The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-09-03
OFFICIAL COPY OF TIE ORIGINAL.
Observation-Disclosures

u0tlng the employees Oh LnaD COM puhy
so as to induce them to abandon.
their work in the said mines. This
Injunction was served on number OF
the defendants early on the morning
OF the 18th inst. It was also served
ON other OF the defendants. together
with an additional or supplemental
and constituting order, on the morn
ing Of the 18th inst. II the defend-
ants were aware that the Court had
passed the decree granting the in-
junction mentioned. II they We're
aware OF its terms and import, and
If they then interfered with or I'M
Inundated the employees of said coal
company, thereby preventing them
from going to or from their work, or
causing them to abandon the same,
then they are guilty of the contempt
charged. and should be, must be, and
will be punished.
STRIKERS HAD THE RIGHT 10 INDUCE
OTHERS TO QUIT WORK.
The strikers had the right to quit
work themselves, and they had the
right to induce other miners, by
peaceable means, by the persuasive
force of public or private argument,
exerted in lawful way, to also quit
work and Join them. But it must be
kept in mind that the miner who still
desired to work, had the same right
to do so, as the miner to quit work,
and also it should be remembered,
that the owners OF the mines,-indi-
vidual or company, had the right to
operate the same: the right to employ
the labor OF those willing to work;
the right to use the highway leading
to the mines, for themselves and for
their employees, even as had the
strikers to quit work, the miner to go
on with his work, or the agitator to
indulge in the right OF free speech"
1t seems from the evidence that but
few OF the miners employed at the
Montana mines had joined the strikers.
All efforts to induce them 70 do so
Ebad apnsrentl fail III: AN this ipncte
lure q COMPANY Of marching still ers,
mostly from Monongah, went into
camp about one mile from the Nom
tana mines. During Monday, Tues
day and Wednesday this company.
under command of its officers, with
music and banners marched and
conference.-the along the the county
road running through the property Of
the Montana Coal Company. This
marching was very early in the morn
ing and in the afternoon, ut times
when the miners of said company
were either going to or coming from
their work. The marching was from
the camp down to the mine opening,
then back to.the village to where the
miners lived, thence again past the
mine opening, aud so onto and fro
during certain hours of the morning
and afternoon. They did not march
past the property of the company, for
the reason, us stated by their leader
that the river stopped them. The
marching was therefore from the camp
to the river, and from the river back
to the camp, always by the mine
opening and the miners homes.
There was an object in this and the
intent will be disclosed by the, facts.
These miners had refused to Join the
strikers, and had neglected to attend
the strikers meeting, evidently pre-
ferring to remain at work. The camp
was established near them for the
purpose OF influencing them. Was
that influence to be exerted and was il
exertetl in n lawful and proper man.
ner? The answer to that question de-
termines the guilt or innocence OF
these accused. In endeavoring to in
fiuence the miners to join them, did
the strikers prevent them from going
to or from their work and did they
use any character of intimidation in
so doinge
INTENTION OF THE STRIKERS.
A body of men over two hundred
strong, marching in the early hours OF
the morning, before daylight. hating
| in front of the mine opening and TAX
ing position ON each side of the
public highway for a distance Of
at least quarter OF a miles at the exact
place where the miners We're in the
habit Of crossing that highway for the
purpose of going from their homes to
| their work is at least unusual, and in
the state of excitement usually attend
| ing such occasions, neither an aid to
fair argument nor conducive To the
state OF mind that makes willing
converts to the cause thus champion.
ed. That the marching did intimi-
date quite a number Of the miners, il
clear, II the evidence offered is to bt
| beliesed-and the court finds it un,
contradicted and entitled to ere
| dence. The court is also forced tc
\ conclude from all the facts and cir.
cumstances detailed by the witnesses
from the object the marching mer
had in view, and from the locality
where they marched and its topog-
raphy, that the intention of the
marching strikers was to. interfere
with the operation Of the Mountains
mines, with the miners engaged in
4 working said mines; to intimidate
them and thereby induce them &C
abandon their work, and then secure
their cooperation in closing the
mines. The marching men seemed q
think that they could go and come OF
II'.t