Evening star., 1915-05-12
ALLEGED METHOD
USED IN STRIKES
Gunmen and Gunwomen En-
gagged by Employer and EN-
pIoye, Witness Asserts.
STATEMENT MADE TODAY
BY NY. POLICE OFFICIAL
Testimony of Others on Labor Condi-
tions Heard by the Federal
Industrial Commission.

| Gunmen and even gunw omen, as de-
| veloped in the gangs of New York,
have been widely used by strikers and
employers in industrial disturbances,
| Police Commissioner Arthur Woods of
| New York, today told the federal indus
| trial commission. The police commits
sioner related to the commission the
| details of an investigation of confess
sons made by New York gang leader
called "Dopey Benny" The 'Dopey
Benny investigation. Commissioner
| Woods told the commission, "culmin-
| ated yesterday in the return by the
New York county grand jury of twelve
| indictments against union representa-
| tives.
| This investigation" said Commissioner
| Wood. has shown a large employment
| of eunmen by strikers. and a somewhat
| less employment of gunmen by employers
| involved in labor disputes. In the cases
of employers. the gunmen are usually Sc
cured indirectly, through the employment
of private detective agencies which use
gunner"
DO you know whether gunner from
New York have been used In industrial
disputes outside of New York city?'
asked Commissioner Walsh
| Il can't say as to that, but we have
found out that New York gunner have
been taken to Chicago. Cleveland, Gin
! cinnati, Boston, Baltimore and Phila-
| delphia. Not only gunmen, but in
strikes involving woman workers. gun
women have been used"
Not Due to Industrial System.
| Commissioner Woods said he did not
believe that the industrial system of
today was the cause of the growth of
| the gunmen as an institution. The en-
1 ployment of gunner in strikes, he said,
| he believed to be merely incidental to
| the general life of crime led by the
| gangSter.
! Three of the twelve indictments
handed down yesterday. the commits
| sioner said, were for murder IN the
| first degree.
/ Commissioner Wood asserted that the
| New York police were vigorous IN
| their efforts to protect the personal
tuition, free speech and free assembly.
| He said that in this respect he had
reformed conditions in New York dur
ing his administration of the police
department.
| Labor and the Courts.
| Stephen S. Gregory of Chicago, law
yer, continued his discussion of labor
| in its relations to the law and courts
|
cried the general use of injunctions in
labor disputes, asserting that in many
cases it was subversive of the per-
| sonal liberties guaranteed by the Con-
! stitution.
| Differing. as he said, from high and
ory held that boycotts should not be
held illegal He said that the law
should be changed as to allow all boy
| colts.
| be held illegal when the purposes and
objects of the combination would be
legal if accomplished by the individual
, members of the combination
| Questioned by Commissioner Vein
| stock, Mr.. Gregory said that while boy
| colts were often justified. as employed
by labor, they should be permitted.
Likewise he said. the practice Of black
listing by employers should not be pro-
hibited
Suggests Federal License System.
Mr. Gregory recommended a federal
incorporation act and a federal license
system for concerns in interstate bust
ness.
1T should not be necessary he said
ito go to law and drag suit through
the courts for years and years ever,
time mine owner or any other ousl'
ness man does something that may be
some place where men could make com
plant of industrial conditions and Sc
cure redress.
Mr.. Gregory particularly recommend
ed publicity in industrial affairs, anc
declared that mo unjust, oppressive
practices can endure when you turr
upon 1t the searchlght of publicity"
Coal Miner Witness.
Joseph Kobylak. a coal miner of Dill
Ionville, Ohio. involved in the recent
eastern Ohio coal strike. told the com
mission yesterday afternoon of his eA-
periences in coal strikes in Ohio. and
Pennsylvania during the past ten years
He told of being arrested dozen times
on various charges. eliminating in an
arrest at Dillonville, Ohio. in July. 1914.
on a charge of treason. He presented
an informatio upon which he was held
for forty three days in Jail under s10.-
900 bond. which charged him with
l"levying war against the state" He
was never indicted or tried on the trea-
son charge, he said. but was discharged
latter two grand juries had failed to
lindict him.
"The law and the courts" he said.
ARE not for poor men like Joe kobylak.
They are for the coal companies"
Labor Cases in Court
| Difficulties OF labor In the courts we're
discussed before the commission by
Stephen S. Gregory, a lawyer of Chi
cago, who declared The complaints di-
Irected against the courts must be
looked into, because ''it is a serious
matter for any large class OF our citi-
zens to feel that they are not receiving
Justice"
Mr.. Gregory said some Of the com
plants against the courts arose from
prejudiced judges, whose decisions were
affected by their natural antipathy for
the violence characterizing labor dis
putes He discussed the use Of the In
junction in strikes. and condemned the
, summary punishment for contempt OF
court of men charged with .offenses
which entitled them to jury trial.
THAT" said. he, has been a common
injustice which has rankled In the
breasts of those subjected to 1t, and
Justly SO. The only real agitator.is in
Justice and the removal of injustice