The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-06-02
HEADS OF
SEVENTEEN
TOPPED OFF
C. And 0. Takes Drastic
Action Following ReveI-
alton About Employees
In Hammond

Win inc summary dismissal here
OF seventeen employees Of the Ches-
peake & Ohio railroad. many of
them veterans of the road. for alleg-
ed infractions of Rule G" prohibit
ing the Use or purchase OF intoxicat-
ing liquors by railroad employees.
Vain efforts were made today to re
instate the ousted employees through
the brotherhoods. They say they
C n condone violation of
Rule G." by aiding violators OF 1t.
Now the men who were dismissed
for good of the service" say they'll
institute action themselves showing
the action of the c. & o. is unfair
and based upon false information
maliciously obtained through perjur-
ed atfidavits.
COMES TO HEAD MONDAY
The situation promises to come to
show down in the city court on
Monday morning. next. when
Arthur Fitz Harris will be arraigned
for the second time on charges of vi
olating the liquor law. Yesterday
he was sentenced to the penal farm
to serve a suspended so day SEN
tence. This was first imposed when
Fitz Harris was arrested a couple of
months ago with Albert Reel. They
were found guilty of making and
nsers were railroad men. Both
of them were heavily fined and Civ
en- suspended Jail sentences Reel.
raided again last week. was for the
second time found guilty of the same
offense. Tried again in the city
court he was sentenced Monday to
serve so days on this count and an
additional so days representing the
suspended Jail sentence. He is now
on his way to the penal farm.
The case of F'itz Harris is peculiar
He may face charges of perjury in
addition to those of violating the
liquor laws. 1t was on information
supplied by Fitz Harris. say the oust
ed rail employees. that C. & o. offic-
ials based their charges. Fitz Har-
ris says he's been made a cats-paw,
a dupe. He may seek escape from
deeper complications by issuing a
statement justifying his action in
double crossing" the men to whom
he sold liquor and then filed affi-
davits admitting his own violation
of the law in order to provide bas-
is for railroad Officials to take ac-
tion in custer proceedings. Judge
Cleveland has given him until Mon
day morning. At that time he will
be again arraigned. It will then be
decided whether Fitz Harris is to
serve an additional so days for the
alleged second offense based on his
affidavits to rail officials.
MANY ARE OLD EMPLOYEES
Many of the employees who were
dismissed had served the c. & o.
for periods of two TO twenty years
OF the seventeen all but two are
residents OF Hammond. Most of
them are married Most have fam
lilies. All are thrown out Of work
Now they're looking for new Jobs.
The dismissal order came May 20
1t was contained in Discipline Bull
letin issued from Peru, Ind. above
the signature Of G. ]. Derbyshire.
general superintendent. 1t cites
violations OF the roads ''Rule G."
The employees effected include an op-
orator, a brakeman. two engineers
a yard clerk. a fireman, a car in
spector, six switchmen. three special
agents and a conductor who had
been in the employe Of the road for
more than sixten years and is reput-
ed 70 have help build the old C. c. L
railroad The charge against him
Is that he was drinking liquor in his
boarding place.
According 10 the employees story
the facts are these: Following the
first conviction of Reel and Fitz
Harris a couple months ago. the
pair were approached by special
agents of -he c. & O. They were
solicited to divulge the names Of
the road employees to whom they
had sold liquor. At first the men
demurred Then they We're pro-
vided with passes and asked to go
to Peru, there to meet railroad Of
ficials. (Ftz Harris showed the
court a pass with which he had
been provlded). At Peru they were
met and taken to n room. For a
consideration, 1t is alleged. and GER
tain promises OF well-paid and
o erm an ent employment. they
"coughed up" the names of their
cash customers. These men were
then summoned. They appeared be-
fore board OF three rail officials
in the Chicago offices Of the c. & o.
One by one they entered the room
They were formally charged with
violating Rule G." Most of them
admitted their guilt when they
were confronted with affidavits
sworn to by FitzHarris. They were
allowed counsel for defense. They
were dismissed.
Now Fritz Harris, according to
city court, finds that he has lied.
Either he perjured himself on the
witness stand in city court when
first arraigned and testified then
that although he had made moon
shine he had never sold drop or
he perjured himself in the affida-
Wits he filed against the seventeen
employees and on which evidence
alone thAv uAra discharged.