Burlington Strike, 1888; Labor unions -- United States; Railroads -- United States -- Employees
July 5, J. A. Bowles, Thos. Broderick and J. Q. Wilson were arrested on
the train leaving Aurora, at 2:15 P. M., by Deputy Marshal Burchard and
Superintendent McGinty of the Pinkerton Agency. A package of some
substance, said to be dynamite, was taken from the rack over the seat
occupied by Wilson. They were arraigned before United States
Commissioner Hoyne, under section 5353, United States Statutes, which
provides a penalty of $1,000 to $10,000 fine for transporting or having
in possession dynamite on trains or vessels carrying passengers.
Chairman Hoge was sent for, but when he learned the gravity of the
charge against the prisoners he had little comfort to give them, but
promised to secure an attorney if he found on investigation that their
cause was worthy. All three of the men denied ownership of the package
found in the rack. Bowles came to Aurora at the beginning of the strike,
and ran an engine for thirteen days. His brother finally induced him to
leave the service of the company, and he was taken into the Brotherhood
Division at Aurora. The Burlington officials testified that Broderick
was in their employ as late as April last, two months after the strike
began. Wilson was a Pinkerton detective. Thus it will be seen that the
trio were Burlington and Pinkerton employes.
The company claimed that dynamite was used at Eola, West Aurora,
Galesburg and Creston, to blow up and wreck trains, but that no damage
was done, except to a portion of a flange on an engine wheel at Eola.
In some of these cases a portion of the dynamite was found unexploded,
together with parts of the wrapper. If this stuff had really been
dynamite, it is impossible to conceive how part of the cartridge could
have remained unexploded.
J. A. Bauereisen, Chief of the Aurora Division of B. of L. E., was
arrested July 6 as an accomplice, it having been claimed that Bowles
received the package from him before starting for Chicago with Wilson
and Broderick.
Alexander Smith was arrested July 6. Smith is a fireman, and was charged
with having handled the dynamite in connection with the explosion at
Eola and West Aurora.
Attorneys Donohue and David were retained for the defense of these men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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