728 - The Indianapolis Streetcar Strike of 1913

Summary

The Dollop Episode 728: The Indianapolis Streetcar Strike of 1913

Podcast: The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds
Date: April 7, 2026
Episode Theme:
A comedic yet insightful dive into the 1913 Indianapolis Streetcar Strike—a pivotal labor conflict in American history. Dave Anthony narrates the events and context, while Gareth Reynolds provides spontaneous, often absurdist humor, impersonations, and side commentary. The episode balances labor history with the hosts’ trademark banter.

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Episode Overview

This episode examines the Indianapolis Streetcar Strike of 1913, a seminal labor movement in which unionizing streetcar workers clashed with private company interests, strikebreakers, city officials, and even the National Guard. Dave and Gareth unpack the mnemonic cast of historical characters, the strategies and mishaps of both strikers and scabs, and the larger implications for workers’ rights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Setting and Historical Context

• 1890: Indianapolis begins replacing mule-drawn trolleys with electric streetcars, culminating in the world’s biggest terminal by 1904.
• 1913: Two rival companies—one unionized (Indianapolis Street Railway Company), one not (Indianapolis Traction & Terminal Company). Nonunion workers face longer hours and worse pay, setting the stage for unionization and conflict.
• Socio-political Environment: Socialism, public ownership, and labor agitation are in the air; notable activists like Mother Jones and Emil Seidel (the first socialist mayor in the US) make appearances, advocating for worker rights.
  • “Socialism was in the air that summer.” (Dave, 04:23)

Organizing the Strike

• Union Push: Led by John J. Thorpe, incoming from Pittsburgh, labor organizers recruit the disaffected—often facing retaliation and firings.
• Union Demands: Higher wages, minimum wage, overtime pay, safer and better working conditions, no understaffing, and binding arbitration for grievances.
• Worker Conditions: Dangerous 12+ hour shifts, leading to fatigue and accidents.
• Arbitration Stakes: Emphasized as a way for the public to see unions as reasonable; employers fear conceding to arbitration as it means recognizing unions:
  • “The union’s arbitration policy weakens that [employers’ ability to use violence or blame unions].” (Dave, 06:12)

Meeting the Local Characters

• Mayor Lou Shenk ("Potato Mayor"): Eccentric, working-class background, known for his humor and unorthodox campaign stunts (auctioneering produce, using trained dogs for publicity, buying groceries to sell at cost).
  • “He trained a dog to look happy when he was asked how his campaign was doing and look sad when asked the same about his opponent.” (Dave, 12:48)
  • “This is how he got the nickname the Potato Mayor.” (Dave, 16:37)
• Governor Samuel Ralston: From humble beginnings to elected office, respected for authenticity and progressive ideals. Eventually becomes vital in mediating the strike.

The Outbreak of the Strike

• Halloween Night Walkout: Workers walk out at 10:59 PM on Halloween (19:01) as crowds spill out from parties; streetcars left abandoned, organizers speak from fire escapes, atmosphere is wild and chaotic.
• Strikebreakers (Scabs) and Violence: Pinkerton-style strikebreakers from Chicago are hired, armed, and used for intimidation and violence; their qualifications are comically poor.
  • “...recruited them in a pool room.” (Dave citing Indianapolis News, 20:27)
• Escalation: Bricks are thrown, scab is injured by shattered glass; police kill a young black bystander while moving the injured (ultimately helping the scab, not the victim). Union organizers sometimes force scabs to join, leading to tense, even violent standoffs (25:11).

Public Unrest and Creative Protest

• Public Disruption: Crowds block tracks, women soap the rails, kids cut wires—the city is at a standstill.
  • “Women used their wash bucket to soap the tracks, reducing traction. Boys taunted the scabs and threw rocks…” (Dave, 26:50)
• Uncle Sam Intervenes: A man costumed as Uncle Sam boards trains to persuade riders to support the strike, and remarkably, it works:
  • “The crowds often would listen to Uncle Sam and then get off the train.” (Dave, 28:22)
• Factory Women Get Involved: Women actively recruit more strikers (31:32).

Police and Authority Actions

• Police Solidarity and Mutiny: Initially defend company property, but waves of resignations leave only two men willing to act against workers (53:01).
  • “So many cops just resigned. Others just refused to take orders.” (Dave, 53:32)
• Businessmen Deputized: Mayor allows business leaders to act as special deputies, but they are unenthusiastic and scared (52:10).
• National Guard Called: As violence stalls negotiations and authorities falter, Governor Ralston dispatches up to 2,000 National Guardsmen and even a cannon (61:34).

Strike Resolution & Aftermath

• Compromise: The union offers to arbitrate without formal recognition; the company stalls, but public pressure, National Guard involvement, and women’s activism bear fruit.
  • “The workers obviously refused [to dissolve the union]. Then 300 women of the garment workers union barged into the governor’s office…” (Dave, 63:50)
• Arbitration Decision: The eventual settlement grants limited gains—a 5% wage increase, rehiring of fired workers, some guaranteed time off, but falls short of original demands due to conservative arbitration (74:42).
• Public and Political Legacy: Despite setbacks, the strike changes attitudes: Indiana’s government is seen legitimizing labor action and collective bargaining as new norms. Governor Ralston gains progressive credibility.
  • “The strike caused public opinion and state politics to shift away from automatic support for the bosses.” (Dave, 76:02)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Socialism in the Air:

  • Dave: “Socialism was in the air that summer.” (04:23)

• Union versus Company Tactics:

  • Dave: “At the same time, to agree to arbitration means recognizing the union and automatically losing the major strike issue.” (07:21)

• On Mayor Shenk’s Persona:

  • Gareth: “He trained a dog to look happy… and sad when asked the same about his opponent.” (12:48)
  • Dave: “…led to him being called the Potato Mayor.” (16:37)

• The Essence of Scabs/Pinkertons:

  • Dave: “These men… were hired for spotting and trailing union organizers. These so-called ‘inspectors’ were armed with revolvers, blackjacks and knucks.” (20:29)

• Chaos in the Streets:

  • Dave: “Union organizers hung from fire escapes giving rousing speeches, while people drunk in costumes danced and police blared searchlights…” (19:29)

• Cops Switch Sides:

  • Dave: “So many cops just resigned. Others just refused to take orders.” (53:32)

• National Guard Irony:

  • Gareth: “The National Guard part is just a rite of passage.” (60:28)

• Women Take Direct Action:

  • Dave: “300 women of the garment workers union barged into the governor’s office demanding he force arbitration.” (63:50)
  • Edna Davis, union president: “We are willing to take up arms to help win this strike.” (63:58)

• On Arbitration’s Disappointments:

  • Gareth: “It sounds like they got completely fucked.” (74:42)
  • Dave: “But of three conservative judges who hated unions.” (74:49)

• The Strike’s Broader Legacy:

  • Dave: “…shift away from automatic support for the bosses and toward acceptance of unions as a real and often necessary part of the industrial order.” (76:02)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Background: Rise of Streetcars & Early Unions: 01:14 - 04:23
• Key Characters & Labor Organizing: 03:38 - 12:33
• Mayor Shenk’s Oddball Campaign Tactics: 10:26 - 16:37
• Strike’s Outbreak & Public Spectacle: 19:01 - 26:50
• Police, Pinkertons, and Strike Violence: 25:11 - 34:27
• Cops Resign, Businessmen Fail as Deputies: 53:01 - 53:46
• Arrival of National Guard & Staged Concessions: 61:34 - 63:09
• Women’s Escalation, Final Arbitration, and Results: 63:50 - 74:49
• Broader Impact & Historical Legacy: 76:00 - end

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Tone & Comedic Highlights

• Numerous comedic asides, playful impersonations (notably Gareth as Mayor Shenk), and running jokes about fruit stuffed in clothing and “ass melons.”
• Ridicule of media sexism ("Woman is attractive" headlines), 20th-century political logrolling, and police ineptitude.
• Satirical modern parallels—union busting, media spin, and feckless politicians compared to contemporary figures (e.g., Pence, Cuomo, Biden), presented in a breezy, irreverent style.

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Conclusion

This Dollop episode masterfully blends historical narrative and biting humor to bring the 1913 Indianapolis streetcar strike to life, highlighting:

• The evolution of labor rights and tactics,
• The awkward, often hilarious intersection of class, politics, and business self-interest,
• How collective action disrupts entrenched power—despite setbacks and sometimes farcical outcomes.

For listeners, it’s a raucous history lesson: tragic, triumphant, and bizarre—with more than a few potatoes and pocket beans along the way.

Transcript

[Dave Anthony]

You're listening to the Dollop. It's an American history podcast where each week I, Dave Anthony, read a story from American history. Thank you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That was the first six episode and then you needed to redo it. You needed to add someone. You needed a kind of Kramer type. You needed. You needed a hot Kramer.

