sets Aside
Sentences Of Imprisonment.N

."L. sN'y~I"NhSNS Va hhR f.
@ ------
Washington, May 10. 49, Setting
aside the sentences Of Imprisonment
imposed by the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia for alleged dis
obedience to a boycott injunction, the
Supreme Court of the United States
to-day held that Samuel Gompers,
John Mitchell and Frank Morrison,
president, vice president and secre-
tary, respectively, of the American
Federation Of Labor, had been erro-
neously sentenced to jail on a charge
Of contempt of q local court.
Decision Unanimous.
The court unanimously held that
the only sentences that could be i'm
posed upon the labor leaders were
fines. In so holding, the Sup RENE
Court OF the United States found that
the Court Of Appeals Of the District
Of Columbia and the supreme Court
Of the District erred in treating the
contempt proceedings as a criminal
case and not a civil one The effect
of holding the proceedings a civil
one was to make jail sentences i'm
possible. Hence the judicial SEN
fences had to be set aside.
20 ~ uS oIlOIt JHS case WAS
sent back to the local courts with d.
rection' that it be dismissed. At the
same time, the court expressly made
1t possible for civil proceedings to be
instituted against the labor men by
the Bucks Stove and Range Com
pany or st. Louis, at whose instance
the original contempt case was
brought.
This Enda the Case
Inasmuch as all the differences be-
tween the labor men and the Bucks
stove and Range Company have been
adjudtcated, including the boycott"
case, out Of which the contempt pro-
ceedings arose, to-day's decision la
probably the last to be heard Of this
widely known action.
The charges Of contempt against
President Gompers, Vice President
Mitchell and Secretary Morrison
out Of a bitter labor war be-
tween. organized labor and the Bucks
Stove and Range Company of st.
Louis.
No Civil Suit.
st. Louis, May 15.-The Bucks
Stove and Range Company will not
institute civil action against Samuel
Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank
Morrison, according to f. D. Gardner,
chairman of the board, to-day. He
a the company and the American
Federation of Labor are on friendly
terms. The case was prosecuted by
the American Anti-Boycott Associa-
ton, Of which his Is no
longer a member.
Justice Wright Pursucs Them.
Washington, May 16.-The SUI
preme Court of the District OF Column
bia, on It's own initiative, to-day in
stituted proceedings for alleged con-
tempt against Sameul Gompers, John
Mitchell and Frank Morrison, of the
American Federation of Labor.
Mr.. '-ruIuVrS vixen luId Of Lhc ~.
i3on Q. ne OiStrict Court said:
'"Ju",@G Wright can 80 lust as far.
as ~ ;i(,S, Hp viii End we are not.
rrnntN& away not even from hitn.''
iUstlCe Lamar, IN handbag duwu
the opinion, called attention to the
fact that@if the lower court felt ag-
g%rieved 1t could still bring criminal
contempt proceedings in the prem
Uses and inflict a Jail sentence.
The lower court has been quick to
take advantage Of the opportunity
afforded to reopen the case. AS the
labor dispute which ~brought that
case into court had ended, it was
presumed the matter would be al
lowed to drop.