The Survey, Volume 30, Number 3, Apr 19, 1913 — John Shaqi
The Survey, Volume 30, Number 3, Apr 19, 1913Various
History
The Survey, Volume 30, Number 3, Apr 19, 1913
Various
Charities -- Periodicals; Social problems -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals
In striking contrast to the order maintained by the rank and file of the
strikers, there have been actions on the part of the city officials that
leading newspapers outside of the strike district have not hesitated to
characterize as anarchical. Soon after the strike began and it became
known that it was to be conducted under the auspices of the I. W. W.,
the police began to arrest strike leaders and others who addressed
meetings of strikers, regardless of whether they had yet been guilty of
any illegal act. Several of them were held in jail for a time and then
so great was the outcry raised that for a period of two or three weeks
these tactics were abandoned.
On Sunday, March 30, however, the police resumed their former tactics.
William D. Haywood, the leader of the strike, had announced that he
would speak at an open air meeting, and a large crowd gathered to hear
him. As Haywood was going to the meeting place to speak he was
approached by members of the police force. They told him that the chief
of police had issued an order forbidding any out-door meeting. According
to all reports, including testimony given by the police authorities
themselves, Haywood acquiesced at once and passed the word to the
assemblage that the meeting would take place in Haledon, an independent
borough just outside the city limits of Paterson. Accordingly, Haywood
started to walk down the street in the direction of Haledon and he was
followed by the crowd. Just before he reached the city limits, a patrol
wagon bore down upon him. Together with Lessig, another strike leader,
he was arrested, taken before the Recorder’s Court, charged with
disorderly conduct and unlawful assemblage under the English act of
1635. After being held in jail in lieu of $5,000 bail, both were found
guilty of unlawful assemblage and were sentenced by the recorder to six
months’ imprisonment.
A writ of _certiorari_ was immediately sought by Haywood’s attorneys and
a hearing on this appeal was held by Supreme Court Justice Minturn. When
the evidence, most of it furnished by the police department, was in,
Justice Minturn ordered the release of Haywood and Lessig. He was unable
to find that there had been any unlawful assemblage. The evidence tended
rather to show that Haywood was co-operating with the authorities in an
endeavor to carry out their orders. At the time of this resumption of
their activity the police began also to arrest pickets. From twenty to
one hundred a day were taken to headquarters. After Judge Minturn’s
decision, all those held in jail were discharged. Since then, while the
arrest of pickets has gone steadily on, Recorder Carroll has refused to
hold them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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