Construction industry -- Fiction; Labor unions -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Strikes and lockouts -- Fiction
Tom had been in the court-room but a few minutes when an officer
motioned him within the railing. The court attorney stepped to his side.
"You were pointed out to me as the president of the Iron Workers'
Union," said the attorney.
"Yes."
"And I was told you didn't care particularly for the prisoners in this
explosion case."
"Well?"
"Would you be willing to testify against them--not upon the explosion,
which you didn't see, but upon their character?"
Tom looked at Jake, Arkansas, and Bill, standing at the head of the
queue in charge of the two Pinkertons and a couple of policemen, and
struggled a moment with his thoughts. Ordinarily it was a point of
honor with a union man not to aid the law against a fellow member; but
this was not an ordinary case. The papers had thrown the whole blame for
the outrage upon the union. The union's innocence could be proved only
by fastening the blame upon Foley and the three prisoners.
"I will," he consented.
There was a tiresome wait for the judge. About ten o'clock he emerged
from his chambers and took his place upon his platform. He was a
cold-looking man, with an aristocratic face, deeply marked with lines of
hard justice, and with a time-tonsured pate. His enemies, and they were
many, declared his judgments ignored the law; his answer was that he
administered the law according to common sense, and not according to its
sometimes stupid letter.
The bailiff opened the court, and the case of Jake, Arkansas, and Bill
was called. The two Pinkertons recited the details of the explosion and
the two policemen added details of the arrest. Then Mr. Baxter, looking
pale, but as much the self-controlled gentleman as ever, testified to
the damage done by the dynamite. The Avon still stood, but its steel
frame was so wrenched at the base that it was liable to fall at any
moment. The building would have to be reconstructed entirely. Though
much of the material could be used again, the loss, at a conservative
estimate, would be seventy-five thousand dollars.
Tom came next before the judge's desk. Exclamations of surprise ran
among the union men in the room when it was seen Tom was to be a
witness, and the bailiff had to pound with his gavel and shout for
order. Tom testified that the three were known in the union as men ready
for any villainy; and he managed to introduce in his answers to the
questions enough to make it plain that the union was in no degree
responsible for the outrage, that it abhorred such acts, that
responsibility rested upon the three--"And someone else," he added
meaningly.
"Who's that?" quickly demanded the court attorney.
"Buck Foley."
"I object!" shouted the prisoners' attorney. Foley, who sat back in the
crowd with crossed legs, did not alter his half-interested expression by
a wrinkle.
"Objection over-ruled," said the judge.
"Will you please tell what you know about Mr. Foley's connection with
the case," continued the court attorney.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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