Jefferson County, Alabama - Newspaper Articles
CLERKS VINDICATED
Members of the Bessemer Union Are Acquitted in Court
The Bessemer clerks have been vindicated in the courts. The boys who were arrested last week in a wholesale manner for disorderly conduct and other charges of misdemeanor, at the instigation of Paletz Bros., after a trial in which all the facts were brought out, were acquitted, and there was no evidence to show that they were doing any more than exercising their rights as citizens.
The facts were about these: The Clerks' Union have a contract with twenty-four merchants in Bessemer to close their doors at 7 o'clock. These are the representative stores of the town, Paletz Bros. are small potatoes. They do all their own work and live in the back of the store. They persisted in keeping open after 7 o'clock so that they might catch a few stray pennies. The clerks tried to get them to close, but to no avail. They sent several committees to wait on them, and were met with flat refusals. They then began to distribute circulars near the store requesting the people to not patronize stores that kept open after 7 o'clock. Different committees each night were appointed to attend to the distributing of the circulars, and it was members of this committee that were placed under arrest, together with members of the Clerks' Union that happened to be in the neighborhood, and President W. D. Lanier, who was not in the neighborhood at all. Mr. King, a merchant of Bessemer, and not a member of the Clerks' Union, went into the store of Paletz Bros. shortly after 7 o'clock. Statements differed as to how the elder Paletz and he became involved in a tussle. Such statement usually do but the fact that Mr. King made no efforts to do anything more than keeping the Paletz, with whom he was tussling, from hurting him, demonstrates that he had no particularly hostile intentions. The Paletzs had a revolver conveniently near. The younger Paletz secured this, and Mr. Cully, a clerk, and Mr. Randle, a merchant, grappled with him for its possession, for no other purpose, they say, than to disarm him. Neither of the Paletzs were hurt, and there was no evidence to show that any of the clerks were armed, or acted in a disorderly manner in anyway other than stated.
After the disturbance was quelled, the Paletzs swore out warrants indiscriminately, and they were unable to sustain their charges even by the witnesses introduced by themselves.
The Grievance Committee from the Trades Council, headed by Chairman McCormack, and President Judge, of Carpenter's Local No. 75, accompanied by Mr. Brumley, of the LABOR ADVOCATE, were in Bessemer on Tuesday, the day of the trial. They interviewed the only three merchants of the town that had not signed the agreement to close up. One of these signed the agreement, Pizzitts &They are just opening up, and express a willingness to live up to the requests of the Union. It will only be a matter of a short time until the one or two merchants that seem inclined to hold out will close up at seven o'clock, or close their doors all the time, as the people of Bessemer, organized workingmen, merchants and all are in full sympathy with the clerks. Labor Advocate, Birmingham, AL, February 24, 1900
CARDIFF.
Social Happenings -- Marriages, Births, Deaths -- Bro. Adams Has Been Heard From.
Cardiff, July 12, -- Mr. John Cauldwell, of Blocton, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Wells.
Peter Smith's hair-breadth escapes on the rock of Gibraltar are very interesting.
Cardiff local United Mine Workers of America decided to take in Labor Day at Lake View.
Jim Goodman, our hustling, energetic store manager, and wife, are away visiting friends in Georgia.
Miss Lizzie Smith entertained, at her home, a bevy of jolly boys and girls. Plays, games and jokes were the features of the evening. It was a delightful reception.
The following weddings have recently taken place:
Lish Griffiths, a cultured young man to a charming Miss Mary Evans.
William Haney, our popular and genial store clerk to winsome Miss Minnie Swift.
Bartolo Lamearrello to Miss Mary Slidamore of New Orleans. A grand reception was tendered by Bartolo to the boys and it seemed as though our citizens were present en masse. Dancing was indulged in and there sure was a hot time that night.
A delightful ice cream supper was served at Mrs. Burrell's Saturday night.
Mrs. Ben Swift is reported much better, although her troubles still linger.
The nine year old daughter of Mrs. Louis Herbert, while standing on a chair preparatory to hanging up a bucket, fell and broke her arm. Dr. L. A. Jenkins with his usual promptness was on hand and skillfully reset the broken bone.
The births in our camp since January has been seventeen boys, fifteen girls. Deaths four.
Galloway Ragland who was shot in the leg recently is doing remarkably well.
Penry Woodford, Steve Hunter and Sam Thornby are on the sick list.
The clank of Blacksmith Morrison Clark's hammer can be heard morn and night. He is running his shop now exclusively.
Several new houses are in course of erection.
Uncle Charles Williams, the grand old man and checkweighman at Cardiff mines, took in the Fourth with his usual vim and vigor.
Anthony Usher is now pushing the pencil at Brazil in the capacity of checkweighman.
The news comes from far off Virginia that "Big Jim Williams" is the father of a big bouncing boy.
A letter to hand from Brother Ed Adams states that at the mines as Des Moines, Iowa, the drivers are paid $2.00 per shift; coal per ton 70 cents. About $2.00 a day can be made so the men say. They pay every two weeks. Jim McKenna, who went on to Boone to visit his sick mother has not been heard from yet. Cardiff wishes you well, boys. SILAS. Labor Advocate, Birmingham, AL, July 16, 1898
All newspaper articles transcribed from referenced sources by C. Anthony unless otherwise noted.
| Next Newspaper File
Members of the Bessemer Union Are Acquitted in Court
The Bessemer clerks have been vindicated in the courts. The boys who were arrested last week in a wholesale manner for disorderly conduct and other charges of misdemeanor, at the instigation of Paletz Bros., after a trial in which all the facts were brought out, were acquitted, and there was no evidence to show that they were doing any more than exercising their rights as citizens.