[Dave Anthony]

I was looking for a more racist Kramer. I got an O that got. Whoa.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. To his.

[Dave Anthony]

Oh, to. Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Gareth Reddle. Just no idea what the topic is gonna be about. I was close.

[Dave Anthony]

Ah,

[Gareth Reynolds]

that's stage combat, baby.

[Dave Anthony]

1890, Indianapolis. The last of the city's mule drawn streetcars replaced by electric streetcars, improving speed and efficiency. By 1904, the city built the Indianapolis Traction Terminal, the largest terminal in the world. Wow. By 1913, the Indianapolis Street Railway Company and Indianapolis Traction and Terminal Company were two major players. The Street Railway company was union.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What is it? The Street Railway Company.

[Dave Anthony]

It was a union shop. The traction and terminal was not. Now we have all your names and we're turning it over to ice.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hey, hey, hey. Give them a shot. We don't know what they'll do yet. It could be good. From what I've seen, they're pretty. They're pretty safe.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And their attention to detail is bar none. Yeah, that's why they're so comfortable showing us their mouths.

[Dave Anthony]

They were. I just think they were cool costumes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, well, in a way they are costumes.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes, very much.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Regular guys going out.

[Dave Anthony]

It's just a guy named.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Pretending to be the police.

[Dave Anthony]

Fuck you, Jeff.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You know, most things audiences yell at are wrong. But that was okay.

[Dave Anthony]

That's all right. Fuck you, Jeff. Those 900 non union workers worked more hours for a lot less pay than the Street Railway Company union guys.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why?

[Dave Anthony]

So they're perfect targets to be unionized by the streetcar union. John J. Thorpe was the VP of the Amalgamated association of Street Railway Employees. The streetcar union just, just shorten it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So the streetcar unions. The streetcar union is the union one, obviously. Right?

[Dave Anthony]

They're the.

[Gareth Reynolds]

The.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, they work for the union.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What are we calling the other one?

[Dave Anthony]

The other one? The other company is called the Traction and Terminal. Thorpe is their. The union's chief organizer. He's very charismatic. He's very tactical. He moves from Pittsburgh in August of 1913 and his team set up at the local labor hall, which is named Labor Hall. And they drew a steady line of disgruntled workers who were joining up. And a lot of the workers were then retaliated against and some were fired just for organizing. Socialism was in the air that summer.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Duck.

[Dave Anthony]

Smell that? Socialism.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I think it's tire fire.

[Dave Anthony]

A visiting speaker, Emil Seidel.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Emil Seidel. Dave.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, it's our boy. That's a real person.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Wow.

[Dave Anthony]

A visiting speaker. Emil Seidl was the first socialist mayor of a US city. Milwaukee, that's where the sewer. Socialist believed in public ownership of services like water, power, transit, livable cities, blah, blah, blah. Public parks, affordable housing.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What's your deal?

[Dave Anthony]

That fucking.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why are you pooh in that? Like the scat.

[Dave Anthony]

We hate. We hate all that. No, nothing works well unless it's run by fucking Amazon.

[Gareth Reynolds]

By a guy. By one guy.

[Dave Anthony]

So Mother Jones also came and she spoke. So socialism is in the air. And the union wants higher wages, a minimum wage, time and a half overtime, no understaffed trains, and better working conditions. They were working 12 plus hour shifts which lead to dangerous situations like when the guy driving falls asleep at the wheel. That can be bad.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

They also wanted arbitration to decide grievances, which is very crucial because by agreeing to arbitration, the bosses then formally recognize the collective voice of the workers.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Right.

[Dave Anthony]

So arbitration also shows the union is willing to compromise, which helps with the public. Get the public on their side. Right. Moral high ground. Quote, the employers were caught in a trap. They could rely on violence through the use of either private guards or police to protect their property rights. But violence had high social costs.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, it sure does. It's a. It's a real issue. The whole. It's great because you can beat the shit out of the centers. Yeah. But it's frowned upon. Yeah. People.

[Dave Anthony]

People don't like to see you be.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. It's. People don't love to see you beat the shit out of someone. Now if any organizations are listening to this in modern day.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And wondering how it shakes out. People don't love the optics of you just beating the. Out of random people for no reason.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You know, even if you played Superman for like five years or something like that, and now you're just kind of some fat guy who hurts his neck a lot

[Dave Anthony]

and arrested a blind man today. I was just sitting there.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

They arrested a blind man.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, he's just sitting there. It's pretty cool. That's when you know you're on the side of good. Okay. So in other industries, many employers were able to use violence and blame it on the unions. But the union's arbitration policy weakens that. Right. At the same time, to agree to arbitration means recognizing the union and automatically losing the major strike issue.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Right.

[Dave Anthony]

So workers try to arbitrate Several times. And they reach out to Mayor Lou Shenk.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's right. Lou Shen. That's right. So. Hey. What if I told you I didn't even know how to ride? Hey. Hey. What's my job again? I forgot. I look so crazy that I didn't even.

[Dave Anthony]

You're the mayor.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm the mayor. Yeah, Exactly. Yeah, that's exactly right. I'm the mayor. I'm in charge of most of this stuff. Do you need anything?

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Would you like anything?

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Half of a sandwich?

[Dave Anthony]

I mostly just want you to leave me alone.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You won't be left alone. Yes, well, shake for nothing. Wasn't that my last name? Shank. Shank. Yeah. All right. I'd like to shake your hand. How's that? That better?

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You could take that money and put it in the shank. I've been single for quite a while.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes. Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And I think it's because I'm picky. I'm not just gonna settle for anybody. Yeah. What do you think about that?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You single?

[Dave Anthony]

No. I'm married.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Your wife got any single friends?

[Dave Anthony]

Nope.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Maybe she got some married friends who are unhappy.

[Dave Anthony]

How old. How old are you, by the way?

[Gareth Reynolds]

How old am I?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What year is this? Like 1912. So hard to tell. 25, probably.

[Dave Anthony]

That's right. You're 25.

[Gareth Reynolds]

25. 26.

[Dave Anthony]

That's right.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Something like that. I sure would love to party with you and your wife.

[Dave Anthony]

I bet you would. But that's not good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, that'd be great.

[Dave Anthony]

Nope.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah?

[Dave Anthony]

Nope.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Bend over. I'm gonna shank you.

[Dave Anthony]

What does that even mean? What does that mean?

[Gareth Reynolds]

What do you think of me?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know. But coming from the mayor. It's a threat. It's not.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Get the fuck out. You suck.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You sick.

[Dave Anthony]

Shank Came from a working class household where money was tight. And as Gareth just showed you as a teen, he developed a booming voice and a gift for Patterson.

[Gareth Reynolds]

For those of you who think this show might be scripted. So my throat infection cleared up. How are you? Good to see you.

[Dave Anthony]

Good. Thanks.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well done, Eh?

[Dave Anthony]

Yes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Spot on.

[Dave Anthony]

Really good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Way to go.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We're going to turn this place around. Okay.

[Dave Anthony]

He was discovered on the streets of Indianapolis and given a job as an auctioneer. He kept crowds laughing, so they stayed longer and bought more stuff. People.

[Gareth Reynolds]

600 going one. 600 going twice. 600 going three times. 600 going four times. 600 going five times. I keep going.

[Dave Anthony]

People would buy turnips or cabbages to bring him just so he would make jokes about them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You're so late. I didn't think you were going to turn up.

[Dave Anthony]

Weird, because this is a cabbage.

[Gareth Reynolds]

How old you got to be to get into a taxi?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know the right cab.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Edge. Get the fuck out.

[Dave Anthony]

His campaign stops were performances. Auctioning off a chicken or a loaf of bread before getting down to the brass tacks. Okay, so he ran several times and lost. And then he took his campaign to new levels. He took out a local. He took out local and national newspaper ads.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He took out a national ad to run for mayor. Yep, that's right. Sometimes you gotta think out of the box. Local budgets aren't that much, so you need to spend wisely. Like taking on an ad in a national periodical for what 600 people need to see.

[Dave Anthony]

That's right. Like one for a fake palm reader that said palmistry. Read your hand and see if it don't tell you to vote for Lou Shenk.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's terrible.

[Dave Anthony]

Ads with images of personalized soap that said, get up early and vote for Lou Shank.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'll speak for all of us. We expected a rhyme.

[Dave Anthony]

He trained a dog to look happy when he was asked how his campaign was doing and look sad when asked the same about his opponent.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, he didn't.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, that's. Yeah, he did. Yeah. There's no way it would be any.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He tried to.

[Dave Anthony]

He did.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He didn't. There's no way a dog is like,

[Dave Anthony]

oh, yeah, there's dogs that smile. One of my dog smiles.

[Gareth Reynolds]

One of your dog? Yeah, because you gave your dog human teeth for some reason. One of Dave's dogs literally has human

[Dave Anthony]

teeth and looks great.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Not enough people doing that.

