The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-05
TRIAL OF SINEY AND PARKS
JHE FTGHT BETWEEN LABOR AND
ttPIT4L IN PENNSYLVANIA.

sauce Of the Trial TO Trades Unions.
CiEARrIELD, Pa, Oct. 2.-The approach
by rail to the Clesrfeld mining district Is a
somewhat elaborate affair, since the track has
% double upon itself repeatedly in order to gain
the summit OF the Allegheny range. The loco
motive ia obliged to travel perhaps a dozen
mites to make the progress which any crow OF
ordinary accuracy would accomplish by three
or four miles Of flying. Hardly less indirect is
the road to a correct understanding Of the DIM
culties between labor and capital in this region.
Tue prosecution OF Sincy aud Parks is' upon tue
surface nothing more than continuation OF
tho legal process which, in June last, sent TO
hmbo Maloney ana Joyce and shannon ana nj
tsen or twenty Of the other ringleaders IN the
tato strike. Really, however. It Is quite diner
snt matter. Those who prefer to regard tho
fluctuations Of supply and demand In the labor
market az a perpetual and irreconcilable war
between the workingman and the capitalist will
be luick to see that the Clearneld County Court
room il an important battle ground Just at
present This is a test case. The Kittsning
and other coal companies which pay the ex-
penses Of the prosecution, recognize the fact
not iess readily than does the Miners National
Association. II is not TO be assumed that the
latter organization would retain such able but
costly counsel a. Mr.. Carpenter and his asso-
clates were no other considerations involved
than the personal fortunes OF Mr. Siney ana MT.
Parks. Nor, on the other hand, Is II certain
thM the mining corporations undertake tho
burden of long and expensive trial out OF
mere concern for the peace and order Of the
community.
THE TWO DEFENDANTS.
John Slney is a shrewd and clear-hea AIDED Irish
nan Of middle AGE. His prominent cheek bones;
strong Jaw, and straight beard give him a marked
likeness to the traditional Brother Jonathan OF
the caricatursts. IL Is only when he speaks
that Erin crops out. He Is person OF calm de-
meanor, and has considerable command over
himself and over the passions Of such audiences
Al are usually his-just such leader, In fact. as
one would expect TO nnd at the head OF nifty
thousand men who deal with hard aud gritny
facts like anthracite and bituminous Sney
was formerly practical miner In the Schuylkill
region, but has given most OF bis time since 1862
e. the organization Of unions. As President of
the National Association. his influence is great
In all matters that pertain TO the interests OF
miners lie receives salary OF tl'so Tor ms
strikes except as IA last resort, Is profound re.
specter OF law and coQsttuted authority and
believes that the road To labor reform lies
through the ballot box.
Xlngo Parks. or Jingo," as he was facetious-
ter his leading COUNSEL owes It to the singular
taste Of his parents in the matter OF christening
country than his fellow defendant. lie Is pos
sibly thilty, although his appearance discouni =
LOOKING eSit,ior Of him He Il the opeosite of
Siney in that he, although Of American birth,
isithe perfect image Of an pusive. hot headed.
but gOOd-hearted little Irishmsn. Mr.. Parks ~
short man, with smooth face and ford com
piexion. Hts enemies have probably long ago
discovered that his hair Is red and his vision
obhque. Parks GOODNESS OF judgment Is oftener
questioned han either his energy or his ability.
The coal operators say that since the events Of
last spring the influence OF both Sinev aud
Parks with the miners Of this region has greatly
rHK CASE roR THE GOVERNMENT.