The facts were about these: The Clerks' Union have a contract with twenty-four merchants in Bessemer to close their doors at 7 o'clock. These are the representative stores of the town, Paletz Bros. are small potatoes. They do all their own work and live in the back of the store. They persisted in keeping open after 7 o'clock so that they might catch a few stray pennies. The clerks tried to get them to close, but to no avail. They sent several committees to wait on them, and were met with flat refusals. They then began to distribute circulars near the store requesting the people to not patronize stores that kept open after 7 o'clock. Different committees each night were appointed to attend to the distributing of the circulars, and it was members of this committee that were placed under arrest, together with members of the Clerks' Union that happened to be in the neighborhood, and President W. D. Lanier, who was not in the neighborhood at all. Mr. King, a merchant of Bessemer, and not a member of the Clerks' Union, went into the store of Paletz Bros. shortly after 7 o'clock. Statements differed as to how the elder Paletz and he became involved in a tussle. Such statement usually do but the fact that Mr. King made no efforts to do anything more than keeping the Paletz, with whom he was tussling, from hurting him, demonstrates that he had no particularly hostile intentions. The Paletzs had a revolver conveniently near. The younger Paletz secured this, and Mr. Cully, a clerk, and Mr. Randle, a merchant, grappled with him for its possession, for no other purpose, they say, than to disarm him. Neither of the Paletzs were hurt, and there was no evidence to show that any of the clerks were armed, or acted in a disorderly manner in anyway other than stated.
After the disturbance was quelled, the Paletzs swore out warrants indiscriminately, and they were unable to sustain their charges even by the witnesses introduced by themselves.
The Grievance Committee from the Trades Council, headed by Chairman McCormack, and President Judge, of Carpenter's Local No. 75, accompanied by Mr. Brumley, of the LABOR ADVOCATE, were in Bessemer on Tuesday, the day of the trial. They interviewed the only three merchants of the town that had not signed the agreement to close up. One of these signed the agreement, Pizzitts &They are just opening up, and express a willingness to live up to the requests of the Union. It will only be a matter of a short time until the one or two merchants that seem inclined to hold out will close up at seven o'clock, or close their doors all the time, as the people of Bessemer, organized workingmen, merchants and all are in full sympathy with the clerks. Labor Advocate, Birmingham, AL, February 24, 1900
CARDIFF.
Social Happenings -- Marriages, Births, Deaths -- Bro. Adams Has Been Heard From.
Cardiff, July 12, -- Mr. John Cauldwell, of Blocton, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Wells.
Peter Smith's hair-breadth escapes on the rock of Gibraltar are very interesting.
Cardiff local United Mine Workers of America decided to take in Labor Day at Lake View.
Jim Goodman, our hustling, energetic store manager, and wife, are away visiting friends in Georgia.
Miss Lizzie Smith entertained, at her home, a bevy of jolly boys and girls. Plays, games and jokes were the features of the evening. It was a delightful reception.
The following weddings have recently taken place:
Lish Griffiths, a cultured young man to a charming Miss Mary Evans.
William Haney, our popular and genial store clerk to winsome Miss Minnie Swift.
Bartolo Lamearrello to Miss Mary Slidamore of New Orleans. A grand reception was tendered by Bartolo to the boys and it seemed as though our citizens were present en masse. Dancing was indulged in and there sure was a hot time that night.
A delightful ice cream supper was served at Mrs. Burrell's Saturday night.
Mrs. Ben Swift is reported much better, although her troubles still linger.
The nine year old daughter of Mrs. Louis Herbert, while standing on a chair preparatory to hanging up a bucket, fell and broke her arm. Dr. L. A. Jenkins with his usual promptness was on hand and skillfully reset the broken bone.
The births in our camp since January has been seventeen boys, fifteen girls. Deaths four.
Galloway Ragland who was shot in the leg recently is doing remarkably well.
Penry Woodford, Steve Hunter and Sam Thornby are on the sick list.
The clank of Blacksmith Morrison Clark's hammer can be heard morn and night. He is running his shop now exclusively.
Several new houses are in course of erection.
Uncle Charles Williams, the grand old man and checkweighman at Cardiff mines, took in the Fourth with his usual vim and vigor.
Anthony Usher is now pushing the pencil at Brazil in the capacity of checkweighman.
The news comes from far off Virginia that "Big Jim Williams" is the father of a big bouncing boy.
A letter to hand from Brother Ed Adams states that at the mines as Des Moines, Iowa, the drivers are paid $2.00 per shift; coal per ton 70 cents. About $2.00 a day can be made so the men say. They pay every two weeks. Jim McKenna, who went on to Boone to visit his sick mother has not been heard from yet. Cardiff wishes you well, boys. SILAS. Labor Advocate, Birmingham, AL, July 16, 1898
All newspaper articles transcribed from referenced sources by C. Anthony unless otherwise noted.
| Next Newspaper File
Back to Jefferson County
Key Events
1871 - Birmingham founded.
February 16, 1895 - Alabama adopted the state flag which is being used today.
1907 - U.S. Steel purchased the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company in Birmingham.
Birmingham Businesses
Stowers Furniture Company
Simmons & Hillhouse Co.
Hobson Cafe
Berger Dry Goods Co.
Four Dollar Pants Co.
Jacobs Pharmacy
Birmingham Arms & Cycle Co.
Birmingham Loan Co.
Schillinger Brewing Co.
Alabama Brewing Co.
Miller Brewing Co.
Mayberry Hardware Co.
M. Jaffe Jewelry Co.
(Extracted from Labor Advocate, 1896)
