Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1914-03-05
TO ORGANIZED LABOR:

y
The object and purpose is to raise
a suff1cietn amount of money, there
by insuring him fair trial, and to So
l1c1t your aid and cooperation in
forming Person Defense Leage in
your city.
Carl 3. Person is in the county jail
at Clinton, Illinois, The coroner's
jury has recommended that he be
held without bail. =
Person is innocent 1t requires
moneyto prepare his defense and es-
tablish his innocence in court of
law Person Is member of Clinton
Local No GAL, International Associa-
Etion of sMachinists.
1 Two years ago last September, the
shop employees of the Illinois Central
and Hartman Lines were compelled
to choose between their jobs and
their rights as free men. The men
chose to face the starvation of the
empty pay envelope rather than give
up the free mans right to organize.
Carl E. Person became Strike Secre1
ftary and Editor of the Strike Bulle-
tin. He fought the fight of the men
on the firing line. He fought the fight
OF organized labor everywhere. He
fought the Illinois Central and Har-
riman Lines with publicity. 1t is the
thing the Illinois Central has most
feared
On the afternoon of December 3Oth,
1913, Person was at his desk in the
headquarters in the Thomas Building.
I IN Clinton, Illinois. The telephone bell
rang. Person answered. He was ask
ed to come to the Interurban Railway
Station by the person at the other end
OF the phone, who gave his name as
Kirk. In good faith, Person left his
office to keep the appointment.
| Tony Muser, ex-Chief of Police of
Clinton, Illinois, and at the time a
strike-breaker employed by the Illinois
Central decoyed Person from his off
ce. Tony Musser. was the man who
telephoned to &erson and asked him to
come to the Interurban Station. In
telephoning, Tony Musser used the
name Kirk.
Musser concealed himself in a cigar
store. He asked the clerk in the cigar
store to point out Person when Per-
son passed. Person, innocent Of the
trap set for him by Musser, walked
past the cigar store Tony Musser
pounced on Person. The ex-Chief of
Police and strikebreaker came on
Person from the rear. He battered
him to the ground. Musser is a big
man weighing over two hundred
pounds, standing over six feet. tall.
Person weighs about one hundred and
thirty pounds and is about five feet
six inches tall. Person was beaten,
battered and kicked, until in dazed
condition, covered with blood he used
his revolver in defense of his life.
Justice is not for sale, but justice
must be paid for. The shooting took
place on a public street 1t is claimed
over two hundred people saw it. The
RUNNING down of the witnesses and
the getting evidence will be very ex-
pensive. Person is without money
AS the editor of the Strike Bulletin"
he slept in the office on a couch.
Clinton is the capital of Dewitt
County. The people are very hostile
toward organized labor The influence
of the Illinois Central is great. Its
attorneys, Lemon & Lemon, have been
powerful in politics in Clinton. The
Mayor of the city is the surgeon of
the Illinois Central. The son Of THE
Sheriff of the County is a strikebreak-
er in the employ of the Illinois Cen
trail. The newspapers receive patron
age from the Illinois Central in the
way of advertising. The newspapers