The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-17
WEIGH RETURNS AND
IS MET BY A LARGE
CROWD AT TERMINAL
Statement Issued Says He Is
Here to Aid in PrOsecu-
ton of A. HI. Ford
for Completely

William Welch of Detroit, vice presi-
dent of the National Street Railway
Employees union, and national orgari-
izer of street car men for che Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, arrived in
Birmingham last night at 1915 o'clock
on the Alabama Great Southern from
Cincinnati where he spent Sunday. A
crowd estimated at about $50 members
of various unions was at the Terminal
station and gave him noisy welcome
as he came out of the gate in company
with White Gibson and B. w. King.
He was Immediately placed into wait
ing automobile and disappeared into the
night
No comment on his sudden disappear
ance from Birmingham last Friday
night was given by Mr.. Welch as he
alighted from the train last night A
newspaper man who forced his way
through the crowd which closely guard :
ed his exit from the Terminal station
could secure no explanation as TO the
reason or reasons that made Mr. Welch
leave Birmingham, or why he returns
to Birmingham.
Rumors about the city yesterday were
to the effect that the law firm of Glib
son & Davis was about to swear out a
FEDERAL warrant for the arrest of A.
IL. Ford, the president of the Birming-
ham Railway, Light and Power com
pany. However, Mr.. Davis dispelled
these rumors a few minutes before the
arrival of Mr.. Welch in Birmingham by
starting: I'VE won't give the federal
courts chance to exonerate Ford ;
we have honest juries in Jefferson
county"
Queried for an explanation Mr. Davis
said: 1--WE must see Mr.. Welch first.
Upon him depends what action will be
taken, but depend on it that Ford will
not be tried by Jelks Cabaniss."
AT 9:45 o'clock large party left the
OFFICES of Gibson & Davis for the Termi-
nal station. Arriving there the crowd
grew rapidly as a large number Of
persons-eyidently working people and
members of unions-appeared and be-
gan to mingle with those already pres
ent.
AS the Alabama Great Southern train
rolled into the Terminal a wave of ILL
concealed excitement passed through
the crowd and it formed a line two or
4
1T did not have to wait long, for soon
the bulky form of White Gibson and
B. w. King appeared with a large, port
ly looking man bringing up in the
rear. This was Mr.. Welch and he was
looking furtively from side to side A
strong Gordon of union men Immediate
ly formed about him and he was hur-
ried from the station in a very few
seconds
At late hour last night the follow
ing statement was issued by Ben Davis
attorney for the unions: "Mr. William
Welch returned at 1915 o'clock to Bir-
mingham. coming in from Cincinnati
Mr.. Welch has explained to me that he
left Birmingham under threats of death
by assassination at the Empire hotel
on last Friday night. He was escorted
to the Terminal station by about 80
or 40 men, many of them being Pink
erton detectives. His ticket was bought
for him and he was hustled on a train
with a Pinkerton detective for a COM
panion. AT Alfalfa the Pinkerton left
the train and Mr.. Welch continued un-
molested to Cincinnati.
"I1e comes back to Birmingham, as
] understand it, to prosecute Mr.. Ford
for his participation in his forced de-
parture from Birmingham.