Nearly sixty witnesses were put upon the
aentation Of whose case began on Monday aud
ended on riiay afternoon. The more impor-
tant points OF the testimony were as follows;
An the mines in the region. with the exccp-
uon of the Derby, were paying their hands ATTY
cents ton for dissIns coal % 40 i to the iI5n Of
came to the county and began to Orsanizs
unipns. Then followed general strike for an
Increase OF ten cents ton. At sone or the
coneres a small proportion OF miners contin-
ued work at the old rates, and these received
through the mails anonymous notices 70 desst,
accompanied with vague threats OF bodily harm
In case the warnings were not regarded The
Derby men struck, from sNmpathv with the
others and afterward resumed work at nfty
cents, thus striking down and not up
Meanwhile the operators attempted TO oil the
places Of the strikers by mpol ting men from
Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The trains which
boarded 10y the active Xingo Parks and dele
cation OF strikers. who by persuasion and in
region without assuming the shovel and the
pick. On one occasion Parks was arrested 10y
Capt. Clark OF the cnlliery police ior turbulence
r,lled up his sleeves, drew revolver, and ex-
claimed
But the pistol was taken frIm hlm without
any consequent reduction Of the population OF
Pennsylvania
About tnis time siney came East from Cleve
land and took an active part IN the proceedings
He addressed good many meetings, and, al
though he usually recommended a strict OBJ
servance OF the law countenanoed the actions
witness swears that Siney said at Houisdale
mat he. not Parks, was the leader, and was
there 70 see the nrht through Others say that
5ney ted rush past a guard OF police Cfiicers
at tune when clubs were nourished ana re-
yoiyer, DISPLAYED by the strikers, Another wit
ness reports Siney as saying at Osceola that
there were times when "A man was justified in
taking the law into hts own hands and that he
Nk-ned to robbery the course of the " blacSegs
Ia taking bread and butter from the mouths II
tho miners wives and children. Others testify
o. ni. prominence I'm the party which, upon III e
lei Of Nav, visited Ave or six coliefies where
small gangs were stu at work and induced
them 70 join the stfl and that he was present
a time when strikers threw the baggage OF
the " blachlegs" from the windows OF the house
they occupied at Gosss Run and marched them
out Of the county As to Parks. it was said that
he made frequent threats OF annihilatiun 10
those who ersisted In working.
The general tenor Of the Governments ease
was An effort 10 show that both Siney and Park.
were fully in harmony with aud ac 1essory 70 the
violations Of the law committed by the Gle T.
neld county strikers, OF which number have
already been convicted
II Ia not pretended that this was a very turbu
lent strike. During the month when eight hun
dred or Thousand miners were idle, although
there was deal OF halooing and some whNinl
Of clubs and the occasional production Of a re
volver, there was little or no drunkenness anS
prsingly lnfrequent. Indeed, this was ami
able company Of rioters that when Sherii
Mcpherson went alone to the mines to maxi
arrests, he brought away thirty eight prisoner
with his own hands and without trouble.
THE THEORY or TUE DEFENCE.
Ex-senator Carpenter, who was Obliged e
leave for WiscOn In on Saturday, made th
opening argument for the defence AID indicated
tts theory In a clear address to the Jury.
The counsel for Siney ana Parks maintain tina
the right to combine and resolve not 10 wOrl
Tor, so TO speak, to " "conspire'j Is constitutions
and inalenable as also Is the right TO do al
lawful things TO induce others not II work. Tn
less II can be shown that Siney and PARKS con
spired 20 do an Illegal thing the Indictment fails
Counsel deny that the testimony shows tina
either Of the defendants oOnspired or agreed 1,
keep anybody from work by violence. 1hi
prosecution, thev clam, Is an attempt 10 con
Wet Siney aud Parks on account Of the position
they hold In the national association Now
th, Orgauiz ItlOn was fOimed Ia the Interest O
peace aud Is opposed to the policy Of strikes
Neither Siney nor Parks came here to pusl
along the strike. They were both her
innOccnty - 4, rks an organizer o
unions, and Slney In fulllment OF IN
dutS president OF the association
70 inye tgate the facts concerning Toe strike
and determine whethert was one which ooul'
properly Claim the recognition and aid OF th
national association. That he was opposed 4
tho strke IL shown by the fact that II never wa