The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1902-11-21
IAIICHELL LAGOODN|TNESS
Strike Leader Strong Under
Cross-Examination.
HOLDS HIS OWN WITH LAWYER.
Wayne Maeveash Says Miners Presl.
dent is Best Witness for Himself
He Ever Confronted-Resents I'm.
putation Of Anarchy.


ence of as many persons as could be
jammed into the superior court room
Wayne MacVeagh, for the Erie com.
pany, and John Mitchell, for the min
ers, continued their brilliant battle of
cross-examination before the anthra-
cite coal commission. The two men,
the one In his thirties and the other
In his seventies, were followed with In
tense interest by botn the commits
sioners and the crowd throughout the
day.
The fourth demand Of the union,
which calls for a yearly trade agree
ment, and which means straightout
recognition of the union, was the bone
of contention, and although four hours
was taken up in discussion of the
question, not much material progress
was made. Wayne MacVeagh, skilled
In the art of cross-examination, at
tempted to show the utter irresponsi-
bility of the union and its unfitness to
make contracts, which 1t could not
live up to. His principal argument
was the alleged boycott, and he often
hard pressed the miners president for
an answer The latter, however, slow
ly and deliberately gave some reply,
but they did not always satisfy his in
Quisitor
Macveagh Admires Mitchell.
MacVeagh, in the presence of the
assemblage, expressed his admiration
of the ability of the witness, and on
one occasion, when Mr.. Mitchell par
ried a question regarding the boy.
cotting of coal and iron policeman
by hotekeeper, the distinguished at
'torney threw up his hands laughed,
and said: Mr. Mitchell, you are the
best witness for yourself l ever con-
fronted."
Mr.. MacVeagh weighed heavily on
what he said was a reign of terror in
the anthracite region during the pc
riod of the strike. He read a list of
fourteen names of men who were
killed during that time, and also sub
mitted in evidence about seventy-ive
printed pages of acts of alleged vio-
lence, boycott and intimidation. Mr..
Mitchell said that in some cases men
may have been deferred, but he denied
the assertion that such alleged acts
prevented the mines from being oper-
ated. He said that when the strike
was declared every mine worker in
the region quit work and remained
out, even after the entire National
Guard of the state had been thrown
into the coal fields. In short, he said
that the men would not have gone
to work under any condition. The min.
ers president, no matter how skill
fully he was questioned, could not be
dragged into a fiat admission that he,
as president of the union, approved
of the boycotts complained of by the
companies.
During the cross-examination the
commissioners often interrupted with
questions in order to stop long colo
guy over some disputed point. While
the examination was at times quite
spirited the best of good feeling pre-
vailed. Only once Mr.. Mitchell showed
signs of irritability. This was when
Mr.. McVeagh, reading the long list of
acts of violence, would take Mr.. Mitch.
ell to task for some vicious act, and
say: "You could have prevented
this"
Question Of Shorter Hours.
In the course of the forenoon ses.
sion Mr.. MacVeagh examined Mr.
Mitchell regarding the eight-hour de.
mand, and referred to the fact that
Lincoln, Garfield and Mckinley
worked more than eight hours a day
and were thus enabled to climb the
ladder to the presidency. Mr.. Nc
Neagh added: II only mention these
because they are the three victims OF
the spirit of anarchy, which Is the
curse of this country today"
The miners president, quick as q
flash, came back with the inquiry
"Trade unions are not responsible fol
1t, are they?" To which Mr.. Nc
Veagh quickly responded they were
not, and supplemented this with the
remark that labor unions are most ad
mirable. The bringing of the WORD
anarchy" into the examination caused
a distinct murmur of disapproval from
many mine workers in the court room
The commission decided to invite
representatives OF the Illinois Goa
Operators association to testify be
fore the commission.
Non-Union Men Ask Raise.
The nonunion mine workers
through their attorneys, John r. Len
ahan and Joseph OBrien, filed thu
statement of their case with the an
thracite coal strike commission. The!
demand an increase of 30 per cent
Continuing, the statement says "tha
instead of desiring a reduction in thu
hours of employment, we insist upoI
right to work as many hours as W,
choose and as opportunity affords, 81
as to better our conditions and in
crease our earning capacity"
A. O.I.