Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-08
COMPANY
SUIT GETS ALLOW
Fort. Lippincott and Mayor
Wittpenn Testify to Munich
pal Strike Orders to Police.

Former Governor ]. Franklin Fort,
Assistant Secretary of state Job II.
Lppincott and Mayor H. Otto Witt
nenn of Jersey City. administered a
hard blow to the case Of the Wells-
Fargo Express Company on the VII
ness stand today at the continuation
~ the trial of the suit brought by the
express company TO recover $zVu'oVv
alleged damages from the mayor ana
aldermen of Jersey City.
The suit is based on the big express
strike in jersey City during the fall
Of 1910.
Mr.. Lippincott at that time was
president of the Board of Police Com
sss;ssieHsrs Of Jersey CITY He was
called TO the witness stand by the de-
Tense to show what course the police
commissioners took to safeguard
property during the strike.
He said the majority of the po-
1icemen were working in 12-hour
shifts. twelve hours active work and
twelve hours reserve duty. sleeping
when the occasion arose in the eX-
press company's stables, in Pullman
ears on the railroad siding near the
express companies platforms, ana
various other places of advantage
The witness further stated that the
notice force had been doubled and
every officer was always ready to be
called out on duty day or night. lie
said he had himself worked night
and dav and was in close fouch with
the situation.
"Nhat instructions did you give
the police?' asked Warren Dixon,
corporation counsel Of Jersey City,
who is conducting the case for the
defense.
"F,verv man was told when he went
ont that he must do his duty in the
face of all odds or his shield would
he ripped off and he would be given
an immediate trial before the board,
the witness replied.
Former Governor Fort was very de-
termined on the stand. He said that
the police of Jersey City did every
thing that they possibly could nave
done TO cope with the situation at the
time of the strike and. in his opinion,
had the mobs we'll under control unth
The express companies tried to move
their wagons He stated he did not
ran out the militia because he saw no
need Of it,
Il had my staff make personal IN
vestigation of the conditions secretly
said the witness, land the report /
received was that the police had good
control of the situation at all times,
except when the express companies
tried to move their wagons.
1.-THE express people wanted to trot
out the militia all the time. They
pestered me asking to get out the
troops. When | would not call out
the troops they called me Socialist
and some other pet names. / told
them that the Legislature would inn
peach me. If l called on the militia.
DO you suppose would get out the
troops and have formed a circle
around the express wagons and then
parade them about the town that
waye Not much. I was not in office
to do that"
The former governor caused mucn
merriment by his remarks.
Mayor Wittpenn followed the for
mer governor TO the stand, and
caused some surprise in relating ms
of what a Mr.. Plat, of
the United States Express Company,
said in a conference held in New
York LAS 1 remember his words
they were:
Call out the militia and shoot
down these people in the street, and
then they will stop
Would you like me to make those
words public?' the mayor said he
asked of Plat.
"'Oh, no! there's no use of that,
the mayor said the latter replied.
Mayor wittpenn corroborated the
Testimony of former Governor Fort
and Mr.. Lippincott in regard TO the
police protection.
He said the strike started to the
best of his knowledge when a mere
lad asked for a raise.
..The boy not only was refused a
raise but was fired" said the mayor,
"and other lads who wanted raises
went out with him. Then the men
went out in sympathy" I suppose"
Wilbur F. Sadler, jr., adjutant-
general of the National Guard, was
the first witness called for the de-