Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-03
"PEONAGE" CHARGE
STILL UNDER PROBE
Affidavits Being Taken Re-
garding Complaints of WASH
ington Terminal Employees.

Taking of affidavits in the aim at
substantiation of the charges of poem
age which resulted in strike of
trainmen at the Washington terminal
station this week, is being continued
today at Masonic Hall, Sth and F
streets northeast. Five lengthy aft
davits We're taken yesterday. which Ed
mund Leigh, special investigator for
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. said
today he believed are of great impor-
lance. He will continue on the job. he
says. until he gets to the bottom of
this disgraceful condition.
While these affidavits are being taken
in the upper lodgeroom. nearly 400 OF
the strikers have been meeting in the
lower hall. The feature of todays
meeting was advice to the strikers
from George A. Nolte, vice president OF
the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen.
regarding how they should go to draw
their pay Monday.
Strikers Are Warned"
Some of the strikers have been warned
that when they go to get their pay Mon
day they will be forced to sign some sort
Of paper ostensibly as a receipt for the
wages. Customarily they have not been
forced to sign any receipt. but have been
identified by their bosses and given their
pay Mr. Nolte advised that they go in a
body and accept their pay in the usual
way.
MIR Nolte especially warned against any
disorders and urged them as they got
their pay not to be seen about saloons,
as 1t would injure their cause.
Also. at the strikerS meeting Mr.. Leigh
made a public statement from the stage
contradicting a published report that he
was brought here by A w. keppel, su-
perintendent of the Washington Terminal
Company. He said he was in no way
acting under Mr. Keppers orders and
never has been. Mr.. keppel made state
ment to the representative of The Star
today that Mr.. Leigh came here at his
instigation and was brought in fulfill
the terminal employees that he would have
their peonage charges thoroughly probed.
Mr.. Keppel remarked that A. w.
Thompson, vice president of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad, under whose
instructions Mr.. Leigh is taking testi-
mony is president of the Washington
terminal board. When Mr.. Leigh was
seen later and this was suggested to
him he said that Mr.. Thompson might
have become interested in the matter
in this way. but as far as he himself
knew he was only acting under instruc-
tions from Mr.. Thompson and had no
duties to perform or no connection with
the terminal company.
No Charge Against Superintendent.
In connection with the taking of these
affidavits some persons have been led
to assume that these charges of peon-
age include Superintendent Keppel as
among those in authority who received
money for jobs, promotions. etc. There
has been no statement made by any of
the men to justify that supposition.
In the upper lodgeroom at the Ma
sonic Hall. with coat off, Edmund Leigh
with two stenographers and in the
presence of w. s Godsran, internation-
al organizer of the electricians is sit
ting in twelve hour stretches sympa-
thetically getting the facts from the men
who claim to have paid tribute for their
work and promotions not only lump
bonuses. but regular payday dues. He
is constantly reminding the men that
they must exaggerate in no details.
that their oath is sacred, that they
must not swear falsely against any
man. but getting them 10 tell all that
they honestly can to prove their,
charges against the bosses who have
been eXacting a heavy toll from their
meager salaries.
According to these affidavits men paid
$40. SIS and $50 for jobs, and like sums
to be promoted from car cleaners to
icemen. and on practically every pay
day, il is charged, they were forced to
give 81, 81, SO or So to a foreman. One
man testified that in all he had paid q
foreman more than $500.