Q. As you understand it, Burckmyer was not discharged at all? The WITNESS. No; it says that he had been threatened with discharge. It is not true. EDMUND REARDON sworn and examined. By Mr. PLATT: Question. What is your business?-Answer. I am a soap and candle manufacturer. Q. Employed by whom?-A. I am in business for myself. Q. Do you know Thomas Howland ?—A. I did know him. dead. Q. When did he die ?-A. Within ten days. He is now Q. Did Thomas Howland have any work to do for you last October? -A. Last October I employed him for a couple of months in superintending the building of the manufactory for us. Q. At what time did he finish his job?-A. Somewhere from the 10th to the middle of November. Q. Do you know whether, prior to that time and about election time, he was discharging hands because the work was being nearly com pleted-A. He was for at least two or three weeks prior to the final ending of the job. As the walls were closed in he discharged the men. Q. You do not know anything about the discharge of Martin O'Connor?-A. I don't know that we have had such a man in our employ. Q. You do know that at about election time Howland was finishing his job and was discharging several hands?—A. Yes, sir. HORATIO N. SLATER, Jr., sworn and examined. By Mr. BLAIR: Question. Are you the Mr. Slater of the Slater manufacturing concern, or Slater Woolen Mills ?-Answer. I am treasurer of the several concerns. Q. You are the son of the president?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Where is your father at the present time?-A. Somewhere in Great Britain, I think; probably in Londou at this time. Q. How long have you been connected with the business of these mills?-A. About twenty years. Q. What would you say as to there ever having been any intimidation whatever, and more particularly within the last three years, by any of your subordinates upon the employés of the corporation in political matters, or, in fact, in any other matters ?-A. I have never known of any cases of the kind; have never suspected any. Q. Had you ever heard, until this investigation, of reports of that kind current among the people there ?-A. No, sir. Q. Were you present at the election last autumn ?-A. I was not. I reside in Rhode Island. Q. Do you know, as a matter of fact, that a political meeting at Manchaug was addressed by General Butler -A. I remember that there was such a meeting. I remember seeing General Butler on the train going to Webster. Q. State whether or not on that occasion you stopped the works in town-A. I was not there on the afternoon of the address. I was there during the day, but returned to Providence on the afternoon train. This address was in the afternoon. Q. State whether the mills ran on that day or practically were stopped.-A. They practically were stopped in order to give the people an opportunity to go and hear the general speak. There was no direction, but the mills were practically stopped and those who wished to go and attend the meeting were free to go. Q. Would the mills have been stopped if this meeting had not been held-A. No, sir; not in Massachusetts, where they run ten hours at best. We have to make every hour that we can, like other people. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. Where do you reside ?—A. I reside in Rhode Island; I am not at the mills. Q. Was this meeting held on a Saturday?-A. I am quite sure that it was not on a Saturday, for the reason that our mills stop at four o'clock on Saturday; that is my recollection. Q. All you know is that the corporation gave no orders for the control of voters?-A. None of any description nor in any way. WILLIAM BADGER Sworn and examined. By Mr. PLATT: Question. Where do you reside?—Answer. In Lynu. Q. What is your business ?—A. I am now janitor of the post-office. Q. Were you such in October last?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Have you seen the affidavit of James H. Daily with reference to what you are alleged to have said to a man named Burckmyer?—A. I have. Q. The affidavit states that "Isaac Birkenmeyer, who is employed as a porter in the United States post-office building, told me that Mr. Badger, the janitor of said building, under whose control said Birkenmeyer is, told him (Birkenmeyer) that if he voted for General Butler at the coming election he would be discharged." Did you tell Burckmyer any such thing-A. No, sir. Q. Anything like it ?-A. Never. Q. Is Burckmyer here ?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Was he discharged?-A. Never. He is in the employ now. Q. Do you remember having had any conversation with him on the subject of how he was going to vote?-A. No, sir. Q. Did you have anything to do with the employment or discharge of the men?-A. No, sir. Q. Did you talk with any of the men about what would happen to them if they voted for General Butler ?-A. No, sir. Q. Was McIntyre a workman on the post-office building on the 23d day of October, 1878 ?-A. No, sir. Q. Had he ever been ?-A. Yes, sir. Q. In what capacity ?-A. As a porter. Q. When was he discharged?-A. He was discharged, I think, about the 25th of July, 1878. Q. For what?-A. He was discharged by orders from Washington, through the custodian. I have nothing to do with the discharging. Q. Do you know what he was discharged for?-A. I believe they call it inefficiency in his business. Q. Had he been re-employed there on the 22d of October?-A. No, sir; he has never been there since to my knowledge. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. You do not know whether Burckmyer did tell Daily this or not ?— A. I can't say that. I know that I never told him so. Q. Nobody, then, was discharged for voting for Butler?-A. Not that I ever knew of. Q. You often heard talk in the corridors and about the the post-office about General Butler during last fall?-A. Of course. There was some talk about my discharging this McIntyre at the time, but nothing was ever said about politics. I never exchanged a word on that subject with any men under me. Q. All the men who worked at the post-office were not for Butler?— A. I don't know. Q. Did any of them vote for Butler ?—A. I never heard whether they did or not; never asked them. Q. You voted for Talbot ?—A. I did. Q. It was generally understood there on the post-office building that all the employés were free to vote for whom they pleased?—A. So far as I know, they were. Q. No orders to the reverse of that were ever given out?-A. Not to my knowledge. Q. You never told anybody that they would be discharged if they voted for Butler ?