Mill & Smeltermen's Union No. 125. Fortunately for this newly-formed organization. No. 5 was not among the charter members. If he were, the union would have been nipped in the bud. However, as the leaders in the union movement were anxious to strengthen the organization, a number of Mr. MacNeill's employees were quietly approached and induced to join the union. No. 5, owing to the good reputation he bore among the men, was also approached, and after pretending to hesitate and consider the matter, he finally joined the union.
The Agency and Mr. MacNeill were disagreeably surprised, and even somewhat alarmed, when they discovered that the employees had successfully stolen a march on them. Mr. MacNeill was quick to see the danger of allowing the union to flourish unmolested, and he instructed the Agency to furnish him the names of employees who had had the effrontery to join the union. Since No. 5 was a member in good standing, the Agency found no difficulty in complying.
Mr. MacNeill then commenced to discharge every employee whom No. 5 designated, and when some of
The Pinycerton Labor Spy. 35
the men wanted to know why they were discharged, he told them openly and boldly that he discharged them simply because they had joined the Mill Men's Union. The discharged employees, filled with resentment against Mr. MacNeill and his methods, managed to obtain work at other plants in Colorado City, and not only retained their membership in the union, but induced many employees of other mills and smelters to become members.
Toward the end of 1902, No. 5 was elected secretary of the union, and given charge of the organization's books and papers. The Agency and Mr. MacNeill were jubilant, for now the operative could not only