The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-04
SMYER'S ANSWER
TO CHARGES;

The following circular has been printed
by the Smith forces:
"Drennen voted for Gambill three times.
He also offered to vote for him again.
Drennen worked scab labor in 1898 at Mary
Lee coal mines and openly accused union
labor OF firing the mines. Drennen voted to
send the city prisoners to Coalburg mines"
Mr.. E. J. Smyer's reply to the anonymous
circular is given below:
To the Citizens of Birmingham:
The charge that Drennen & Co. worked
"scab" labor at Mary Lee mines Is untrue.
l make this statement, based upon the
testimony of witnesses. The facts are
follows:
The miners at Mary Lee mines were on a
strike, and had been ON q strike for some
time. Prior to the strike, Drennen & Co.
had no connection whatever with the oper-
alton of the mines.
Finally Drennen & Co. made q trade with
the Mary Lee company looking to the oper-
alton of the mines In pursuance of this
agreement, Mr.. D. M. Drennen went out to
the mines, and at a meeting OF the striking
miners, Mr.. D. M. Drennen made q talk to
the miners and told them that II they
would go back to work, Drennen & Co.
would pay them for their work in the flu
ture. The cause Of the strike was, as
understand. the failure of tho Mary Lee
company to meet it's pay roll.
After this proposition by Mr.. D. NJ. Dren-
men, the striking miners, after several
meetings, decided to accept the proposition
and go back to work. very few dissent
ing.
These mines did go back to work on d.
NJ Drennen's proposition. and on the very
day that these miners went to work In the
mines, and some two or three hours after
they commenced working, fire broke OUT
III the mines Whether the mines were set
or fire or the fire was accidental, no one
has ever claimed to know.
As a result OF this fire, there were some
forty or fifty suits filed against Bremen
& Co. in the circuit and city courts by par
ties claiming to be damaged as result OF
the fire.
Drennen & Co. had insurance. The as-
gregate amount sued for exceeded the face
amount of the policy of insurance held by
bremen & Co. The insurance company
notified Drennen & Co. of this fact, and in
view of this fact advised Drennen & Co.
to have their attorney assist In defense OF
the suits.
Drennen e. Co. employed me to represent
them in this suit Captain James e. Webb
of this city was the attorney for the in
surance company and the leading counsel
for the defense. Nearly all of the cases
we're settled by the insurance company
without trial. Two or three of the cases
were litigated at different times, consuming
in all from twelve to fifteen days In the
actual trial. l was present during the. en-
tire time. Captain James e. Webb. Mr..
r. Harsh, and, If recollect correctly.
Mr. John T. Shugart, were present the en-
tire time of the trials. Mr.. Harsh and Mr..
Shugart represented the plaintiffs.
In the trials there were some twenty to
thirty different witnesses examined. many
of whom were miners who had been on the
strike and went back to work on Mr.. d.
M. Drennens proposition. Many of the
miners and some who were not miners
testified as to the existence of the strike,
as to Mr.. Drennen's speech and propos'-
ton: as to the subsequent meetings of the
striking miners; as to the decision of the
striking miners to go back to work. and as
to their going back to work, as herein
above stated.
The very men who had been on the strike
were the men who went back to work.
No effort was made by Drennen & Co. to
put a "scab" in the place of striking
miner and no ''scab' was put in place of
striking miner No effort was made to
operate the mines by Drennen & Co. until
the striking miners themselves voted to go
back to work
Some few of the striking miners were
opposed to going back to work, and did