The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-06

refused employment and that Dis
trict Superintendent Bennett would only
say to him that the company had too
many men. He was Il member of the
union relief committee. Mr.. Torrey had
no questions to ask him on cross-eX-
| animation. Thomas Powell, Il Della
| ware and Hudson miner at Olyphant
No 2, had Il similar story to tell. Mr..
Torrey contented himself with extract
ing from the witness the information
that the chamber Mr.. Powell had been
working was cut off by a fall of roof
during the strike, and that there was
only enough coal left in the place, at
all events, to give him few weeks
work. The witness insisted that it
would pay the company to open up the
chamber.
S. w. Jane, president of the Grassy
Island local, was not re-employed after
the strike, being told by District Super
intendent Bennett the company had too
many men. He went to see General
Superintendent Rose, and Mr. Rose re-
ferred him back to Mr.. Bennett. Mr..
Jane and three others of the union men,
who were refused unemployment, wait
ed on District Superintendent Bennett
and complained to him that his grounds
for refusing to take them back We're
unstable, because new men We're being
employed. Mr. Bennett asked him TO
name a single new man who had been
taken on. The witness gave him the
name of John Watkins. Mr.. Bennett
took note of the name and said he
would look into the matter.
On cross-eXamination Mr.. Torrey
brought out an admission from the wit
ness that Watkins went to work dur
ing the strike.
BLIND AND CRIPPLED.
John Price and David j. Davis, two
blind and badly crippled men, who had
received their disabilities as the result
of premature explosions in West Scran-
ton mines of the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western company, We're brought
before the commission and examined
in turn rs to how they came by their
injuries, and what the company has
done for them. MIR. Price had both eyes
blinded, his left arm blown off and his
right hand badly crippled. The COM
pany gave him $3.50 II month for one
year after the accident. Mr.. Davis had
both eyes blown out, his left ear torn
off. his right hand crippled and big
hole cut in his breast by an explosion.
The company gave him $25 or $50 in
cash and free coal for year.
The only cross-eXamlnation was one
question put TO the last witness by Mr..
Burns, Did you have any connection
with the 1902 striker" he asked. The
witness said no.
Then Mr. Burns criticised the action
of the other side in bringing in "har-
rowing spectacles" to prey on the SYM
pathes of the commission.
Judge Gray would not coincide with
Mr.. Burns view. He expressed the
opinion that such evidence, while not
pleasant to receive, was perfectly
proper. He hoped, however, it would
not be carried to an extreme.
Mr., DarrOw assured the commission
ers he would not overdo the thing. At
torney Reynolds asked how 1t would
look If the companies brought in the
widow and children of James Winston,
the victim of the horrible murder at
Grassy Island.
The last witness of the day was Rev.
John j. Curran, pastor of Holy Savior
Roman Catholic church, of Wilkes
Barre He worked in the mines for
seven years and has spent his whole life
among miners. Among the interesting
things he told was that there are 90
900 total abstainers In the anthracite
region,