[Dave Anthony]

When grocery prices were jacked up by profiteers, Lou went to the suppliers, bought out their stock, and sold fresh produce on the city hall steps for way less.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Look, he clearly has some money, but also, fuck yes. I mean, could you fucking imagine?

[Dave Anthony]

Someone tried to.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Donald Trump was out of the White House steps. Who wants a pineapple?

[Dave Anthony]

Well, imagine if someone, like, wanted to open up low cost grocery stores.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's disgusting. How would you even get there?

[Dave Anthony]

Communism.

[Gareth Reynolds]

On what, a free bus?

[Dave Anthony]

I will New York get by.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You mean you're talking about Zoran Namdani.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, whatever that guy's name is. The guy who doesn't sexually harass women. Which is not a politician thing. If you're a good politician, you sexually harass women.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right, we're not gonna. You know, I'm a Cuomo guy. And he said very clearly, a couple Days ago, he learned his lesson. He won't ever be alone in a room with a woman again because they're fucking liars. Like, you know what Mike Pence did with his wife? That but for a grown ass man.

[Dave Anthony]

But Pence didn't want to be alone with the women because he thought they would pounce. Because, well, Pence is a sexual being.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Pence is. Pence is a lump of, like, sculpted.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, yeah. He's like pure.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Women would be in the room with Pence and have no choice but to go to 7 11, get Wonder Bread and just rub themselves on it.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, sweet old Pensy boy.

[Dave Anthony]

Cuomo is different, though.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, he's got a big hog, though. He's hung like a Pence on January 6th.

[Dave Anthony]

Not hung, by the way.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Huh?

[Dave Anthony]

That's not hung.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, he was.

[Dave Anthony]

No, they hung By Pence on January 6th is not hung. Yeah, they didn't catch him.

[Gareth Reynolds]

They didn't catch him. Like, he was Scooby Dooing around the Capitol.

[Dave Anthony]

Didn't a guy take a dump on Kelsey's desk?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, I think I believe in it.

[Dave Anthony]

Shouldn't they turn that into a statue?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes, 100%. Yep, yep.

[Dave Anthony]

You get to open up the little metal. It's like a turd.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I mean, look, you can put your

[Dave Anthony]

own turd in there.

[Gareth Reynolds]

After Trump is president in 2028 again, that will be like a thing. You'll be able to go to, like, Pelosi's desk and open the Golden Duke. What a hero that guy was.

[Dave Anthony]

So because Lou Shank sold produce for way less at City hall, this led to co op stores and the permanent lowering of prices. And this is how he got the nickname the Potato Mayor.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I gotta be honest, I really thought he was a throwaway character when he came up. He's the Potato Mayor. Oh, fuck.

[Dave Anthony]

The union also reached out to Governor Samuel Ralston.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Ralston, okay.

[Dave Anthony]

Ralston grew up in a log cabin and was so poor he patched his shoes with cardboard as a boy, he'd slip away from his farm chores to do extra schoolwork. Once hiding in a hay loft reading Shakespeare until his dad found him furious that the cows hadn't been milked. He wanted to be a politician at a young age and gave political speeches to the pigs and chickens.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Don't clap. Okay.

[Dave Anthony]

He lost his first election for Secretary of State.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Pandering to animals. Too much. Yeah, more seed for all of you. We're going to milk the shit out of you people.

[Dave Anthony]

Local papers mocked him for looking like a, quote, country preacher out of place at a political picnic. But by 1912, he won over voters. It's educated but folksy nature with a small but real progressive streak. Had him favored by everyone from the poor farmer to the wealthy businessman because people believed he was authentic.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's interesting to be able to get both of those people. I think that that's weird. It seems impossible now. You got to pick one.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Like right now, we pick the farmers. We'll upset the elites. We'll be on the side of the farmers. We will help the farmers.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. They know.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. We're doing them right. The one person who keeps clapping is puzzling me too.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't get it. I'm a little scared.

[Gareth Reynolds]

As we all should be.

[Dave Anthony]

That's probably a farmer. On the afternoon of October 31, 1913.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's Halloween. Well done, Hallows. Well done.

[Dave Anthony]

Thorpe and a committee of workers had their demands rejected again. And that was the Boss's final chance. The men voted and announced the strike was on, starting at 11:00pm so it's Halloween. Perfect time to jam up the works because thousands of people are returning home from parties drunk and dressed up and the trains would not be there to help them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Right. A trick.

[Dave Anthony]

At 10:59pm Workers walked out and marched to the labor hall where hundreds joined the union. Thousands filled the streets of downtown. And so it's pretty surreal. There's empty streetcars abandoned in the road. Union organizers hung from fire escapes giving rousing speeches as people drunkenly danced in costumes and police blared searchlights from an alarm tower.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Wow.

[Dave Anthony]

Even though railroad boss Robert Todd ignored union demands and brush it off like it was nothing, the company had bought in Pinkerton style. Strike baggers from Chicago to operate the cars, beat up strikers and keep the money rolling, baby. Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Work ice.

[Dave Anthony]

They didn't. They didn't pay for the cream of the crop though. Quote, Joseph Demetros, a Greek leader of strikebreakers, recruited them in a pool room.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

Indianapolis News. Quote, every man that has even breathed that he was in favor of organization lost his job. The traction and city companies admit they hired a large number of strikebreakers whose pictures occupy places in the Rogues galleries in different cities of the country. These men, the Boss admits, were hired for the purposes of spotting and trailing union organizers. These so called inspectors were armed with revolvers, blackjacks and knucks. They threatened the lives of organizers and insulted the wife of J.J. thorpe even once in a restaurant.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What would they say to her?

[Dave Anthony]

You fucking milk drinker?

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

What are you, a beef eater, woman?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Excuse me?

[Dave Anthony]

What are you eating? Peas?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

Peing woman.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hey.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You're not hitting her with the insults.

[Dave Anthony]

We were talking about one of those mashed potatoes yet.

[Gareth Reynolds]

She's eating that, you idiot.

[Dave Anthony]

Godamn.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Those are her sides.

[Dave Anthony]

Woman eating mashed potato and peas.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. Huh?

[Dave Anthony]

She's having dinner And a steak.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes, she's having steak with mashed potatoes and peasants. Yeah. No.

[Dave Anthony]

Got her.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, you didn't. She thinks you work here.

[Dave Anthony]

Would you like more milk?

[Gareth Reynolds]

No. Well, don't offer more milk.

[Dave Anthony]

Sorry, I thought.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Go get her more milk.

[Dave Anthony]

I'm very tense.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Go get her more milk. Idiot.

[Dave Anthony]

Would you like to see a dessert menu?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, for sake.

[Dave Anthony]

When the first scabs car routed the

[Gareth Reynolds]

corner, the pinkertons unionized. It feels like they had a pretty good life.

[Dave Anthony]

It does.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I mean, they must have to some

[Dave Anthony]

extent had, like, they got paid well. But they. They're like, hilarious.

[Gareth Reynolds]

If one of them was just like, dude, we could be doing better if we all stuck together. So we need Pinkertons for the Pinkertons.

[Dave Anthony]

No, they're like ice. They got off on harming people.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right.

[Dave Anthony]

Same. Same mindset.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

When the first scabs car rounded the corner, the crowd exploded.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, no.

[Dave Anthony]

Stryker.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That was our only hope.

[Dave Anthony]

That was not literally. Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So the boss won.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. That's it. That's the end of the story. Everybody blew up.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Jesus Christ. Thanks.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. Who knew that it would end that way?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'll tell you what. This is not gonna stand. Nothing I like better than a revenge story. Want some kidney beans?

[Dave Anthony]

What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Half price.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Come on. They're from my pocket.

[Dave Anthony]

Where do you know?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Want some corn?

[Dave Anthony]

No. Is it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Have some corn.

[Dave Anthony]

Is it in the other pocket?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm a wandering co op.

[Dave Anthony]

Absolutely not what anybody wanted.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What would you like to eat?

[Dave Anthony]

Nothing from you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

How about a watermelon size?

[Dave Anthony]

Oh, no. No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why?

[Dave Anthony]

No. Where is it? Where is it?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I have it with me.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay. Where is the watermelon?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why? Right up my sleepy poo.

[Dave Anthony]

What do you consider to be a sleepy poo?

[Gareth Reynolds]

My underpants. Back of house.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't want your ass. Watermelon.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Come on, guy.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Please.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

First bite's on me. Once you're hooked, you start paying.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

No, sir.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes, sir.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right. Maybe you're someone who would like something else.

[Dave Anthony]

No, I do not want something else.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Some lemons?

[Dave Anthony]

Lemons?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I can sit down and make lemonade.

[Dave Anthony]

What does that even mean?

[Gareth Reynolds]

What do you think it means?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't want that.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Do you have a glass?

