The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-09

Chicago, Dec. s.-rhe first death
resulting from violence in the stock
yards strike was reported this morn
ing. George Pyle, 35, a laborer. died
in the county hospital of gunshot
wounds received Wednesday night.
The police said that Pyle was shot by
a motorcycle policeman after he had
thrown several bricks at the officers.
The situation assumed brighter
aspect today. with optimistic state
ments from the packers and no re-
ports of violence from the police.
According to the packing house Of
ficials the strikers are returning to
work and the plants are on a nearly
normal working basis.
Unions Claim $4,000 Out.
Denis Lane. union secretary. said.
however, that the strike was 100 per
cent effective and that fifty thou
sand men were out in the packing
house cities.
The first violence of the strike here
on Wednesday, was followed by disor-
ders in East st. Louis and Omaha.
Seven women were arrested in East
st. Louis for participating in demon
stratiOns and a 15-months-old baby
was wounded when volley of shots
was fired into the house of a packing
house employe in Omaha.
The outbreak here, quelled Wednes-
day n hit, broke out afresh last night
after & comparatively quiet day and
it is stated $50 persons were injured.
including one nan shot and a score
serios sly injured. An injunction
against the Amalgamated Meat Cut
ters and Butcher Workmen of Amer
lea was ordered here by Judge Denis
Sullivan on petition of twenty pack
ers, in eluding Swift G. Co. and nine
, teen of the smaller plants. This in
junction ordered the picketing cease
Bat, according to the authorities it
was disreS-rded by the strikers and
strike sympathizers.
''Moonshine" Big Factor.
Moonshine liquor was said to be a
big factor in the trouble here. Twenty
prohibition enforcement officers are
working in the area about the stock
yards. hunting for moonshine stills.
This action was taken following re-
ports that even tho the saloons were
closed at the beginning of the out
| break, many of the homes in that dis
trict have private stills. In one house
a large still was found and a barrel
of liquor emptied into the gutter.
Snipers have made their appearance
in the stockyards district here and
added to the difficulty of controlling
the mobs.
X. G. Strikers Within Law.
Kansas City, Dec 9-Picketing of
I
which was urged last night by W. E
Freeman, president of the Kansas
State Federation of Labor, was not
resumed this morning when packing
house workers reported for duty.
At union headquarters it was said
that no decision had yet been reached
as to resuming picketing. Joseph H
Brady, city counselor of Kansas City,
Kan. addressed the strikers al mass
meeting last night after Freeman had
advised them to resume picketing. and
said that as one whose feeling toward
the men was friendly. he would advise
them to stay within the law in their
activities. He added that the Kansas
law forbade picketing and If picketing
were resumed the police would arrest
men acting as pickets.
Members of the Kansas Industrial
court said they were awaiting today's
developments with interest. The work
ers' parade, according to its latest
plans, will march past each Of the
five big packing plants before going
thru the retail business district of Kan
sas City. Kan.
''open Shop for st. Louis.
St. Louis, Dec. 9.-Eleven indepen-
dent packing companies today signed
their names to a notice printed in
newspapers that they would operate
under the open shop" plan on and
after January 2, and at the same time
set forth a new scale Of wages which
included n cut of 8 per cent FOR piece
work and others ranging from cents
an hour to 7 X cents an hour
The notice says that action by the
companies has been postponed a.
long as possible and with a strike
threatening unless the contracts with
union employees are renewed the open
shop" has been adopted.
Fort Worth Deliveries Resumed.
1-o.+ T1yortJ, T1ac q-Oua ma cJxfr7g
company resumed local deliveries this
morning Retail dealers advanced
slightly the price of meats; union
coopers Joined the butcher workmeu.
in strike; strikers pickets had sur
rounded the packing plants BY
O'Clock but refrained from nlolestfng
workers as they entered the plants