New-York tribune., 1919-08-17
''Threats Basis of
Conspiracy Charge
Mayor Sends Letters
From Hedges, l. X. T.
and Union as Evidence

1t was on last Monday Mayor Hylan.
in letter to District Attorney Swami
accused Receiver Hedges, the INTERIOR
ough Rapid Transit Company and T.
M. Fazakcrley. president of the Broth
erhood Of New York Railway Employees
of conspiring to foment strike and
thus obtain an increase in fares. The
Mayor accompanied his communication
to the District Attorney with letters
and based his charge upon statements
Of July and from Hedges. Fazaker-
ly, and the /. r. T. Referring to these
documents, Mayor Hylan wrote:
Taken together, they seem to have
single inspiration and common pur-
pose, amounting to criminal conspir-
acy, to compel the city authorities, by
threats of one kind and another to give
the railway companies extra fare.
The supphcation Of the receiver
the |. K. T. and of the president of tn.
brotherhood for police protection
does not ring true to me. 1t sounds as
though some one in authority had sald
to the men. You go ahead and strike
and make plenty of trouble and the city
viii have to give us increased fares,
which We can divide up'
Thinks Threat Violates Law
that the letter of Receiver Hedges,
under date Of August 8, constitutes a
distinct threat to me Of the kind that
Is prohibited by the Penal Code, sec
tions $50 and 500
The threat" the Mayor referred to is
embodied in the following excerpt
from Mr.. Hedgess letter of August s:
Upon the failure of any public
official in the city of New York to per
form his constitutional duty" (afford
police protection in the event of a
before the Governor asking for the re-
moval of that official
The letter from Mr.. Fazakerey, re-
felred to by the Mayor, was dated Au-
gust S, saying that the Brotherhood
recognized that strcetcar fares at this
time were not sufficient for the opera
ZION of the roads. In it, Mr. Fazakerley
promised the loyal cooperation of the
Brotherhood in carrying out its agree
ment with the company, providing its
members were assured the protection
they We're entitled to as citizens.
Union Asks "Protection"
This was amplifed by the follow
ing passage from resolutions adopte
by the Brotherhood August and for
warded to the Mayor:
we stand ready to carry out our
agreement with the company provided
we are insured protection.
If the forces of law and order
fail to function we stand
ready to put the cars in the barns and
cali s1rikc which will be real
strike.
Receiver Hedges told the Brother
hood at the meeting at which these
resolutions were adopted that when he
wrote his letter to the Mayor he was
mot advised that the Brotherhood was
arranging to have a meeting"
The |. r. T statement of August 9,
cited by the Mayor as an clement in
the alleged conspiracy, set forth that
two things can be done by the public
authorities to prevent any interruption
OF the subway and elevated service"
! hese two things, it vas declared. were
Q) increase fare to permit wage in
creases' and (2) police protection to
keep rapid transit going if a strike
is called"
On August 9 the Mayor replied to
Mr.. Hedges letter OF the day before.
characterlZlDg the receivers threat"
to ask for his removal by the Cover
nor IAN insult and terming it "un-
wise and uncalled for from
a representative of the United States
Court To this Mr.. Hedges replied.
denying he made any threat and as
scrtIng the Mavor was "avoiding the
issue adding, the law has prescribed
the only method of procedure open to
me. and that have followed"
MS pondence forms the basis
OF Mayor Hylans conspiracy charge