[Dave Anthony]

How does it get around the watermelon?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Would you like to buy a glass?

[Dave Anthony]

Why are there glasses?

[Gareth Reynolds]

So I can see the savings. Hi, I'm the mayor.

[Dave Anthony]

What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, we already knew that. My name escapes me.

[Dave Anthony]

You're Lou Shank.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, Shank. Shanks for the memories. Shakes for nothing. Did you say something?

[Dave Anthony]

Nope.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It sounded like you said something.

[Dave Anthony]

I didn't.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Did you just say dessert?

[Dave Anthony]

No. Where would dessert be?

[Gareth Reynolds]

In your mouth, if you're lucky.

[Dave Anthony]

Quote Strikers and sympathizers hooted passengers and crews. Scab was shouted with cries of we'll get you yet. Threatening fists were shaken. Men. Men ran to surround the car, telling passengers to get off and that they worked under horrendous conditions.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Wow.

[Dave Anthony]

And workers threw bricks. One shattered the front glass and hit a scab between the eyes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, scab. Got a scab.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, he staggered. He went down and then he staggered to his feet and then fell face first into the broken glass.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Those are my favorite falls. The get up, go back down.

[Dave Anthony]

The cops move in. Moved in to save him. While doing so in the wagon, he ran over and killed the young black man.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Wait, what?

[Dave Anthony]

Oh, he's. He's down, and so the car is just going and.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Right.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

So they didn't stop to check on the young black man. They just took the scab to the hospital. And the crowd pulled up a thug out of a streetcar and held him over their heads and marched him to the labor hall and forced him to sign up for the union. I'm sorry, Bill. We got to let you go. From the Pinkertons. I didn't want to. Fucking union piece of.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I didn't even say my real name.

[Dave Anthony]

Along the way, the union men ran into more scabs and quote several fist fights started. The cops. Remember, there's a lot of people in costume.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, right. Zombies are like you. Listen to us, motherfucker. I want you to sign up to be in the union.

[Dave Anthony]

The cops kept trying to arrest union sympathizers, but a crowd will rush them and force them to let them go. Quote Crowds of workers and teamsters helped block the tracks. Women used their wash bucket to soap the tracks, reducing traction. The boys taunted the scabs and threw rocks at trolley windows. The more agile climb poles and cut wires. I mean, this is how you do it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I. I'll be honest, I don't love the role the women had. Get your bucket, honey.

[Dave Anthony]

It's time to wash, girls.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, he's cutting the cables just to be safe. Soap up the tracks. Get to work. Women We've got to get rights for people who work.

[Dave Anthony]

A man dressed as Uncle Sam boarded scab trains and told riders why this strike was happening and why it was good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We better listen to this guy.

[Dave Anthony]

Oh, my God. Could you imagine if people started dressing up like Uncle Sam? And.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, my God, that is so fucking good. We should also dress up like Trump and the.

[Dave Anthony]

And the Statue of Liberty.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Statue of Liberty, Trump and Uncle Sam. Make them just beat the shit out. Dress up as the Constitution.

[Dave Anthony]

The crowds often would listen to Uncle Sam and then get off the train.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That is so fucking America. Yeah, well, he's in charge. Doesn't matter where you stand. We got to listen to him. Honey, I think that's just a man in an outfit.

[Dave Anthony]

No, my God.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's the real Uncle Sam, honey. He's kind of like America's Santa. He'll hear you.

[Dave Anthony]

He will fucking hear you. And if he hears you, a lightning bolt will strike us dead.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Listen to your husband. It's me, Zeus. Kind of. What the. What? No, I'm. I'm Uncle Sam. But I do have powers like that. Lightning bolts. Yep. Say what? Say you and I hang out for a little while? You seem pretty cool.

[Dave Anthony]

Oh, no, actually, I'm a little busy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What do you mean? I got a. I could come with you.

[Dave Anthony]

I'm in the middle of a strike, so I got stuff to do. That's.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hell, yeah, brother.

[Dave Anthony]

That's. I mean, you do make me a little uncomfortable. I gotta be honest.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I Pledge of allegiance.

[Dave Anthony]

What the Is that?

[Gareth Reynolds]

To the flag. Come on.

[Dave Anthony]

I pledge.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Of the United States of America and to the Republic. Come on. For which it stands. Come on. One nation under God. Let's get lunch. We'll split some apps.

[Dave Anthony]

Liberty and. What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Huh?

[Dave Anthony]

What was the last part?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Liberty and justice. Guacamole for the table.

[Dave Anthony]

Are you ordering?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Huh? Of course. I'm ordinary.

[Dave Anthony]

No, are you ordering food?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm ordering. Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

We're not at a cheesecake factory. If someone did get off, Uncle Sam would give really good directions on how they could get home. The demonstration ended around 2am conductors returning to their cars were given a choice. Free food and more pay if they didn't join the union or an immediate payout and fired.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. There were arrests for cutting trolley cables, inciting a riot, throwing stones and bricks, loitering. One guy got wasted and cussed out so many scabs that he was arrested for profanity. There's always me in every crowd.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, there is. Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

The next morning, an ex county treasurer complained at the Police station that the cops weren't protecting the scabs.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Huh?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. He, quote, asserted that a crowd had dragged a motorman from his car and assaulted him and that the police stood. I stood by idle and smiled at their performance.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's. You know what's fucked up is that when it's in that direction, I do like it. So it is a matter of just, you know. Yeah. When I see it done to good people, I'm like, oh, fuck cops. And then in this version, I'm like, you know what? Maybe they're not all so bad.

[Dave Anthony]

The next day, factory women took over recruitment, convincing young men to ditch the company and join the strikers.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay.

[Dave Anthony]

Ranks of strikers were being increased by the hour. Scabs weren't experienced running the cars, so they kept stalling out, allowing workers to surround them, cut the cables, and throw bricks through the windows.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's great.

[Dave Anthony]

One scab took a curve too fast and launched his car off the tracks, wrecking it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Awesome. They were desperate, like speed.

[Dave Anthony]

The thugs, the fucking scabs and the Pinkertons threatened Thorpe's wife. He's the head of the union.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yep.

[Dave Anthony]

With death. And that they would burn her house down. So that is a boo.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Did they not live. Did they not live together?

[Dave Anthony]

You guys are against that?

[Gareth Reynolds]

They didn't live together.

[Dave Anthony]

They. They did live together, but, you know,

[Gareth Reynolds]

we're going to burn your house down.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, no, he was. Yeah. I mean, both. They didn't go like, well, burn they.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So right now was like, we're going

[Dave Anthony]

to burn your house down. Say both. Say both of them. We got.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, it sounds like a Mr. It sounds like how a child views. Like, when the guy leaves, then it's her house all day. Then he comes home and it's his house again.

[Dave Anthony]

So she had a nervous breakdown. And this is the. Go ahead and read it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Mrs. Thorpe, wife of the strike leader, suffered a nervous breakdown. Dread of sluggers who have followed her husband since he organized the local union, was given as the cause of her condition. A labor paper spread broadcast today said that blackhand threats of death and arson had been sent by mail to Mrs. Thorpe. Male arson.

[Dave Anthony]

It's basically saying that she was hospitalized. And the condition is dread of sluggers.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. Yep.

[Dave Anthony]

Jacket.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's what the brewers had.

[Dave Anthony]

Wow. So on the third day, all the cars were at a standstill. Thorpe called it, quote, the most successful strike in the international union's history. And they're also starting to win the hearts and minds of the press, even, which is amazing in a strike.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

The Indianapolis News quote, will the boss answer the question? If they can afford to hire special trains, employ strike breaking agencies and important men at enormous expenses, pay them $4 a day with board and room rent free, why can they not pay their employees who have worked for them for years the same amount and save all this trouble?

[Gareth Reynolds]

That would be like being able to buy private planes, bail out Argentina and yet say that we can't afford health care or to pay the farmers anything.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, I mean, I guess.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Think about it.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't really see it that way. How are we supposed to. How are we supposed to have a pay for our schools if we don't have men outside of them in military gear tear gassing them? Did you ever think about that, Mr. Fucking Brain?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay, counterpoint. We have sacrificed a lot of our tear gas budget to build a beautiful ballroom where we can all dance and frolic and just be around. Beautiful. Gold. Sweet gold. Hey, what if the President was an Austin Powers bad guy?

[Dave Anthony]

The dumbest people are always attracted to gold.

[Gareth Reynolds]

They love gold. I mean, but it's. What if there's gold on the roof and on the walls?

[Dave Anthony]

What if the toilet is gold?

[Gareth Reynolds]

And he was in there and he was just like. He's like, there was never enough gold. One thing Biden got wrong was he never had gold. He didn't have enough gold. He had no idea what he was doing.

[Dave Anthony]

Gareth.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Dave.

