The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-02
SINEY AND PARKS on TRIAL
4 CASE WHTCH INTERESTS TRiDES
UNIONS ETERrWIfERE

Coal Mines strong Array OF Counsel
Nature OF the Testimony to be offered.
CLEARFiELD, Pa, Sept. 3O.-Thc trial Of
John sney and Xingo Parks, now In progress at
this place, is notable for the array OF legal talent
employed, and important for two reasons It's
event will probably influence future legislation
for the protection OF the coal interests OF the
Stats aud principles arc involved which affect
trades unions In all sections.
John sineyis tho President OF the Miners
National Association, an organization claiming
membership Of forty OF nfty thousand. He Is
an old Schuykill miner, but now lives In Ohio
Ii Is perhaps safe to say that were mprlson-
ment elective, Mr.. Sincy would receive life
term by the unanimous suirrages of the coal
operators of Pennsylyanil. Capital regards Mr..
slney as a mischieyous Agitator.
Xingo Parks livos at Pittsburgh. He repre-
sents the National Association In this state as
organizer OF local unions. lilo is Indicted con-
Jointly with siney upon charges OF conspiracy
unlawful assemblige and riot In connection
with the strike In this district last May, when,
as is alleged, these two officers ot tho National
Association partlcipat cd as instigators and adj
visers. At the time ofthe troubles In the Clear
field region thirty or more OF the prominent
strikers were arrested, and with them Parks and
Siney. All but the latter were tried mere at the
June torn OF court. The majority were con.
victed, and six were sentenced to solitary con-
nnement for one year in the Western penIten-
tinrv. Two Of the six escaped from Jail. and
four are now serving their term. OF tho less
con -picuous cOnspiratDrs and rioters, clcvt u
were fined f25 each and sent to the county
prison for sixty days.
TUE CASE IN NUTSHELL.
Siney and Parks, unable to procure counsel NJ
that time, were released on bail to the amount
| Of 5000 each, and their case. continued t. the
| present term Tney are now doienied oy eX-
nj nm fhar ahl lr 4nl .
! while Senator Wallace, whose homo IA In Clear
field, assists. or rather louds the prosecution bo-
| panies of this county. II is evident that the
issue is to be fought tcnaciously by both sldes.
| ana that tho hands of the Miners National As
sociatiOn are as ready To dive deep into the COM
mon pocket as are those OF tue coal barohs
| themselves
The evidence brought forward by the prosccu-
! tion IL very nearly repetition OF that preseuted
at the trial In June. Notnin. beyond brief re-
view OF the Disturbances IN May will Oe neces-
saty 10 an understanding Of the case
For the past year the 60 \ miners OF Pennsyl-
| vauia have been working for hftY cents ton.
| Good wotkmen dig out from four to seven tons
day. some colieucs and some rooms work
| harder than others. but a principle Of rotation
| obtains which gives every man a turn at the
favorable loc liica, and brings the average DAYS
work 10 n tulcrAhly well nxcd standard. Ihe
highest wages ever piid were thosc " 1870. when
the miners, dissuti-hed with seventy cents ton.
| struck for eisnt!, and got put down u sixty. In
| loIs the prico was reduced to nfty-nye cents and
again In 1874 70 fify. IL Is claimed 10y the opc-
rators that the men as general hing are well
1
| to work for IL and, moreover, that II is all that
the companies. a. the present market prices of
| coal can possibly afford to py.
| On the 12th OF May there. was general strike
! in the seven or eight min = IA the Cearneld dis
trict TO enforce a demand for an Increase OF ten
| cents ton. In four or nve miDes. near Philips
| burg and OsceOll, a number Of men-porhaps
half Of the Irrespective duotas-continued at work.
| tnus earning from tue union men "ho had struck
the name BLACK logs, term which CORES ponds
| quite closely TO what printers call rats" The
whole number OF men VINO quit work In conse-
quence OF this strike may TO roughly estimated
at one thousand. the strike was purely ootl,
| and di1 not affect the coerics of other regions.
! Blachlegs" " were imported from elsewhere,
| but many Of these were dissuaded from inter-
! ference ~ tue arguments aud repIss M atiops
| OF the Strikers supported bv The .i0cIal in!iu-
ence oi S.uey and Parks, both Of wnom now
cinim, however. TO have been opposed - tho
policy Of the strike from its inception. but were
! c.nvlnced nf the necessity of carrying 1t out
after II had been once begun.
PLRsUADISG THE BLAcKLgGs.
on the Hth Of May crowd qf striking miners
! Morrlsdale, HOutsdHe. and Poweilton coilieres.
| and bad conferences with the so-caod black
| lcgs - to such purpose that the latter abandoned
work. How far this was tue result Of persui-
! sion and how Tar OF Intimidation Is Cf course
| Tor the jury To determine. By the testimony s.
far elected there seems 10 have oeen little or no
actual violence employ ed, although few cllbs
wero trAndished, aud In one instance revolver
| drawn upon policeman. Siney and farks ac-
conf panied the raiders, and upon the testimony
~ 10 their demcauor uepends the issue OF TINS
trial Parks made speeches On several occasions,
ana the following is the most incenGiIiy Ian
guige winch has beon attributed 10 HIM by any
witness. lhi, was al Philllp Ourg. May {;
Now men, you know your Guty. l want you to do It.
SON" other means.
miners have been put in evidence, and the prose-
| cutun viii endeavor TO connect their author
ship with the alleged conspirators. Inc follow
Ing is a sample Of circulars which were seut to
nearly every working miner in tue district:
MIR - We. the miner. OF clearneid and Centre lsiI
Counties. do take ths method OF warning yon oil our
% u y os p11 oIb m T"fsg IN gSr p1se- 70
have ssceTalned tna1 II you quit worioe me sdy4
and We WI forgive you for the past; bu! be as ured
ever GET from ur the worsmen For We are now ready
70 pass the bound. Of toe law and II We compelled
anu forever lnat YOU shall not under any
intend a copy OF this TO reach every man working
IN yoHr esgs NJ e1t 4 Il rails to reach tnem your
oberye days from present dae or on wl suLer tac
dred CItzcns, outsiders. but IN sympathy with US.
when any individual was deemed worthy Of
more particular and continued attention, mis-
siyes ike the following were employed:
J. W snsprrLr- SIR. %sa conmiSiie % 30 Nearby tsl
gS uoH '"1 Nee
do hope you vii oasder ihia wei and taSe frienSs
CoAMrrrn or UNIox.
MAY the s. 1875
now i6s IS ne last note we S Give you do nSP sG
quiz Wurkng while thr men Is out strike tue Ol.
| loving viii Bee youf Resting Place
sign CoMnTTIH
A rude cofn.l
Opening for the Defence.
| CLEARrIELD, Pa, oct. LIN the Sney
and Parks trial to-day the prosecution con-
cluded with their principal witness, Capt Thos.
Il. Clark Of Philadelphia, who corroborated the
previous witnesses. Mr. Carpenter then opened
| for the defence, as follows;