Omaha daily bee., 1915-05-08
CREIGHTON TELLS
OF ALTOONA STRIKE
Pennsylvania General Superintend,
ent Disputes Statements Made
by Mayor S. H. Hoyer.
SAYS MODS FILLED THE STREETS

WASHINGTON, May THE Fed
eral Industrial Relations commission
today continued its examination of
witnesses as to labor conditions on
the Pennsylvania railroad, when C.
w. Creighton, general superintendent
Of that road at Altoona, Pa, resumed
the stand. He testified in answer to
statements made before the commits
sion yesterday by Samuel H. Hoyer,
former mayor of Altoona. in connec-
ton with the strike in the Pennsyl-
vania shops there in 1911.
Replying to the testimony given by
Hoyer, Mr.. Creighton disputed other tes-
timony that the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen urged organization of the Al
toona shopmen.
Throughout the trouble" said Mr.
Creighton, 1T was absolutely necessary
that We know in advance what the labor
leaders were going to d. and our police
were used to this end.
Incident to failure TO get proper pro-
lection from the city we had 10 appeal to
the county and from the county we got
fifty detectives. Our plants and yards
constantly were invaded. Strikers threw
missiles at our trainmen and there was
actual violence almost constantly
Assault Upon GALLAGHER.
Creighton, referring to Hoyer's test-
mony on an assault by Constable Luther
upon Gallagher. a labor organizer de
clared the attack had nothing to do with
the strike. Luther, he said. attacked
Gallagher because Mrs. Luther said he
had insulted her.
Ibid you know that Gallagher died
shortly after that ASSAULT asked Com
missioner o'Connell.
1T did not
well. he did. II the Pennsylvania
company was not interested in that case
why did the master mechanic of your shop
60 to the mayor 20 appeal for Luther
stating that the Judge. district attorney
and everybody but the mayor had been
fixed?"
81 called Mr.. Redding Cthe master
rnechanic) on the long distance last
night" said Creighton, and he declared
that he never said anything of the kind
to Hover. think the mayors use of the
word fixed was an unfortunate one. 1
don't think he meant it Just that way"
Chairman Walsh asked Creighton to get
an affidavit from Redding.
At the time of the Altoona strike
Creighton said arms were secured from
the purchasing agent at Philadelphia.
who kept revolvers on hand in times Of
peace.
Ordinary policemen's clubs are turned
out in our factories whenever there is
trouble" said he.
"The questioning turned to conditions
in Altoona Mr.. Creighton said there was
mo trouble there until these organizers
tried to stir up trouble in order to win a
strike at Pitcairn
-. !. Commissioner Ashton, asked Creighton
about Mayor Hoyer's charge that he was
trying to incite trouble in urging him to
arrest strikers
"The streets were filled with threaten
ing mobs and ! thought we ought 20 get
action from him." said Creighton. ''It
was clearly case OF his failure to appre-
ciate the danger OF an uprising"
Question by Mrs. Hartman.
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman asked Mr..
Creighton II the Pennsylvania officials
tried TO confer with the labor organizers
at Altoona.
Certainly not" said Creighton. They
were intruders who came TO Altoona to
stir up trouble because OF failure &c
win strike on the western division
We did not deem It our duty to consult
with men Of this character. whose bust
ness in our community was to disturb
our peace"
Did you ever try to convince the la
Dor leaders that they were in the
wrong" Mrs. Hartman asked. How
did you know they would not reason
with you II you never talked with them?'
There was absolutely no reason IL
talk with them
Commissioner Lennon asked what this
Pennsylvania would do il he should &c
to Altoona to organize workmen. Creigh
ton replied:
1--WE would do all we could to prevent
organization of unions to affiliate with
the American Federation of Labor Of
any organization which would subjec
us to sympathetic strikes or the CLOSED
shop"