[Dave Anthony]

If your business is running like a telephone game, that's just totally off the rails. Sure. Scattered messages. You're missing calls like, who's dealing with this?

[Gareth Reynolds]

What are you talking about?

[Dave Anthony]

Time to fix it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You sounded like you're getting mad at me again.

[Dave Anthony]

A modern comm system, that's like just giving your team a GPS instead of a treasure map drawn by a toddler.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I mean, I get the appeal of both, but I understand what you're saying.

[Dave Anthony]

Everyone's together, they're lying, nothing's fallen through the cracks. At some point, you say. I would say. You probably say this. All right, let's fucking quote.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, what happens is. The truth is. What happens is so much falls through the cracks. And it's not a joke. There's so many things where you just go, where is that thing? But that's over now, Gareth.

[Dave Anthony]

Why? Because we have Quo. Q U O. That's why. Today's episode is brought to you by. Quo Q U O. The smarter way to run your business. Quo is the number one rated business system phone system on G2. With over 3,000 reviews. It's built for how like a modern team is working not. Over 90,000 businesses, from solo people to, like a bunch of teams, rely on Quo. Stay connected, stay professional. You're consistently reachable. This is what you and I need. Because you're a problem.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You're a problem first.

[Dave Anthony]

And I think I need to reign you in with Quo.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I think I need to quo you in with rain.

[Dave Anthony]

Quo isn't just a phone system. It automatically logs calls, it generates summaries and highlights next steps so nothing gets lost. It can even qualify leads or respond after hours, ensuring your business stays responsive even when you're finally offline. Gareth.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Good.

[Dave Anthony]

It's easy. Calls, texts, voicemails, transcripts. All lives in one clean view with full context at your fingertips. It's just working faster together, communicating faster. They're aligned. It delivers a more personal experience. You get what I'm saying?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. It's a way for your team to be on the same page. But it's not a page. It's quo. Quo. We're not a page.

[Dave Anthony]

Make this the time where no opportunity and no customer slips away. Try quo for free plus get 20% off your first six months when you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, I got a good tag.

[Dave Anthony]

When.

[Gareth Reynolds]

A good tag for them. What?

[Dave Anthony]

Try quo for free plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to quo.com dollop that's Q U O.com dollop quo quo. No missed calls, no missed customers. That's it. That's the end.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, it isn't. Because I'll tell you what, I was talking to them the other day and they like this tag. Quo's gonna have you like, whoa.

[Dave Anthony]

Wow. I don't think they like that, Gareth. The dollop is also brought to you by Chewy. If you're a pet. I'm not a pet parent like I am. I'm a pet dad. I'm a. I've been known as a labradoodle daddy on the Valley. So you know about Chewy. If you're kind of guy like me. And. And when they say they have everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy, well, Chewy is. Is. That's. That's true. That's exactly right. They're not messing around over Chewy. They got everything locked down.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Everything. Look, Dave, I'm not going to B.S. you, literally. Today I went on the Chewy app because I know something is. I was like, is this set up for auto ship and it tells you when the next one's coming, when the last one was there? It's got your back. You don't have to do auto ship, but Chewy just makes it all so easy. And by the way, this is a company with ethics. Love your animals. They're a great extension and they just make it easy on you. Huge fan of Chewy.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, they got foods and treats and beds, you know, whatever. Whatever you need, they. They have it. It gets shipped straight to your door and one or. One or two days it's there. And it's not just dogs. It's cats, it's birds, it's reptiles. I assume a dragon if you have a dragon. I assume ferrets if you got ferrets. Rob is also. They. They have Rob Food. And they have 24. 7 customer service, which Garrett has told us that they are awesome.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Literally, it's like. It's like you're calling a landline that someone just is like, hello. And you're like, what's the trick? And they're like, nothing. We just care.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, they care. And it's great. It's really. It's honestly great to have your food on a subscription. That's what I have. Chewy has everything you need to keep your pet happy and healthy. And right now, you can save $20 on your first order and get free shipping by going to chupanions.chewy.com dollop podcast that's Chupanions chewy.com dollipodcast to save $20 on your first order with free shipping. Chupanions.chewy.Com dollip podcast minimum purchase required. New customers only. Terms and conditions apply. See site for detail. Gareth the Dollop is brought to you by Squarespace, the All in One. The all in One platform designed to help you stand out and succeed online. Doesn't matter if you're just starting out like young Gareth here, or if you're scaling up your business like me, Squarespace gives you every single thing you do not.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You almost said.

[Dave Anthony]

Do not.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You almost said it.

[Dave Anthony]

Do not Square. Squarespace.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Squareth.

[Dave Anthony]

Squarespace gives you Squarespace. Squareth gives you everything you need to claim your domain, showcase your offerings with professional website, grow your brand, get paid all in one place. That's what we're saying. We have all of our websites with Squarespace because we love them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Every website is associated with Squarespace. We love.

[Dave Anthony]

I was working with Squarespace before I got in business with Squarespace.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's how I became Square with pretty recently. So I've been working with them a ton. But no, it is as easy. And we're shortchanging them because there's. They've got a ton of Ways for you to scale. Scale it up. You got video content, you can sell merch on there. We had that for a minute. Not. Not their fault. And SEO tools. My favorite.

[Dave Anthony]

What I like about Squarespace is how they. They won't jump on to a. Like a.

[Gareth Reynolds]

The way I love that about speaking.

[Dave Anthony]

If you miss, they won't launch.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, my God. That's. Well, that I combined with them and go by Squareth because of that. I agree. I agree.

[Dave Anthony]

You can make smarter business decisions with Squarespace's intuitive built in analytics tool. Review website traffic, learn where to focus engagement and track revenue from bookings, invoices, or product sales. All from one place, which Gareth does, because he's got that whole foot site where it's just his feet.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I put Squarespace into me and I recently became Square F. So go to

[Dave Anthony]

squarespace.com for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code DOLLOP to save 10. Save 10 off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com for a free trial and when you're ready to launch, use offer code dollop to save 10 off your first purchase of a website or domain.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Something just beat up. Godzilla, I think they call him Squareth.

[Dave Anthony]

Scabs were pushed back into the barns. So the scabs are pushed back to the barns where they hold up. And then they would. It was surrounded, so they would indiscriminately shoot out at workers who are standing between them and the streetcars. But it turns out the scabs weren't really good at shooting either. One actually shot another one in the back and killed him. So we're gonna. We're gonna need a new guy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What happened? Who shot him?

[Dave Anthony]

That.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, my God. They got him from the streets.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes. He turned around. He was talking to me.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, because he's got shot in the back of his head. Yeah. And he's facing that way. Well, he's facing where they were.

[Dave Anthony]

He.

[Gareth Reynolds]

When he got the wound, exits.

[Dave Anthony]

When he got shot, he went, oh. And he turned and he fell.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He did a half spin.

[Dave Anthony]

Did a half. Yeah, he was like, I'm going, whoa. And they fell down.

[Gareth Reynolds]

His hat flew that direction, though. That would.

[Dave Anthony]

I picked that up and moved it because.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why would you move his hat, though?

[Dave Anthony]

I thought it was too close to this part.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So after he got shot, did a half spin and landed. You took his hat and threw it five feet.

[Dave Anthony]

I was like, wake up. And I thought a lot of guys, if they get really hurt and they see their hat they'll come.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Most of the spray of the brain and the skull fragments look like they're coming from our direction out to the street.

[Dave Anthony]

There's this big gust of wind that came in.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right, so wait, wait, wait, wait. He got shot from the street. He did a half spin, then you threw his hat. But then also while he was doing a half spin. And the wind blew the chunks back through the wound out the other direction.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, it was crazy. Like, it was just one of those moments. It's just like you really had to be there, you know, like. But man, I'll never forget it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I was there. I saw it all. He shot him.

[Dave Anthony]

That guy's in a Union.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

That guy's a Union spy. We gonna put up with this? I submit we are not.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Hey, man.

[Dave Anthony]

Hey, man. What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Are you cool?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. I'm a scab.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Are you?

[Dave Anthony]

I'm super cool. Scab guy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I feel like you shot him. He.

[Dave Anthony]

That was wind. And there was hats. There was all kinds of stuff going on. Like it was chaos. Wind and hats and bullets. And I was just back here.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Your gun's warm.

[Dave Anthony]

I was.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Why is your gun barrel warm always?

[Dave Anthony]

I'm rubbing it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That doesn't make it warm. Not like that.

[Dave Anthony]

I keep. I keep the barrel warm with my hands. Cuz if it's not warm, the bullet might.

[Gareth Reynolds]

There's a shell right here.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's like something's ridding on the casing.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Antifa.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What does that even mean?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What does that even mean?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know. We're not even there in history yet, so. I don't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What are you talking about?

[Dave Anthony]

That's like ten years away, so.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right.

