The Detroit times., 1911-05-16
G0MPERs AND HIS
AIDES WIN IN
HIGH COURT
Supreme Tribunal Rules That Impo-
sition of Jail Sentences on Labor
Leaders by Justice Wright Was
Unwarranted.
Says Only Fine Should Have Been
Imposed and Orders Cases
Dismissed.

WASHINGTON. May 15.-Holding
that the imposition of Jail sentences
on Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell
and Frank Morrison, president, vice.
president and secretary respective
ly or the American Federation OF
Labor, were unwarranted by the ma.
ture OF the contempt and that the dis
trict supreme court should only have
imposed fine. the supreme court or
the United States today freed the
labor leaders and declared that the
cases against them be dismissed
The decision was that the violation
was purely one OF the civil contempt
and only punishment by fines, and
that since IL was established that the
Bucks Stove and Range Co. had patch.
ed up it's differences with the Ameri.
can Federation OF Labor that the case
should be dismissed outright.
When the decision was handed
down, Samuel Gompers was on a train
between Philadelphia and Baltimore,
enroute to Washington from New
York.
The tribunal held that when Com.
pers, Mitchell and Morrison dsobeyed
the mandate OF the District OF Colum
bic supreme court and continued the
boycott against the Bucks Stove and
Range Co, they were guilty only OF
civil contempt and they should have
been punished by fine paid TO the
stove company-a fine measured by
the wrong done the complainants.
This construction reversed the de-
oision OF the lower courts, which had
held the contempt n criminal one,
punishable by Imprisonment. II ad.
judged that Gompers should serve one
year In jail. Mitchell nine months and
Morrison six months.
Justice Lamar read the decision OF
the supreme court OF the United
States He held that Justice Wright
should have imposed a fine. But, he
contended. II the two parties TO the
controversy had settled their differ
ences in the original cause of action
there could be no question now OF
fine to be paid them by the labor lead
ers. The case was ordered remanded
10 the lower court with Instructions TO
dismiss It.
There was no dissenting opinion in
the decision, ii being acquiesced in by
the nine members of the court
Justice Lamar's opinion was an ex.
haustiye study OF the whole controver-
sy Much of it was a technical legal
analysis Of the classifcations OF con
tempt.
THE court OF appeals" he said,
held that this contempt case was not
q part OF the main cause between the
American Federation OF Labor and the
Bucks company, and yet the three de-
PENDANTS were called as witnesses and
made to testify against themselves,
which would not have been the case
IL the controversy were separate. IL
is purely a civil case The only relief
was the imposition OF fine, payable
by the three defendants to the Bucks
Stove and Range Co. There was a
fatal variance with the procedure
when the court imposed a Jail SEN
tence. 1t was fundamentally errone-
Gus.
Secretary Morrison, of the Amer
lean Federation OF Labor, danced with
glee when informed OF the decision.
we are NATURALLY elalSu thot INC
supreme court has supported us, al
though we felt all along they could
not do anything else" he said. I'VE
have always contended that Justice
Wrights decision was wrong. Now
am going home to eat, and | expect
10 enjoy my meal
Job Printing Done Right. Times
Printing CO., No. 10 John R-st Call
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