New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-15
Fitzgerald Tells P. S. g..
Car Companies Made
Secret Agreements.
FRIDIGER ASSAILS
MAYOR AND STRAUS
Accusations Fly Fast at
Hearing-Final Session
This Morning.

Secret agreements among the city's
transit companies, under which the
Amalgamated Association of Street
Railway Employees was to be crushed,
we're alleged by william b. Fitzgerald,
spokesman for the union, as climax
TO wholesale accusations made yester-
day before the Public Service Commits
sion.
The Fitzgerald charge came after
more or less open insinuations OF bad
faith and double dealing had been made
against almost everybody even remote
~ connected with the strike. Louis
Fridiger. attorney for the union, IN
formed Mayor Mitchell and Chairman
Straus Of the Public Service body that
previously announced convictions on
their part indicated they were hardly
fitted to sit in judgment in the present
investigation.
Mayor Mitchell and Mr.. Straus both
answered this charge by explaining
their announced convictions had to do
with the general proposition of break
ing solemn contracts and not the merits
Of this case Mr.. Fridiger thereupon
accepted their explanations.
Close to Hostilities.
Since all Of the harsh words spoken
Yesterday were hurled directly at the
heads Of the persons named, IN many
instances with the aid of an accusing
finger. there were several approaches to
open hostilities. But the departure OF
some of the indignant participants and
an early adjournment for a fnal seS-
sion this morning prevented trouble
Frederick W. Whitridge, president Of
the Third Avenue Railway Company
ended a brief appearance upon the
stand by storminC out Of the commls-
sion's chambers with his hat cooked
belligerently over one eye. Asked Il ne
had ANYTHING further he desired placed
in the record he sent this parting shot
back over his shoulder:
"No: the record is silly enough now
Fitzgeralds charge Of secret agree
ment between the traction companies
came after he told how he and officers
of the local union of the Amalgan ated
had tried unnecessarily to prevent
strike on the Third Avenue lines which
was the subject Of yesterdays inyesti-
cation. :.
az might as we'll say this and say II
so that il will be understood" he said.
The men working on these cars know
as we'll as that these companies are
connected. that Mr.. Quackenbush, for
the marlborough. is the attorney Tor
the Third Avenue.
Contracts in Collision.
"Mr. Quackenbush drafted the indii-
yidual contracts and they were in col
fusion with one another. and the men
got il into their heads that this union
was going 70 be destroyed piecemeal.
They were going to take one after an
other.
"The Interborough had cast aside
without any consideration agreements
il made to arbtrate. Its officers ad-
mitted they were going to circulate the
individual contracts, and then in the
eleventh hour said they did not intend
10 do il right away. In other words,
they were going TO destroy each union
by itself. and the men got II into their
heads that they were not going to do
it,"
He then added that the Anal gsmated
Association had no defence to make TO
the street car companies because its
members had gone out.
"The Amalgamated does not enter
into the situation at ALL he said. "The
companies repeatedly refused TO treat
with us. refused to recognize US as Off
GERS Of the union or as representatives
Of the men, so we need make no eX-
PLANTATION TO the companies at the ac-
ton Of the men"
Bylaws Appear to BE Ignored.
"But. Mr.. Fitzgerald, let me call your
attention to the bylaws Of the Anal
gamated, providing certain fixed pro-
cedure in the event that its members
have grievances against their employ
ers, bylaws that appear to have been
ignored in this case" interposed julius
II. Cohen, acting for the Public Ser
vice Commission.
81 agree that such are the rules OF
the Amalgamated. but if you can show
me any agreement with the Third Ave
nue. Railroad, or any other railroad
here. that gives them claim upon that
organization | Will say something diff
ferent," was the reply. These com
panles will not recognize the Anal
gamated; therefore, they have nothing
to do with our rules
Mr.. Cohen then produced for the
first time a transcript Of the proceed
ings at conference held at the Bar
Association the Saturday night preced-
ing the Third Avenue strike In this
both the Mayor and Mr.. Straus were
quoted as cndeavoring to impress upon
members Of the union and their Off
Gals the seriousness II strike in vio-
! lation of the agreement entered into on
August 6, which explicitly provided for
arbitration of all differences.
Fridiger Hats Proceedings.
II was in the course of the reading
of these that Mr.. Fridiger. acting for
the union, halted proceedings 10 call
the attention Of Mayor Mitchell and
Chairman Straus TO the fact thly had
announced a prejudice, and, therefore,
bo,II.r ocno,tob1o 20 -, ;t,