The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-22
MESSENGERS FIGHT
TO ENLIVEN STRIKE
New Boys Delivering Tele-
grams Are Set Upon in
Lower Broadway.
ABOUT 1000 ARE IDLE
That's What Union Leaders
Say, but Western Union
Only Smiles.
ABOUT 1900 ARE IDLE

Two good boy scraps and two enthu-
siastio meetings marked tho strike of
Western Union messengers yesterday,
and at the end OF the day the strike
committee announced that the Wall
Street district virtually had been tied
UP. messages in piles had been unde,iv-
cred from the company ofiices, and s5
per cent. OF all the messengers en-
ployed by the company in that district
were out. The Western Union oficss
refused to make any statement on the
situation except that MESA ges were
being delivered.
Shortly after noon the blue coated
boys who had been sent to picket Wall
Street foregathercd IN Bowling Green
and held a rally, the general tenor Of
which was a prolonged series Of taunts
directed at the strike breakers who
could be seen not far away making the
rounds with yellow envelopes. The
taunts did not 80 long unchallenged. The
strikers organized a march up Broad
way. sweeping a dosen of the new mes
sengsrs in front Of them to the accom-
paniment Of cheers.
The boys thus impugned could not
Withstand the verbal attack, ana al
though they had been cautioned against
starting trouble, they made a decided
stand by the time they reached the
Equitable Building.
Fists Begin to Fly.
Fists few promptly as the opposing
forces Joined battle. Al the first shock
Two OF the youths went down rolling and
kicking. Tho others punched and kicked
ana hauled. ducktnS around and be-
tween pedestrians In order to reach their
foe.
Policeman McGrath came into the me-
lee at this point and without ado got
hold of two OF the chief pugilists. stood
them against the wall and with his free
arm grabbed q third. The combatants
parted In q general Dispensing movement
sprintins UP Broadway. Al Broadway
and Park place another brief setto took
place, but the sound Of a police whistle
put an end to II.
The three boys arrested were fined IS
each In Tombs court. One OF them was
Augustus Trotter. l6, Of 10 Union
Square, who had barked McGraths
shins and offered to do him Zip. The
others were Julius Kaplan, 10, OF 172
Henry street and Louis Goldburg, ~,
Of 1881 Brook avenue, The Bronx.
After the Park place skir,nish the
strikers continued their march across
City Hall and UP the Bowery to Third
avenue and Fourteenth street, where
they were addressed by Hyman wald-
man, organizer for the Ladies' Waist
Makers Union.
Unions oner AID.
In the Labor Temple At that corner
a mass meeting was held with good
deal Of cheering and catcalling. Sol
Grabo!s. organiser Of the Messenger
Boys Union, was the principal speaker
After the meeting the executive COM
mittee, consisting of fve young men,
adjourned to the Labor Temple Annex.
2ss East Fourteenth street.
Tho support of the Central Federated
Union, the United Hebrew Trades and
the women's Trade Union League was
claimed, with a promise OF the Teleg-
raphers Union received to aid IN every
way II the strike proved difficult. The
committee has engaged counsel and said
gravely that the matter will be carried
| TO the War Labor Board. 4 delegation
| visited Police Headquarters to ask for
special protection. but were not per-
mitted to see Commissioner Enright
The committee asserts 1900 messenger,
out. affecting the Offices Of the Western
Union below Tifty-ninth street,
The company agents in charge OF
messengers said they did not regard
| the strike seriously.
The boys are Just taking a little hoi'.
| day" ono agent said; they'll forget II
and be sok in a couple OF days"