The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-08-17
WANTED A STRIKE
Operators Asked That Miners
Should Stop Work, Says
President DOlan.
It Was the Only Way in Which
Some Could Be Brought
To Time.
Testimony Of De Armitt and 9th.
ers---Pittsburg Labor Leaders
in Conference.

PITTSBURG, Aug. 1.-THE hearing In
the equity case of the New York and
Cleveland Gas Coal company against
the United Mine Workers of America
was called at 10 o'clock i'll common
pleas No. before judges Stowe and
Collier. The courtroom was crowded
an hour before court opened. The
plaintiffs were represented by Attorneys
Schoyer, Kaufman s, Hall, while A. j.
Brennan appeared for the defendants.
The affidavit in the preliminary in.
junction was made by William p. De
Armitt, president of the New York and
Cleveland Gas Coal company, and set
forth that plaintiffs employees were un.
der contract; that terms were mutually
satisfactory, and that both parties We're
ready and willing to fulfill their re-
spective duties under it, BY en-.
camping and other methods the
strikers prevented many Of the
men from carrying out their part of the
agreement. 1t also recited the COM
pany's contracts to supply coal in points
i'll the United States, in Pennsylvania
and abroad, to supply the Pittsburg
pumping station with coal, which de.
mands daily supply in order to keep
up the service of water in the city of
Pittsburg. The officers Of the United
Mine Workers of America were named
in the bill, and the purposes of organ
izations are set forth together with q
history OF the strike.
Whelf corrt opened Mr.. Schoyer, on
behalf Of the plaintiff company, have
filed motion TO make the preliminary
injunction permanent, and Mr.. Bren.
nan made counter motion to dissolve
it.
Judge Stowe decided both motions
out of order. and President De Armitt
was called to the stand. His testimony
did not materially differ from the af.
fadavits filed when the preliminary in.
functions were secured.
Feared Personal Injury.
Superintendent Thomas De Armitt.
the next witness, described the marches
of the strikers and their camps, ard
said that 200 or 800 of their men had
told him they were fearful Of personal
injury or destruction Of their property
if they went to work.
Superintendent Fisher Of the Sandy
Greek mine testified that he had been
notified to stay in the house or he
would be "done up" and that he had
been shot at. The witness refused to
give the nume of his informant, and
Judge Stowe said that anything that
would tend to show that life or property
was endangered was competent. They
were here, he said, to find out if the
conduct Of the strikers was such as to
cause the injunction to be continued.
President Dolan's Testimony.
President Dolan was next called for
cross-examination, and during his testi.
mony he said that the strike was made
at the request Of several operators.
Among the number were James Shields,
Captain J. j. Steytler and Captain
Blythe. These operators he said, had
told him that De Arnlitt was running
the trade, md the only thing that
would save them from the sheriff and
the miners from starvation was q strike
No one had told him to get De Armitt''
men out, DUC III WAS uOp0u W make Cne
strike general.
Suits for Back Pay.
The threatened suits against the New
York and Cleveland company for re
tanning the wages OF their striking min
ers have been commenced. 1t is an
ticipated that about $50 suits will re
suit. Each will be for salaries ranging
from $l5 to $40, which represents twf
weeks pay. Three suits were entered
before Alderman Toole. The hearing,
were fixed for next Saturday and The