The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-09
court HEARS WRIT
AGAINST
GARMENT STRIKE
CONTINUED From Page -

civil contempt, not criminal con-
tempt" And Judge Charles M. Foell
remained firm that he would not sub
init to the bosses dictation thru their
lawyer and give penal sentences
where they were not warranted.
Three of the dress manufacturers,
Kovler, Reinhardt, and Nat Ribback,
all of whom have their business in
the building at SO7 S. Market Street,
were present at the afternoon court
session. Ribback attempted to come
to the aid of prosecutor Hyde, by Of
fering him suggestions from time to
time.
Bosses Witnesses Weak.
officer Patrick Moran played chief
assistant to Atty. Hyde and coached
up the prosecutions witnesses. He
didn't do a thoro job because their
testimony varied widely. In the Tail
ure of the regular witnesses to iden-
tify Carrie Peck, Moran called on his
unfailing henchman, Michael Collins,
to help him out And then Foell
wouldn't believe the honorable" po-
liceman from the states attorneys
office.
Attorney Peter Sissman for the
striking ladies' garment workers,
made plainclothes Sergeant Kelly look
so foolish by showing up the contra
dictions in his testimony that prose
cutting attorney Hyde had to console
Kelly in the corridor at recess.
Jonas S. Isenberg, who has dress
manufacturing business at the same
address the Francine Frock has,
beamed with self-importance as he
testified. His chief statement was in
regard to Anton Kropashko, who was
formerly employed by him. Isenberg
said that Kropashko on one occasion
was seen to raise his hand and cry,
We'll get you" to one of the scabs.
On this testimony, Judge Foell gave
IKropashko a sentence twice as severe
as he gave the other men involved,
altho the evidence was exceedingly
flimsy and Kropashko denied the
charge completely.
FoeI Takes Hand.
Foell in cross-examining the officers
who testified, questioned the accuracy
of their memory for certain dates and
faces when they admitted to seeing so
many people on the streets, almost
since the first day of the strike. Judge
Foell does hold the injunction as law
and therefore, to be enforced by the
court without question. But unlike his
fellow benchman, Judge "Dennie" Sui
livan, Foell does not hold picketing
criminal offense. He hasn't been so
easily bought out by the bosses led
by lawyer Dudley Taylor of the EN-
ployers' Association and Attorney
Hyde.
The bosses don't feel nearly so
cocky as they did earlier in the strike.
The long fight against the union has
cut their bank accounts considerably
The cases they are bringing into
court now are extremely weak and
even the presiding Judge has to grant
that the greatest charge against the
pickets is technical violation" in
spite of all attorney Hyde's efforts to
convince him of the contrary. Hyde
argued for severe enough sentences
to scare other strikers of the picket
line, but Foell maintained that that was
beyond the purpose Of the injunction
and that the cases must be tried on
the evidence only.
More Cases Today.
About twenty-four more cases are
due to come up before Judge Foell
this morning. The strikers involved in
these cases have been waiting with
wearying patience as their cases have
been put off from day to day. Judge
Foell must think that part of their
punishment should consist Of Their
constant attendance in his court. He
may want to help the detectives sta
toned about to get something out Of
the girls by mingling with them so
cially. But the striking garment work
ers have learned long before this that
attaches Of the courts and police are
generally not to be trusted as far al
they, the workers, are concerned.