New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-24
Striker Dies in
Gun Fight With
Erie Detectives
Opens Fire When Arrest in
Hornell Yards Threatens
and Is Shot Dead, While
His COmrade Is Wounded
Union Leaders Optimistic
Make Public Survey Which
Insists Roads Are Fast
Approaching Breakdown

4 revolver battle between striking
railway shopmen and detectives Of the
Erie Railroad in the yards at Hornell,
~ Y. yesterday, resulted in the killing
Of one Of striker and the wounding Of
another. according 70 dispatches re-
eeived here last aight.
Frank ArdiAuini was the shopman
I killed. Charles Cesaro was wounded.
I He was shot in the neck. According 20
the railroad officers, an effort was made
I 20 arrest one Of the men as they were
talking with others in the yard. Ar.
diduini and Cesaro, however, whipped
out revolvcrs ard began firing.
The railroad detectives sprang be-
hind a concrete building and returned
the Gre of the shopmon until Ardiduini
and Cesaro fell. Two 80 caliber revolt
vers we're found on the ground beside
the dead man. One OF them, Of rim
FIRE, contained conter-fre cartridges,
three Of which were dented but unex-
olodod. Several chambers In the other
revolver were empty.
Three Road Detectives Held
Three Erie detectives were arrested
and locked up in the county jail
charged with granddaughter in the hrst
degree. They are Anthony Rutski,
Mark Valentine and Vincent Keaner.
Local railroad strike leaders took ad-
vantage Of the weekend lull in aetivi-
ties o issue a statement yesterday en-
bodyirg a report prepared By the Labor
Bureau. Inc, which insists that the
country's transportation system Is on
the verge Of a complete breakdown I'M
less the shopmens claims are met
speedily.
Pooling Of railroad stock under Fed
eral control, return 10 war conditions
in freight traffic. because OF car
shortage and an embargo on non-essen-
tial industries, which will strangle
business reviya. az birth, are the main
consequences which the bureau experts
profess to see II strike conditions con-
tinue.
The strikers also charge consider
able and increasing breakdown IN pas
senger traffic, reporting many OF inc
most important trains hours behind
schedule In most instances these dec
larstions are denied by the roads.
y. Y. Central Conference This Week
The conference on conditions affect
ing the waymen and shopmen Of the
New York Central which was postponed
last week will surely be held within
few days, IL was announced. Should
the meeting fail Of agreement leaders
declare that the waymen will walk out
without further parlsy.
In Chicago the charge was made that
/ the New York Central is using contract
labor on some OF It's Western lines, IN
defiance Of the Railroad Labor Boards
ruling.
Outwardly the general situation
showed little change. It was said at
White Plains that State Troopers
would be used 70 guard the Port Jervis
shops Of the Erie. Private detectives
nave been placed on guard at the
| Peokskill drawbridge, a vital point on
the New York Centrals Hudson River
/ Division.
The general survey prepared by the
/ Labor Bureau was issued by Dave Will
/ liams. secretary Of the metropolitan
/ District Strike Committee. The report
/ is based upon the assumption that the
| freight car supply is far below the
number required 70 handle the average
/ traffic Of the late summer and early
fall
Pooling Of rolling stock under Fed
eral control, the report says, would
probably have had TO be done n there
/ had been no strike at all, so III pre-
| pared are the roads for this summers
/ traffic. This may be seen by compar-
ing the present situation with that OF
/ 1927
Car Loadings Exceed 1870
in 1920" the report continues,
there was terrific car shortage and
much congestion Of terminals. Condi-
tions were almost as bad as when the
government took over the roads during
the war. According to Daniel Willard,
president OF the Baltimore & Ohio,
there was a transportation emergency
such as was contemplated By the trans
portation act Seven billion ton-miles
more were moved in 1920 than the previ-
Gus highest trafiic-thAt Of 1915. From
March through June this year, Of
fetal statistics show that car loadings
were as great as In 1920, even larger
than In 1920 for some months
I The report points out that there is a
rapid seasonal increase in car loadings
annually from June 10 October, due
largely 10 crop movements, which In
1920 amounted 10 20 per cent. This
year with bumper crops and the be-
giunings Of q business revival. the sur
vcy estimates that the increased de-
mand for cars will reach 80 per cent,
even without settlement Of the coal
strike.
"Tho Increase in weekly cor loadings
between June and October OF 1920 was
10000" says The report. AT least a
parallel increase Ia demand for cars
may be expected this year Yet AZ the
end OF June this year We had, accord
ing 20 official figures, only $4,000 sur
plus box cars. Even II the idle coal
ears be included In the total, II be-
comes only 23a 900. Thus an acute
car shortage would have been inevi-
table though there had been no strike
o. shopmen.
nIn addition 20 this fact. we find
that the numer OF cars in bad order
has doubled since 1920. In June, 1920
there were 10000 ears In bad order
or IL per cent OF the total. In June
1922, there were 34i 900 cars in bad
order, or i43 per cent Of the total
And 10 make matters worse, approx
mately "a per cent OF locomotives were
In bad order at the beginning Of the
strike
Gives Data for Local Roads
The railroads entering New York are
gsnerally worse of than the average
the report declares, and sets forth the
Ggurcs as follows:
Loco
Cars motives
y Y y Il q H.. 1ls esi
lacEawanna ............ ic4 1e.
I Eris ...................4 ~ fss
I New York Crntrai........ 49, t5l
baltimore q Ohio........ il6 o..
l fenn-l-y.nla -.--......... llb ~.