[Dave Anthony]

Keep that because it's from the future. You know what I'm saying? That could be worth money.

[Gareth Reynolds]

All right.

[Dave Anthony]

Anyway, let's get back to scabbing.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, I want to, but it's just. I don't know.

[Dave Anthony]

Put that guy, you know, push him out.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, he deserves his respect. What are you talking about?

[Dave Anthony]

That guy's a Union guy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Is that why you shot him?

[Dave Anthony]

I tried to. Yeah, he's a.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You did shoot him.

[Dave Anthony]

He's a Union spy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You just said you shot him.

[Dave Anthony]

I was trying.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What about the wind?

[Dave Anthony]

I didn't know if I could trust you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What about the wind? And you threw the hat.

[Dave Anthony]

That happened.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And he did a half spin.

[Dave Anthony]

That's all true.

[Gareth Reynolds]

But then you shot him. You said.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, because he's a union guy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So did he last.

[Dave Anthony]

His last words Were union strong.

[Gareth Reynolds]

And then you shot him after the. Yeah, after he did the half spin and his brains fell out.

[Dave Anthony]

And is the wind. And then the hat. I was trying to keep the brains on with the hat. So. You know, I would. Thank me. Because the mess would be a lot worse. Think about it. This is your first murder on the job.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

Because they get. They get easier.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What are you doing with your hand?

[Dave Anthony]

Just getting ready.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Weird.

[Dave Anthony]

Fucking scab, man.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay.

[Dave Anthony]

We don't. We're not built like other people. We're cooler.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm leaving.

[Dave Anthony]

Crowds surrounded the barns all day. Local socialists did what they do best. Lectured people. New newspapers made sure to point out what a big deal it was that nobody tried to stop them. The strikers had taken over the city. But Mayor Schenck had barely done anything to make the bosses concede and enter arbitration.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I certainly went in there and made them an offer that they couldn't refuse. Sweet potatoes.

[Dave Anthony]

What does that even mean?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Cantaloupe.

[Dave Anthony]

You offered them sweet potatoes and cantaloupe?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh. As far as the eye can see.

[Dave Anthony]

Any protein?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Not for me. I have cantaloupe.

[Dave Anthony]

What do you mean?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I. Kidney beans. Kidney beans? High protein. I offered them a bunch of it

[Dave Anthony]

out of the pocket.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

And where were the sweet potatoes?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Where do you think the sweet potatoes are? Where would the sweet potatoes be?

[Dave Anthony]

I just hope your Mrs. Wasn't there.

[Gareth Reynolds]

In my armpits.

[Dave Anthony]

I didn't think there was any more places.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Potatoes, huh?

[Dave Anthony]

I didn't think there were more places for it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, of course there are. There's always room for more.

[Dave Anthony]

Expect you to bring your wife and put some on her wig or some.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You dirty sack of. That's my wife you're talking about. She has to stay at her house.

[Dave Anthony]

Why?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Because I'm at work. Okay? Look, we got off on the wrong foot.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. I'd like to offer you some stuff.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't even know what you said.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'd like to offer you some stuff.

[Dave Anthony]

Do you remember when you got a job as an auctioneer?

[Gareth Reynolds]

As a what?

[Dave Anthony]

Auctioneer. Oh, yeah,

[Gareth Reynolds]

that was me. Wasn't it? Yeah. Well, how about this? I'd like to give you three lemons. Did you have four lemons?

[Dave Anthony]

A stroke?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Do I have five lemons?

[Dave Anthony]

You had a stroke.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Six lemons.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't want six lemons. I don't want any lemons.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Six lemons going once. Six lemons going twice.

[Dave Anthony]

So I don't want the fucking lemons.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Come on. You got to. That's legally bonded. I Used to be an auctioneer. How about some rice? I don't know why you don't know what I do you need?

[Dave Anthony]

Where the is it?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Where's the rice?

[Dave Anthony]

Yes.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Nostrils.

[Dave Anthony]

Jesus Christ. Well, that's not.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Both are full of it very much.

[Dave Anthony]

It's like hardly any rice.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Come on.

[Dave Anthony]

What do you mean come on?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Come on, Come on.

[Dave Anthony]

What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Jump on my stomach, you get a prize.

[Dave Anthony]

Get the away from me.

[Gareth Reynolds]

What?

[Dave Anthony]

You're fucking creep.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm the one who's going to save this whole story.

[Dave Anthony]

The mayor hadn't really done anything except let the sheriff deputize 400 businessmen.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Wow, that's good. That's actually ideal. Let that happen. Let the billionaires be the cops for a day.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, they had gone to yell at the mayor about the cops in action. So the mayor was like, all right, well, you guys do it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I think the quote is, all right, well, yeah, you guys do it. Hey, I heard them. When they looked at you, they said bacon.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, they was looking at the cops and they were saying bacon. Well, I got a steal on bacon, kid. Oh, you can handle six strips. You six strips of bacon?

[Dave Anthony]

You literally made that up so you could say that.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, I didn't.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes, you did.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, I did not. You don't talk to me like that. You want some bacon? I can fry it for you on my person.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

No.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

Where? Back.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I can heat my back up to that of a griddle.

[Dave Anthony]

Then what happens to the watermelon?

[Gareth Reynolds]

The what?

[Dave Anthony]

The watermelon.

[Gareth Reynolds]

We'll be snacking on it while I'm cooking. Silly.

[Dave Anthony]

Have you ever been hospitalized?

[Gareth Reynolds]

You can't hospitalize a God.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay, okay. The International Socialist Review quote. It scared the businessmen out of their boots when they were expected to do their own fighting.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yep.

[Dave Anthony]

On day five, the 29 cops refused to defend the scabs and resigned.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, there we go. It's important to remember day five, they wilt.

[Dave Anthony]

They called in a reserve of 10 more cops who also resigned. Then they called in the final ten reserve men who also resigned. Only two cops said yes. The rest were charged with refusing orders.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Those two are not smart.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, so cops then weren't like cops now. Mainly because they didn't make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and live in other locations. Their jobs were still to defend the property of the ruling class. But they weren't upper middle class homeowners. They were working men, which led to working class solidarity.

[Gareth Reynolds]

The last two cops. We have bikes.

[Dave Anthony]

So many cops just resigned. Others just refused to take orders. Mayor Schenck said he supported the cop mutiny and that he would only force officers out if the governor sent in the National Guard to protect them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's right.

[Dave Anthony]

He said it would stop the bloodshed. Governor Ralston went after Schenck in the press. He refused to call in the guard and said the mayor could protect the cars. Quote, Shank's failure to do so is disgracing our capital city in the eyes of the country. Oh, he's not protecting the streetcars.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, that's crazy.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, you got to protect the streetcars.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I have protected all the streetcars.

[Dave Anthony]

I'm sorry, what?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I have protected all the streetcars.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay, we need to get you back into speech therapy.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I refuse. It's my charm.

[Dave Anthony]

I disagree.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Strawberry preserves. I'm offering. Super. Good deal. Would you like some? And some bread?

[Dave Anthony]

No, no, no, no.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I can toast it.

[Dave Anthony]

I'm good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Toasted bread. No, please, no. Grilled cheese?

[Dave Anthony]

No, please.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No. Guess where I make it? No. Between my legs. I'm like a human panini.

[Dave Anthony]

So it's a taint oven.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, it's in between my thighs. There's a little surprise.

[Dave Anthony]

But the potato mayor got in trouble because he didn't back either side. He never came out one way or the other. So it looked like complete inaction and just letting chaos reign. He just kept telling both sides things that he'd do, then he wouldn't do it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Imagine

[Dave Anthony]

it's known as a Democrat, ladies and gentlemen, when the federal government sent a mediator to meet with him and Governor Ralston Shenk just didn't show up and just left the city.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Sayonara, suckers. Fool. He's just got, like, bags on his side like a donkey. Here we go. That's right.

[Dave Anthony]

The bad press and carnage in the streets led to Mayor Schenck resigning before the end of his term. I have to resign, but it's fine. He immediately got a contract to perform on vaudeville, where he told packed audiences about his career and the harrowing strike.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's the fucking greatest career, right? Yeah. That is like. I love. The move to the vaudeville was always the greatest.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's really like how if you now are just a piece of shit, you'll find someone to celebrate you.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Like. But back then, it was like, you were just like, yeah, I'm a real piece of. Come see my play.

[Dave Anthony]

And people would come see me be a piece of shit on stage.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, I've got a lot of pies to sell.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, I'll talk about shooting Jesse James in the back.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, I Got a bunch of plums to sell today, everybody. And other items.

[Dave Anthony]

Is this.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm. Yeah, this is the show. I'm Mayor Shanks.

[Dave Anthony]

So you're just selling fruit?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Prop fruit.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

This time I don't have any.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, is there anything else to the show?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, there's other items.

