Perth Amboy evening news., 1914-07-08
Manager Shows Great Courage
in Ordering Girls to Pray as
They are About to Rush from
Factory After Alleged Threats
GIRLS TREATED BY RICH MEN

Quick action by David Haupt, SUE
perintendent OF the Perth Amboy
cigar factory, saved 500 girl em-
ployes of the works from going into
stampede which would have res
suited in a tragedy this morning,
when they were driven into state OF
panic over rumor that black
hands were going to blow up the
big factory at the corner of Neville
and Johnstone streets.
Operators on the second floor
were thrown into state of nervous
frenzy by the report, two girls
being in state of hysteria and many
others on the verge of collapse. Had
not Mr.. Haupt induced the girls to
pray until the excitement was past,
the girls would have rushed to the
stairs.
Last Thursday at noon hour two
strange young men appeared in the
vicinity of the factory in an automo7
bile and after treating" several Of
the girls to Ice cream cones, induc-
ed them to dance, "hurdy gurdy"
being used to furnish the music. Be
lieving that the strangers may have
been cadets" engaged In the nefa-
rious white slave trade, Mr.. HAMpt
ordered them from the premiseh
The following day runiS-
lated in the factor to the effect that
the strangers were going to place
bomb under the building at o clock
in the afternoon. As sae time ap-
preached the girls ma ~ rushed for
their clothing and w6se driven to q
frenzied state, believing that they
would soon be shattered to atomSs
AS they were about to rush for the
doors Mr.. Haupt appeared and franz
tically implored the girls to pray fori
their safety. The girls, mostly Hun
garians and Slavs, followed Haupt's
advice and in a few minutes they
were pacifled. .@Tsa.N
Fridays panic thus being SUBJ
dued, the incident passed by unno-
ticed, the management believing
that the rumors had been quelled.
Last night, however, one OF the
girl employees approached Patrolman
underhill at Hall avenue and casu-
ally asked him II the factory was to
be blown up today. Believing that
the girls we're only joking, Under-
hill answered sure" In talking to
some of the other girls. Joe Koval,
Of Catherine street, a coal driver,
told them that he had heard that
"black hands" had sent Superintend-
ent Haupt letter demanding $1,000
and that unless he complied with
their demand the factory would be
blown up at 9 O'Clock today. Ar
though Koval was only fooling, tho
girls believed he had obtained in-
formation to this effect and circulat<
ed the report among their fellow
workers this morning.
Superintendent Haupt and his Of
fee force were engaged In making
up the pay roll today, and at twen-
u minutes of 8 he hurried to ans
other room to ascertain the cause
Of loud commotion.
He found that two girls, Lizzie
King and Mary Schlufsky, were hys-
terical, several on the verge OF
fainting and the others madly gath
ching up their belongings and try
ing to reach the steps. Amid the
confusion Haupts presence OF mind
proved to be the factor in again
averting tragedy as he stepped be-
fore them and implored them to
pray, leading in prayer for their
safety. With the assistance OF the
foremen, the girls, who were all
cigar wrappers and bunch makers,
were pacihed. but did not recover
from their fright until late this af-
ternoon.
Manager Haupt declared this
morning that his experience wG5 d
thrilling one and stated that he bet
lieved the superstition OF the for-
eign girl operators, augmented BY
the Jokes of the patrolman and othH
ers, resulted in the panic which
might have resulted fatally.
We vulcanize your tubes and