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Show CAFE PICKETS . DEIUHIIRGES Evidence Is Concluded in Sparey & Mehse Com- pany Suit. j i j ' Evidence-taking was concluded before Judge P. C. Evans of the Third district court yesterday in the action brought by j tho Sparey & Mehse company for an in- I Junction against the Culinary alliance, j local S15, because of the alleged actions of pickets stationed in front of the company's com-pany's restaurant on East Second South street. Arguments are to be made today. During: the afternoon witnesses were called by the defense to refute the testimony testi-mony of witnesses for the plaintiff to the j effect that picketing had been conducted in a disorderly and offensive manner. Some of the witnesses for the defense contended that, while the pickets had been punctilious in their manner of warning warn-ing patrons that the cafe was "unfair," some of the patrons had been insulting in their retorts. Resuming the witness stand yesterday morning, J. W. Haley, president of the company, testified that his company had endeavored to arbitrate all points of difference dif-ference except the demand for a "closed shop." He denied that his company had imported men to break the strike. Joseph L. Ford testified that, from the balcony of the Culinary alliance club-rooms, club-rooms, just above the kitchen door of the cafe, a picket had called down a threat that he would like to kill him, and had, at the same time, reached for an empty bottle. Ford said he told the man making the threat that he would be off duty soon and ready to meet anything the other offered. He testified that his wages at the cafe are better than those which would be paid him under the union scale. Dr. A. R. Harrison, as a witness for the plaintiff, testified that picketing in front of the cafe had been so vehement as to intimidate him and others of his acquaintance, ac-quaintance, especially for the last two weeks. Though many of the men on picket duty were his friends, the witness testified he could not condone their actions. ac-tions. Charles Baldwin, former United States commissioner, characterized the picketing as "outrageous, unnecssary and intimidating." intimi-dating." He said he recognized that-labor organizations had done much good, but said he is convinced that no good could come of such action. All witnesses for the defense denied that any pickets had been offensive in words or manner toward patrons of the cafe. Fred Jesperson testified that he had assisted to disperse the throng that gathered in front of the cafe on Labor day. Peter D. June, a cripple, denied that he or any other picket had ever acted offensively, so far as his knowledge went, though he admitted that he had institu-tuted institu-tuted prosecution against a woman for slapping his face in resentment of what she had understood him to say, that she was associated with colored help in her employment at the cafe. The witness admitted ad-mitted that the case against her had been dismissed. Other witnesses for the defense were J. H. Morris, secretary of the local; H. J. Johnson, John Glosser, Fred Roundy, Jane Few, James A. McCormick and Fred Statlander. |