New-York tribune., 1919-12-04
Fur Flies at Fur
Workers. Meeting:
Several Girls Hurt
Beaten With Fists, Chairs
and Cavel, They Say, but
Union Official Says Only
Hall Owner Was Mauled

Blood flowed at the Manhattan Ly-
ceum' on Tuesday night and the meet
ing called by the General Executive
Board Of the international Fur Work
ers' Union broke up in disorder. That
much is established.
There is difference of opinion as to
whose blood flowed. Girls of Local "a
affirm that several Of their number
were beaten in beastly fashion with
Also that '"the girls went homo in
groups, many bleeding and all
frightened"
On the other hand, there is Interna-
tional President Kaufman, who says
that the only blood which was shed was
that of the proprietor of the hall,
whose face was scratched by the girls.
The meeting was called to settle the
status of Simon Schachter, who for
merly was, but is no more, business
agent of the International Fur Work
ers' Union. Schachter was agent for
the Feather Boa Workers Union, Local
"a. He was suspended by the interna-
tlonal board. The members of Local
"a demanded his reinstatement. Tues
days meeting was called to thrash out
the matter.
Yeste rday a manifesto was issued
signed by "The Group Of Twenty,
Members Of the Feather Boa Workers.
Union. Local "a Of the International" :"
and carrying the additional footnote,
"one of whom has just been nursed
back to consciousness" This docu-
ment was distributed on the streets Of
the downtown districts frequcntcd BY
fur and feather workers.
This circular says: .
"One of the most shameful brutali-
ties in the history of the labor move
ment was staged last night. Dozens
OF working girls were beaten and in
suited at a meeting called by the Of
ficers of the international Fur Work
ers' Union.
"Not only were the girls beaten in a
beastly fashion with fists, chairs and
the presidents gavel, but the interna-
tlonal president, Kaufman, violently
snatched stenographic report of the
proceedings from the stenographer. The
report recorded in exact words the
threats and intimidations made by the
officers to the membership. Do you
wonder why he was so anxious to get
1T, even by force?
The circular alleges that the officers
of the international attempted to rail-
road through a motion, and continues:
Kaufman got excited over it. Feel
ing was aroused. Kaufman was on the
platform hammering the life out of
the chairman's stand He was by this
time too far lost in his excitement to
know what he was doing. A girl put
delicate question to him and he
screamed Put her out!' The brutal
hall sheriff tried to carry out the
panicky order and the trouble was on
full blast. The bunch rushed into the
~ ~ 20
them. The victims screamed in un-
earthly voices, but this did not halt the
sluggers. Kaufman grabbed the stem
ographer's book and handed it over to
an assistant. The lights went out sew
eral times.
"When the police arrived Kaufman
had skunk away. The girls went home
in groups, many bleeding and all
frightened and excited"
President Kaufman yesterday said
this was "bunk." He asserted the
was a Gle" and denied that he had
called upon any one to put anybody
out.
"The meeting was called to explain
to the members of Local "a that they
either must abide by the decision Of
the international suspending Schachter
or the international would suspend the
local.
Some girls got wild and I called the
proprietor Of the hall. Ten or twenty
Of them with their nails scratched the
flesh off his face. Nobody was arrested.
There was young girl there TAX
ing notes. I took her notebook. When
she tells me what paper she represents
she can have it back
Blood? Yes, there was blood. The
proprietor of the hall was bleeding.
did not see any girls bleeding Ger
tainly I did not strike any Of them"
At the headquarters of Local "a it
was said that Schachter did not work.