-A. Never. ISAAC BURCKMYER (colored) sworn and examined. By Mr. PLATT : Question. Where were you employed last October ?-Answer. In the post-office building. on. Q. What were your duties there?A. A porter, sweepings, and so Q. Did you ever tell James H. Daily that Mr. Badger, the janitor of the building, had told yon that if you voted for General Butler at the coming election you would be discharged?—A. No, sir. Q. Did Mr. Badger ever tell you any such thing?-A. No, sir. Q. And you never told Mr. Daily any such thing?-A. No, sir. Q. Did you ever tell him you were afraid to subscribe to that statement by reason of Badger's threats?-A. No, sir; I never told him any such thing or anything like it. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. Did you go to any office at any time with Mr. Daily about this matter?-A. Yes, sir; they threatened to punish me if I didn't sign it, and have me discharged, and he would pay me if I went there. Q. You did go?—A. I went there to report to him. They threatened my discharge if I didn't sign it. Q. What paper was it?-A. I suppose it was this affidavit. Q. Was it not a paper in reference to General Butler ?—A. A paper in reference to having been discharged. Q. Tell the committee what it was about.-A. I can't relate the cir cumstance. Q. Why?-A. I don't recollect it. Q. What did it begin about?-A. It commenced about getting McIntyre a situation. This election affair had nothing to do with the first conversation at all. Q. What were they going to punish you for ?-A. Why, if I didn't sign this paper to say that Mr. Badger threatened my discharge. Q. Who was going to punish you ?—A. I don't know. They said they would have me discharged from the post-office building. I suppose it was this Daily crowd. Q. They bulldozed you ?-A. I suppose so. Q. They took you down there and threatened they would have you discharged if you did not sign the affidavit?-A. Then the next day he came up to my house and said he would pay me for my time. I asked him about it afterwards and he said nobody knew anything more about it. Q. You did go?-A. The first day I went. Q. Because he threatened to have you discharged?-A. No; I went with him to report that he threatened to have me discharged. Q. To report where?-A. To report at the same office that he wanted to have me sign at. Q. To whom did you report it ?—A. I didn't, I had no opportunity to do so. Q. Did you report it to Mr. Badger?—A. I said no more about it. He asked me to say no more about it. Q. Did you think that Daily could have you discharged from the postoffice-A. I thought he might say something about it. Q. You thought that Daily would have influence with the men who employed you?-A. No; I didn't think that. Q. Still you went?-A. I thought that I would go to have it known that he had threatened me. Q. And he went with you because he wanted you to inform him, but you didn't report it to the post-office ?-A. No, sir. Q. Why didn't you tell on him then?-A. I thought I would tell on him at the office. Q. Did you tell on him there?—A. No, sir. Q. Then he came after you the next day ?-A. And I didn't go. Q. You didn't say anything to him at the house?-A. The next day I went. Q. You did go? What did you tell him then?-A. I told him he was not discharged for voting for Butler or anything of the sort; that he was discharged on another occasion. Q. You didn't tell Daily, then, that Badger had threatened that if Burckmyer voted for Butler that he (Burckmyer) would be discharged? -A. No, sir; he said that. Q. Mr. Badger never did tell you that you would be discharged ?—A. No, sir. Q. You did not vote for Butler?-A. No. Q. Did you never tell anybody that you were going to vote for Butler?-A. Nobody. Q. You did not tell anybody that you were afraid to sign a statement that Badger had threatened to discharge you if you voted for Butler ?— A. No, sir; I never told anybody yet. Q. Who recommended you when you got in the post-office?-A. I got in without a recommendation. Q. Who appointed you?-A. I had no appointment. Q. Who employed you?-A. Mr. Shaw. Q. Who is Mr. Shaw?-A. The custodian of the building. Q. Is he the man who hires and discharges people?-A. Yes, sir. Q. You say you went to this office; do you know where it was?-A. In Pemberton Square. Q. Who was with you?-A. A stranger and McIntyre. Q. And this man Daily?-A. There were only two persons. Q. Did you know Daily?-A. I suppose it was the same person; I don't know him. Q. It was the same man who came back the next day and offered you money if you would keep quiet about it ?-A. He offered me money if I would go to sign the affidavit. Q. How much money did he offer you?-A. He didn't offer me any particular amount. Q. In what part of the city do you live?-A. No. 4 Stanhope Place, off Philip street. CHARLES W. CURRY sworn and examined. By Mr. BLAIR: Question. Where do you reside?-Answer. In Medford. I am now stopping at Wenham. Q. What is your father's name?-A. Daniel Curry. He resides in Chelsea.. Q. What is his business?-A. The oil business. Q. What is the present state of his health -A. He is confined to the house, and the doctors say he is going to have softening of the brain; that it is coming on. Q. He is not able to be present to-day ?-A. He is not. Q. How long has he been in that condition, or how long since he attended to business?-A. He has not attended to business for six months, or somewhere thereabouts. Q. Are you now in charge of his business?-A. Yes, sir; myself and partner. Q. For how long have you had charge of it substantially?-A. For a year I have done the greater part of the business that my father did when he was well. He ran the factory, and I have looked after that since he was confined to the house. Q. Has a negro been in your employ for the last twelve or fifteen years?-A. I cannot state the number of years, but one has been in their employ. Q. What is his name?-A. Robert Gray. Q. Is he the same who has testified here, as far as you know?—A. Yes, sir. Q. State whether he is now in your father's employ.-A. I am a member of and interested in the concern. He is not at work for me; I discharged the man last Saturday night. Q. State the reason why he was discharged.—A. On Saturday morn ing I got to my factory and had to go to another place at half past eight. He had gone to another place with a load of goods, and I thought that he was gone longer than he ought to have been. He was saucy then, and I said nothing, but made up my mind that I would discharge him on Saturday night. Q. What did he say that was saucy-A. What he said to me was that if I wasn't satisfied with him I had better get somebody else to |