[Dave Anthony]

No, but, like, besides selling things.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes.

[Dave Anthony]

Are you gonna do, like.

[Gareth Reynolds]

There's a love story.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. A really good love story.

[Dave Anthony]

Who are you in love with?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Apples.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Myself, your wife. Oh, my wife.

[Dave Anthony]

Did we talked about you having a director for the show.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes, I hired a director.

[Dave Anthony]

Who?

[Gareth Reynolds]

A watermelon.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay, so that's a.

[Gareth Reynolds]

How are the numbers for the show?

[Dave Anthony]

They're not good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

How bad? How low?

[Dave Anthony]

Well, there's a Pacers game.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, well, that's the problem. That's entirely the problem. That's the problem right there. The show. Quite the quality of the show is where it needs to be. Just the Pacers are playing.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. Yeah. First game of the season.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Is the first game of the season. Yeah. How are they doing this year?

[Dave Anthony]

Well, everyone's pretty excited because last year they went to the finals.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, they did?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I didn't know that. How would I know that?

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know how.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm very busy.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm such a big, important businessman. I'm too busy to know these sort of things. Just go to my office and block people on Twitter.

[Dave Anthony]

Protestant ministers tried to intervene for a peaceful ending. They approached Thorpe, who said the company agreed to arbitration, then the strike. If the company agreed to arbitration, the strike would end immediately. Quote, the ministers said they were very impressed with Mr. Thorpe's presentation in the case. Then they went to company boss Todd, who was not as impressed. All they would say was, todd promised to write a reply. Lawsuits were filed against the traction company. One to take over their operations and the streetcar contract. It was alleged they weren't doing what they agreed to do, like, quote, heat the cars with safe and convenient appliances. And, of course, not meeting with the union. The company lawyer said the suit was, quote, simply Buncombe. Buncombe. Buncomb. Buncombe is bunkum. A saying.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I don't think you should be saying it anymore.

[Dave Anthony]

That what it is? It feels like their area means like, bullshit, I assume.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I thought it was like a bussy. By the way, bussy's where I hang all my cured meats.

[Dave Anthony]

You're gone.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, I'm not.

[Dave Anthony]

You're on tour.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, I'm not. They canceled the show. The Pacers played a lot of games. So now I'm back and I'm ready to do more stuff.

[Dave Anthony]

Todd put his response to the ministers in a full page ad. So the ministers came to him. He's like, I'll let you know later. And he puts it in an ad. He said all his employees were happy and loved working for him.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yep, that's right. Because it's printed, therefore it's true.

[Dave Anthony]

So Governor Ralstead acted. The Indianapolis Star reported officials were, quote, instructed to make ready a special train to carry companies of National Guardsmen to Indianapolis for special duty.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, my God.

[Dave Anthony]

Got to bring in the fucking. Yeah, you got to fucking shoot people. How else is this going to end? You're going to pay people. You got to fucking kill them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, my God. The National Guard part is just a rite of passage.

[Dave Anthony]

Then the union began making concessions. They said they would do arbitration with just workers so Todd wouldn't have to formally recognize the union. And Todd said, there's no reason to arbitrate the union. Men were moving away from the anger and violence of the first days, and they are winning. And the strategy was to keep public support on their side. A labor leader gave a speech and, quote, warned the men against drinking and urged their wives to assist them.

[Gareth Reynolds]

The wives to assist them and not drinking. Well, I love that. That's a two. I'll take my left hand, you take my right. Wow. Fuck, man. Drinking used to be.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah. Serious business on Friday.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Right now, you can't hang in there and be sober. They're like, we're in day five. We better start negotiating. The men are looking to get hammered. We don't know what to do.

[Dave Anthony]

On Friday, a week after it began, the National Guard arrived and set up a giant cannon in front of the Capitol building.

[Gareth Reynolds]

By the way, that is like a decent threat, but it's also like, you got one can. What are you doing? It's not a fucking machine gun.

[Dave Anthony]

Then it's got to be pointed just down that one street.

[Gareth Reynolds]

There we are. All right, everybody move away from which way the cannons pointed. Shit. They figured it out. They know how these things work. Fuck. I don't know what to do. God damn it. But they won't know when we're gonna fire it.

[Dave Anthony]

That's right.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, except for the big. The fuse.

[Dave Anthony]

They're lighting it.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, that whole thing and yelling.

[Dave Anthony]

Clear.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, we have to for safety of everybody. Obviously. We can't just.

[Dave Anthony]

Other than that, they won't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, and we got to do the jammy. We got to do the Jammie Dodger inside of it.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay. Thinking Thinking, thinking, thinking.

[Dave Anthony]

I feel like this was the cannon was not a good idea. It feels like a bad idea at this point.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Cool. You're that guy. Cool. That's cool. That's cool that when we were wheeling the cannon out here, none of this came up. And now that we're out here, you're like, yeah, let me Monday morning candidate. Yeah, I guess I'm a say now. Yeah. Okay, cool. Good for you.

[Dave Anthony]

Money Morning.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. No. Okay, cool. Yeah, good idea. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. We should just drop a fucking atomic bomb.

[Dave Anthony]

Literally. My job is to be a money Morning. Cannon back. Yeah, Cannon backer.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. You're the guy who came up with the slogan, let's get our can on.

[Dave Anthony]

I have a lot of ideas.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. And by the way, that one was really good. It deserved more.

[Dave Anthony]

I thought Cannon backing did, too. The governor, Department of Labor rep, and the union men agreed to arbitration.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay.

[Dave Anthony]

They just needed boss Todd to sign on. He agreed if Thorpe would dissolve the union. He went to agree to arbitration.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's great.

[Dave Anthony]

There's no arbitration if the union's gone.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That is no, that's good negotiation. All right. I will meet you in the middle. Get rid of everything you want. You know, gentlemen, I think that this could all be soothed by a little snack.

[Dave Anthony]

The workers obviously refused. Then 300 women of the garment workers union barged into the governor's office demanding he force arbitration. And Ralston said he couldn't. Union President Edna Davis said, we are willing to take up arms to help win this strike. We just wanted you to help us stop drinking.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Look, we can't ask for your help because of how our dads didn't hug us, so you need to step in. We won't ask for the help, but we need it. Okay?

[Dave Anthony]

The National Guard being deployed was bad for many things. A headline from the Richmond Palladium and Sun Telegram quote, wabash players on strike duty. Five members called out with militia to Indianapolis. Team is crippled. Quakers believe it is a ruse to lull yellow and white to sleep.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I like the Quakers popping in at the end. We haven't heard much about them.

[Dave Anthony]

That's who they're playing.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, okay. I didn't realize that.

[Dave Anthony]

They're playing the Quakers or the Wabash is playing the Quakers. I didn't know. I wasn't actually asking you.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, you really look like you were.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't need you to answer. Look, that guy's mad he's leaving. He's like, these people won't shut up.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He's going to see that country guy who's playing here, or whatever his name is.

[Dave Anthony]

That guy's sweet.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, that guy does kick ass. I really hope it is show. It's half full and he's like, fuck it, Pacers. Fuck.

[Dave Anthony]

Ralston was threatened with assassination for sending out the guard. He sent 2,000 troops. He did promise that, quote, if he lived until the next legislature met, he would do his best to have enacted legislation compelling arbitration of all labor disputes. So he's coming around. He's coming around.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, if he lives. But he's putting out 2,000 National Guardsmen, right? Yeah. So, yeah, he's super cool.

[Dave Anthony]

But on Saturday, Bas Todd suddenly agreed to the initial agreement to arbitrate, which didn't destroy the union. Labor representatives credit the governor for bringing both sides to the table. And the strike was over. The agreement was simple. Regular train service would begin in 12 hours because of arbitration, which, without recognizing the union would begin in five days. But it did recognize a group of employees as a bargaining union. So the union thought full recognition would come after.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Okay, so it's a step.

[Dave Anthony]

It's a step. Local socialists bemoaned a missed opportunity the workers had.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Is that just always the role of the socialists? Kind of like, we were so fucking close. Yeah, but we got Obamacare.

[Dave Anthony]

It's pretty good. It's not good.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Quit laughing like a demon with a cock barrel.

[Dave Anthony]

The workers had so thoroughly won and taken over the city that the socialists thought they should have held out for more.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, always.

[Dave Anthony]

But the.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You're always right. Like, if you're at that point, it's like, push it.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah.

[Gareth Reynolds]

They could get it all the way in.

[Dave Anthony]

They could have got more.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Say that. Look, it might seem like it's too big and lofty. Just give it a chance and keep shoving, and eventually maybe you'll get everything you want. You can push it through.

[Dave Anthony]

I'd also use a lot of lube.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. What? No. What? He completely ruined it. That's crazy. Now I'm against it.

[Dave Anthony]

The union's main goal was arbitration, and they got it. Even if they left a lot on the table. And the public supports themselves.

