Evening journal., 1918-08-15
GUARDS-WORKMEN
HAVE BATTLE ROYAL
Trouble Started When Sol
der Elected Workman
From Pay Line
TWO SHIPBUILDERS
SLIGHTLY INJURED

s0A~A III n - j hAeA -
Resenting the attitude Of a soldier o
the Twelfth Battalion, United state,
Guards. in forcing William Wolf. Of No
2i9 Jefferson street, foreman at th'
Pusey and Jones Company plant. from
the line Of worbmen who were receiv-
Ing their back pay at that plant late
yesterday afternoon. workmen Of the
Plant became involved in a free-for-all
iiSht With nc soldiers. As a result
there was practically a riot during
which .he frce-for-all lighting was car
ricd into nearby saloons and for awhile
East Front street from Lombard to
Walnut, was mass of bowling, jeering
men with blows raining right and left.
The detail OF soldiers who had been
stationed at the paymaster's Office az
the Poplar street gate, which, according
to the workmen. started the trouble,
wss augmented by a number Of other
soldiers who were hurried 10 the scene
when word OF tho fght reached the
battalion headquarters. foot Of French
street In the meantim0 word Of The
trouble had been sent 10 the police
station and Police Captain Kellcher sent
Sergeant Wilmer Hahn with "A number
Of patrolmen TO the scene and they
assisted tbs soldiers in quelling the dis
order.
During the melee il was reported that
two Of the soldiers had been badly
beaten by the workmen who grabbed
their rifles, and used them as clubs.
This was denied by an officer at the
Battalion headquarters this morning
who stated "The soldiers merely eject
ed a couple Of drunks from the pay
masters office and not shot was
fired"
Wolf was injured, however. two Of
his ribs being broken when a soldier /
is alleged 10 have struck him with the |
butt end of a rifle. He was hurried TO |
the Homeopathic hospital in the Phoc-
nix ambulance. According 10 phys-
clans there. Wolf had not been drink
ins and after being treated he was able
10 go TO his home.
James Holiday, Of No. t37 West
Thirty-lfth street, who is said TO be an
cmploye Of the Harlan and lIollings- ,
worth Corporation was also reported ,
by the police TO have been slightly in A.,
jured during the Tight. but he was able
to go to his home unassisted.
The trouble between the soldiers and .
the workmen caused much talk. about
the city last night and IL was reported :
that scores Of workmen and soldiers
had been injured At O'Clock last ..
night further trouble was reported TO
have broken out at the plant but this
was Incorrect, although the military
as precautiOn, had a
doubled the guards about the plant. [
T.. .F4 A. n
eral Manager Hannevg Of the pusey
and Jones Company stated that the c
company yesterday started TO pay the n
workmen back pay which had been .
granted them through a wage adjust a
nen, provided by the Emergency Fleet {
Corporation some months ago, when O
the shipyard workers were threatening 5
TO strike. lie said when the men, many C
OF whom received $500 and some more. &
In BACK pay lined up in East Front
street at quitting time yesterday, Wolf {,
yot into an argument with the paymas- a
ers over the amount he received. lie p
Wolf claimed that the amount was si
ot correct and to prevent any conges- III
ion over the argument. the paymaster W
rdered a soldier to remove Wolf from tr
he line. This caused the trouble, in
Volf obiecting to the soldier placing 10
is hands on him and within a few
sconds a free-for-all fight was on. pa
The trouble was not witnessed by Mr.. 90
annevig. but according TO the reports
e received Of the affair. he said the vi,
,ldier was unduly rough in handling in
'of. 10 was stated that another group an
workmen at the plant would receive
leir back pay at 3 o'clock this after ",
BON, when precautions will be taken tri
prevent like occurrence pa
Major Wller, in command OF the as
welfth Battalion stationed here, could ci,
ot be seen this morning TO discuss ra
he affair but another officer al the bv
lrracks in French street denied that tr,
ly soldiers had been injured or that tic
le soldier who had struck Wolf had
cen arrested. su
Officials Of the Pusey and Jones co
ompany and the military authorities be
'day began an Investigation OF the co
'ouble. Several OF the employees as co
ell as the soldiers were called before pa
he officials and questioned. At the Sc
ose Of the conference IL was stated Ev
rat the trouble amounted 20 moth Bh
g IN,
Despite this statement It was report 50,
that Government agents had arrived
ere TO conduct an Investigation Of ",
eir own I'm
It was also reported today Mat the 90,
age trouble had been referred TO for sta
er Judge Grse for adjustment but cae
is was denied by Mr.. 0berman. a