The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-12-28

to had a license to carry q re-
volver at the time we questioned
him. It was promptly revoked by
Detroit authorities.
Perrone barely can read and
write English. He went to work
more than 40 years ago as core
maker for the stove works, per-
haps the largest non-union plant in
the area. Perrone insisted he never
even had discussed labor problems
with John A. Fry, company presi-
dent, and Mr.. Fry testified he new
er had heard of any labor difficulty
or any physical violence at the
plant.
Around 1884, however, there was
a serious strike when union made
a strenuous effort to organize the
stove works. Twelve years later,
Fry told a grand jury investigating
labor rackets that during the dis
pute 81 talked with some Of the
fellows in the plant, including the
Perrones, and I wanted to know
whether or not we could get some
help to come in, and they said they
thought they could. -
There was some fights outside
the gate on the part Of the pick
cts attacking the men when they
came in to lunch. / think after the
first day we had rs or 80 police
men around the plant"
Shortly after this violent strike,
Santo Perrone, the coremaker, Was
given q contract to purchase and
haul away the scrap from the
stove works. Thus, the illiterate
manual laborer acquired an In.
come which in recent years has
netted him between $4,000 and
e65, 900 year. He lives in luxuri-
Gus mansion, drives a costly car,
and has been able to lend large
sums Of money.
The company also took care OF
Santos brother, Gaspar, changing
Its coremaking department to a
subcontractorship. Using company
materials and the same company
owned equipment with which he
had worked as an ernploye, Gaspar
became the contractor who supplied
the factory. with sand cores,
Later, SantO and Gaspaf were
sent to the penitentiary for Illegal
ly manufacturing whisky. The COM
pary kept Santos scrap contract in
effect for him when he was in
prison. Also, while the Perrones
were imprisoned, the United Auto
Workers, CLIO, which previously had
been kept out Of Detroit-M Michigan
Stove, was able to organize one Of
the plants. A JAW organizer said,
though, that when Mr.. Perrone got
out Of jail, ''the organization dis
appeared"
An immigration and Naturaliza-
ton Service inspector told US that,
while investigating aliens Illegally
in the United States, he learned that
20 such violators were working at
the Detroit-Michigan Stove Co. Gas
par was questioned by the commit
tee about a speed boat which he
owns and operates on the Great
lakes between Michigan and Can
ada, but he denied that he ever
smuggled in any aliens.
The Perrone-Stove Works story
fits neatly with that Of a larger
plant, Briggs Manufacturing Co.,
makers Of auto bodies. President
Fry Of the Stove Works and Presi-
dent Dean Robinson Of Briggs are
close friends.
For approximately 20 years,
Briggs had contracted with an estab-
lished firm, Woodmere Scrap Iron.
for removal Of ferrous scrap from
the Briggs plant. In 1945, Santo
Perrone's son-in-law. Carl Renda,
%. suddenly applied for the con-
tract.
The contract was taken away
from Woodmere and awarded to
Renda, despite the facts that he
had no knowledge Of the business,
no equipment and not even q tele-
phone or office where he could be
called.
Then, Perrone's son-in-law turned