[Gareth Reynolds]

They sure did leave a lot on the table.

[Dave Anthony]

The public still supported them. The people got on the trains. They shook the conductor's hands. Quote. The greetings were almost as warm as would be expected between friends who had been separated for much longer than a week.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Can I be honest? First two days, I'm like, that's great. If that happens more than three days, I'm like, jesus Christ, let's Fucking. Are you gonna shake everybody's fucking hand on this? Fucking.

[Dave Anthony]

Supposed to fucking walk to work.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Jesus Christ. That's fucking crazy. Oh, my God, it's so good to see you. You're a real hero. I'd be like, all right, we're good. Let's go. Feels like we're back on strike, you're saying. Thank you so much. Keep it moving.

[Dave Anthony]

The scabs left, quote, they were a picturesque crew. Nearly every one of them carried clothing under one arm or a ham under the other.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, well, well, well, welly, well, well, well, well. So let me get this straight. Underarm hams. Where the fuck do you think they got that idea from? Next thing you know, they're gonna have potatoes and ass melons and they're gonna be making man ninis between their knees. Count it.

[Dave Anthony]

For three months. Arbitration went on. Ms. Ethel Downey testified the Indianapolis Star quote, woman is attractive. That's a good headline.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Couldn't you. Couldn't you just put that in the story if you had to? Does that have to be the headline?

[Dave Anthony]

I think so.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Does he even talk about the case? Ms. Downey, through fail modesty, dressed. Presented a rather attractive appearance. She was attired neatly in a black suit, which she said cost $20. And a wealth of light hair was covered with a black hat trimmed with black feathers which she said belonged to her mother. Hey, what happened? What happened when she was up there? What did she do? You remember what she said?

[Dave Anthony]

No, I actually didn't take any of that down, but look how beautiful she was.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

I feel like I really captured. Oh, I didn't put in the. The part about her bosom.

[Gareth Reynolds]

No, you did. It's. We cut it. We cut it. We had to cut it. It was crazy.

[Dave Anthony]

What about the.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yes, the derriere. Yes. We put two watermelons.

[Dave Anthony]

It seemed like. You understand.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Don't. Don't. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. If you talk about it three times, you know, he appears.

[Dave Anthony]

Did you also turn on Candyman in the hotel room?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Are we doing a bit or are you being real right now? That is so crazy.

[Dave Anthony]

It's. Yeah, it's.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Woman hot as. Said something earlier today, a big old thing about something happened. And a woman with a. The real badonkadonk waddled all the way up into a little box where she put her hand on a book of some kind. Holy fuck, was I lost in her eyes and cleave. When I asked her how much it all cost, she said, $20. When I said, hey, you seem to like numbers. What's yours? She told me to get lost. Lost. I didn't as I followed her for a little while until she met up with a fellow who was a lot bigger than me. When she pointed me out, I said, hey, guy, I'm just a reporter. He said, oh, let me look at your notes. And then he looked down at him and realized I'd just drawn her in a bikini and me with my cock on a wheelbarrow. He said, what the hell's this? I said, what do you think it is? I'll do anything just to lick her legs. He said, get the fuck out of here. He said, today she had a huge testimony. I said, a testimony? What the hell's that? All I saw was an angel without wings. That night I got drunk alone, and I woke up in a pile of mud. This morning I had to go back to my wife. Quite average, mind you. When she asked where I'd been all night, I said, pining. She said, for who? I said, it doesn't matter. Then she went through my notes and was a real meanie about it. Is it just me, or are women the worst? They should be out there washing those tracks with soapy waters, if you ask me. Anyway, I look forward to doing more court reporting. I think I'm pretty good at this.

[Dave Anthony]

Ethel testified she needed money.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Well, I can help.

[Dave Anthony]

Her husband was a motorman.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, gross. Husband, yuck.

[Dave Anthony]

But had tuberculosis.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Oh, wait a minute. He's gonna die.

[Dave Anthony]

And couldn't work.

[Gareth Reynolds]

He can't work. He's not your husband anymore. Let's kick him in a river.

[Dave Anthony]

She met with the company assistant superintendent and told him of men claiming to be company spies but were working for the union. He then hired her to become a honeypot. To take Thorpe to a wine cellar at a fancy hotel, get him drunk and put him in a compromising position so that he might get arrested. Instead, she started learning about unions and their benefits.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So this is like James Bond, basically. Oh, yes. James, come with me down here to the honey pot. I can't tell you I was sent here by someone else. But now that I'm here with you, you're so perfect. Walk me through these union rights again, James.

[Dave Anthony]

And she told Thorpe about the plan. Men went on the stand and talked about the shit wages, how they couldn't afford clothes, living at home with their parents. Once said he saved money by, quote, not eating an egg within a year. The ruling came on February 11, 1914. The company had to sort of recognize the union. 5% wage increase and a scale increasing wages over five years, much less than they wanted. All fired workers to be rehired one Sunday off a month. Jesus. Part time workers get minimum pay. A permanent arbitration committee.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It sounds like they got completely fucked.

[Dave Anthony]

Yes. But of three conservative judges who hated unions.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Dave Anthony]

It's like when. When Biden did the thing with the trains.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Now, wait, they got fucked?

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, they got fucked.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. Well, they didn't even. That one's even worse because that was like.

[Dave Anthony]

That was way.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Biden directly was just like, no. Yeah, like they never had a shot. They were like, all right, we're gonna do it. He's like, no.

[Dave Anthony]

Well, he made. He made a deal with. They made a deal with the main union. Given less than they wanted, but that meant that all the other train. Smaller ones and all the other workers got fucked. Really cool.

[Gareth Reynolds]

It's also so funny because he was like the train guy. He's like, I love trains. I'm a big train guy. I love trains. Fuck you. Die. Not me. Okay, me too. Me too. I didn't do anything. Man.

[Dave Anthony]

After Governor Ralston pushed progressive labor legislation, particularly protections for workers, which led to a successful run for him. He positioned the government as a mediator which successfully recognized striking and collective action in general as a legitimate response to poor wages and working conditions.

[Gareth Reynolds]

So maybe that's the.

[Dave Anthony]

That is.

[Gareth Reynolds]

That's the win.

[Dave Anthony]

The strike caused public opinion and state politics to shift away from automatic support for the bosses and torture acceptances of unions as a real and often necessary part of the industrial order. They could have just got a little bit more, though.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. Why? Why did it.

[Dave Anthony]

I don't know.

[Gareth Reynolds]

But why? Why? Why as a society does it keep swinging back and forth? Because they just are greedy who are relentless.

[Dave Anthony]

And they have all. And they have. They have their relentless, but they also have. They control the media and they. Yeah, the politicians. So, yeah, that's why.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, but that's changing. They don't control the media anymore. That ship's over. That's done.

[Dave Anthony]

Written by Josh Androwski. The sources the Streetcar War in Indianapolis by Bruce Rogers from the International Socialist Review. Hoosier State Chronicles Politics of Publicity. Mayor Lou Shank and the Power of the Press by Brock Stafford. Car wars by Sidney Lynn Airing Indianapolis News, the Indianapolis Star, the Daily Republic and the Tribune. The Republic, Muncie Evening Press, Fort Wayne Daily News, Princeton Daily Clarion, the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, the Vincennes sun and the Evansville Courier and Press.

[Gareth Reynolds]

Let me ask you this. Why'd you start to hate me halfway through the story. You're just awful because all I had was the food thing. There's other stuff.

[Dave Anthony]

Is there?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah. Mike, I'm a workout fiend.

[Dave Anthony]

What?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Yeah, I could juggle.

[Dave Anthony]

You say you're a workout fiend?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I know where I can show you a dead body.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay, now. Now I'm listening.

[Gareth Reynolds]

You want to go on a waterfall tour?

[Dave Anthony]

No. Can we go back to the dead body part?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I bet I could get you in a hot air balloon for free.

[Dave Anthony]

What does that even mean?

[Gareth Reynolds]

I can live outside for over two weeks.

[Dave Anthony]

Okay, cool.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I hate dogs.

[Dave Anthony]

Are these all supposed to be things that make.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I've invented a new way to dive. I can suck my toes.

[Dave Anthony]

We're going to cut the theater run short. Don't do that with your nose. Don't do that with your nose.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I'm looking for a new best friend.

[Dave Anthony]

Yeah, yeah. That we all know. Don't do that. Stop it. Why are you so shiny?

[Gareth Reynolds]

Because I'm covered in olive oil. Take some bread and wipe it on me. Come on, let's get filthy. This is harassment in the best possible way.

[Dave Anthony]

This is like being on stage with Cuomo.

[Gareth Reynolds]

I would never be alone on stage. I only do it in a room full of people I can't trust My hands. All right. Go, Pacers. Thank you, everybody. Appreciate it.