Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-05
A SEVERE SENTENCE.
knight Lewis Suspended for 80 and
Two Others for SO Years.
THE ANTI-PoWDERLY MAN'SsTORY
Pittsburg Operators Not Afraid of the
Blaine Et Al Coal Concern.
DIGGERs DEMAND 76 1.2 CENTS A TON

W. T. Lewis, the strongest anti-Pcwderly
man at the last General Assembly, and who
was mentioned as Powderly's successor, was
in town yesterday. He is now Secretary of
the Miners National Progressive Union,
and was in attendance at the convention of
District No. 4, N. P. U. Mr.. Lewis, as
stated in this paper yesterday, was sus-
pended by his Local Assembly of the Il. OF
L. at Shawnee, o., for 30 years.
He was accused of belonging to rival
organization, and asked to appear before the
court of his local and answer the charge.
In speaking of the charge he said:
OF course pleaded guilty, and the case went
to the Master Workman of my local. He has
the right to execute the findings of the court
in suspension, but in the case of expulsion, the
matter must go before the assembly. If this
had been done would still be a member of the
order. unless resigned. The Master Work
man exercised his authority and suspended me
for 80 years. Two other members of my local
were each suspended for so years. do not be-
lieve that any of us will ask for reinstatement
at the expiration Of our sentences.
HE DENIES THE STATEMENT.
Isaw statement in THE DISPATCH this
morning coming from Messrs. Rea and
Watchorn about the remarkable increase in
membership of N. T. A. 1856 1t is almost too
ridiculous to contradict. I have been all
through the Hooking Valley coal fields, which
embrace Athens, Perry and Hooking counties,
and know lbs has not more than 500 members.
There are 5000 miners in the valley and of this
number fully 1000 are members of the N. Z. U.
Our organization has about 1900 members in
the State of Ohio, but not more than l.OOO are
in good standing
1 don't know much about the Pittsburg dis
NrfA H,.rNI horre
Knights of Labor have not got more than 3OO
members. 1 cannot say how many we have, but
know we are getting stronger every day.
Mr.. Lewis then proceeded to scorch the
knights of Labor, saying:
The preamble is bunch of inconsistencies.
It declares against national banks: Robert
Watchorn transacts all his business through
national bank at Columbus. When was
Superintendent of the cooperative mine in
Indiana, received all my money from head
quarters through national bank. The order
is opposed to giving charters to any corpora
tions and the only cooperative institutions in
the name of the Z. of L. that are successful
are stock companies having charters from
States, and one of them is our Opera House at
Shawnee.
NOT BAsHFUL IN THEIR STAND.
They declare against politics, and yet Pow
derly took the stump for Henry George.
Thousands of Knights are Republicans, and
one of the products of the party is the national
banking system, which is against the so-called
fundamental principles of the K. of L. They
declare in favor of semi-monthly and weekly
payment of wages. The miners at the Cannal-
burg mines, in Indiana, had to strike for the
| enforcement of the semi-monthly pay and at
present they have ''pluck.me" store. These
| mines are owned by the Knights. and are in
charge of the General Executive Board. One
! of the fundamental principles declares in favor
of eight hours. When a movement was made
| to inaugurate it Powderly set his foot down on
| it. Fundamental principles, fundamental non
| sense.
When informed that Richard j. flaming,
a member of the committee that heard the
case of Watchorn versus Lewis, had written
a communication, the substance of which is
that Lewis is guilty although proven inno-
cent Mr.. Lewis said:
"You will hear something drop later, on
R. J. Tanning, if there is anything LETT Of
him after W. S. Cappeller gets through
with him. Any person reading the decision
and Fanning's statement can judge for
themselves. 1t is false and malicious"