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Show Charged With Violating Lever Act Brotherhoods Believe Last Bulwark Broken. 200 MORE WARRANTS ARE TO BE ISSUED Arrests in Chicago Follow Telegraphic Tel-egraphic Order From Attorney Attor-ney General Palmer. CHICAGO. April 15. Charged with violating the Lever net, 21 loaders in tho insurgent strike of rallrond switchmen switch-men were tinder arrest in Chicago tonight. to-night. In all thirty wnrrnnts were ls sued, and railroad and brotherhood officials of-ficials declared that the last bulwark of tho locnl strike had been broken. Government ngents said 200 other warrants war-rants would be issued later. Included in the number arrested was John Gruuau, president of the Chicago Chi-cago Ynrdmen's aaoociation. The men were taken by federal agents at meetings meet-ings of strikers, and the action was unexpected un-expected by tho men. The prisoners who also Included H. R Reading, chairman of tho United EiiKlnemen'H association, wore released releas-ed for a hearing April 21th on ?10,000 bonds each by Commissioner Mason. Raids Well Prepared. The raids had been under preparation prepara-tion for a week, District Attorney Clyne said. The arrests followed telephonic tele-phonic communication with Attorney General Palmer at Washington. The section in the Lever act under which today's action was taken provides a penalty of not more than a $5,000 fino or imprisonment for not more than two years Or both. It is charged that the men conspired to interfere with shipments of food and the necessarios of life. The men, it was declared, generalh showed resentment against the government's gov-ernment's action and declared ihoy would continue the strike. After the arrests, 300 switchmen voted to stay out. Peak of Walkout Passed. Reports from western strike centers cen-ters showed continued improvement in the situation with more men going back to work. Brotherhood leaders declared that since the peak of th. walkout was passed several days ago almost normal conditions had been brought about. In Chicago a statement Issued by the roads declared that the continued tcturn of men in the Chicago district had resulted in additional improvement improve-ment in freight, traffic. "There were 143 switch engine crews working today to-day as compared with dOS yesterday," the.-statement continued. "The not-mat not-mat number, is 7Q5. The tota( or .585 enrs of livestock, or eighty per cent o normal, were brought into the stockyards. This is an Increase of 2G7 cars over yesterday. There were also 37G cars of fresh meat moved out of the stockyards, or sixty per rent of normal. The movement of inbounJ coal continues to improve." Men Claim No Lav Violated. Other men arrested In today's raids In Chicago Included: R. S. Murphy, publicity representative of the Yardmen's Yard-men's association, who declared In a statement for the men that no law had been violated and said the "whole matter had been a mistake on the part of federal officials, and -Elmer B. Bid-well, Bid-well, who was named yesterday by Attorney At-torney General Palmer as Grunau's successor." In addition, the following were taken: tak-en: Joseph- Scott, M. J. Kinney, Shannon Jones, F. C. Lockwood, H. J. Creighton, J. H. Dodgiom, H. L Dahl-by, Dahl-by, Michael Platke, Hugo W. Radke, P. F, Schultz, M. L. Ellgass. O. W. Casseday, William Larmbell. W. L. Bend, R. V. Millor. J. J. Cunningham, J. D. Devoy, F. A. Feltner, J. C. Logan, Lo-gan, James Shannon and Alfred Prout-hahell. Prout-hahell. G run. iu and Reading in a statement tonight declared the walkout was not a strike andsaid no demands were sent to railroad managers until the men had left their work. "They were not called out," the statement said. "Wo' realize that these arrests are the work of the brotherhood officials in an attempt to force us back to work. They will fail in their attempt. We still deny that we have violated any law, or committed any overt act. We pre not I. W. W. or reds." |