The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-10-26
STARTLING STATEMENTS.

Lee Meriwether, state labor com.
missioner, tells how miners are robbed
Of 20 per cent. of their wages and
forced to buy of their employer. Paid
in checks that state on their face, "re-
deemable, January 1st, 1885," Miners
make sworn statements that the charges
are true.
IFrom our Jefferson City Correspondent ]
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-,
October II, 1889.
Stale Labor Commissioners Lee Mer-
iwether, returned TO Jefferson City
to-day from tour of inspection among
lhe coal mines in the northern counties
of Missouri. Mr.. Meriwether reports
on The part of some operators methods
of tyranny and oppression, and viola
tions of the law SO fragrant and of such
long standing, that it would be diff
cult TO believe them did not the com
missioner have sworn documents prov
ing the truth of every statement made.
II seems incredible that mine operators
in this state should pay their men IN
pasteboard checks that are not redeem
able In cash for ten years, yet, as Com
missioner Meriwether shows, the Men,
dota Coal 81 Mining Co., of Mendoza,
Putnam county, is, and has been, doing
this very thing for number OF years.
"The law" said Mr.. Meriwether to-
day, "re9uires corporations to redeem
all checks or tokens OF Indebtedness
issued to their employees within thirty
DAYS after the date or delivery OF the
same, or upon the first pay day subse-,
qnent II the day on which such checks
or tokens of indebtedness are issued. /.
This law is laid down so plainly and
explicitly on page S3 OF the acts of 1885
tnat hesitated to believe any company
in Missouri made it practice to issue
checks to their employees and refuse 10
redeem such checks in cash until the
expiration of ten years. l made
personal visit to Mendoza and the
result of my investigation shows
condition of affairs worse even than
has been reported. From sworn affi-
davits now in my possession, as well as
from a host of unsworn statements, 1t
appears that the Mendoza Coal u Min
ing Co., not only issue checks to their
employees, such checks not being
payable until January lst, 1899, but the
company coerces or intimidates their
men into trading at its store, the PEN
altv for refusing to do this being
dismissal from the company's service.
Here is the sworn statement of a
former employe of the company. who
was told by the president that refusal
to trade at the company's store was the
cause of his dismissal. For obvious
reasons | shall not permit the name OF
the discharged miner to be published.
1t would possibly work him all injury,
but his name is here and witnessed,
and will be forthcoming at the proper
time.
DISCHARGED FOR NOT BUYING AT THE
CoMPANY's STORE.
Mendoza, Mo, Oct. IL, 1SS9.-X. Y.
aged -, resident of -, being duly
sworn, affirms that he is q miner by
occupation; that for several years he
worked as miner for the Mendoza
Coal & Mining Co.; that during the
first part of January, 1887, deponent
does not remember the exact day, he
was informed that he was to be dis.
charged from the service OF the said
Mendoza Coal Sc Mining Co. Depo-
nent further affirms that on hearing
this he went to the Office of one
w. Ketcham, president of said M. g.
Il M. Co., AMI asked If it were true
that he, the said deponent, x. Y, was
to be discharged from the service OF the
said Nj. G. q M. Co. Deponent fur
ther AYERS that in reply to his question
if it were true that he was to be dis.
charged, the said president, w.
Ketcham, of the NJ. G. u M. Co.
answered eyes," to deponent's ques
ton: "Why are you going to dis.
charge me?' the said w. Ketcham
president of the said company, replied
''because our books show that you are
not trading enough at our store" De
pouent affirms that this is nearly ths
exact language used by the said w
Ketcham and he AYERS that on the mex
day he was discharged from the servic,
of the Mendoza Coal 81 Mining Co., Al
deponent believes from the language o
the said w. Ketcham, president of tn,
Nj. G.. & M. Co., because he, the depo
nent, did not trade at the store of tn,
said M. G & NJ. Co. x. Y.
Signed aud sworn to before Lee
Meriwether, commissioner of labo
statistics and inspection.
, Witness, A B.
"I have other affidavits TO the sam
effect, Continued the commissioners
"but it Is not necessary " give then
now. may say, however, that OH
miner states under oath tina! he saw
! written notice un the letter head O
the Mendoza Coal u Mining Co., ant
signed by tie company, stating tn
amount OF goods bought by mine
and serving notices that if nis pur
) chases at the company's store were no
, increased he womld be discharged
called mass meeting in Mendoza t
which both employers and employe
were invited, large crowd was pres
ent, several hundred miners and tw
or three officers of the company. Ate
statinu fha Ohipct Of the mapfinu