The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-05
CHARGES OF BAD FAITH.
MADE AGAINSTC COAL OPERATORS
BYMINER!S.

Coke BI others md Other Companies Ac-
cnsed of Violating the Agreement
Entered into by Both sides when the
Strike Comnission Was Appointed
Rumors of Possible Settlement Out
side the Commission sim Heard
Scranton, Pa, Dec AT to-days
sessions of the anthracite strike COM
mission the representatives of the mine
workers continued to call witnesses,
mostly practical miners, who told their
story of conditions as they exist in the
HaZletOn or middle coal fields. The
miners tried to show by these witnesses
that the Coke brothers and other COM
panies had violated the agreement en-
tered into by both sides when the COM
mission was appointed that the strikers
should return to work and be given
their old places back where they had
not already been filled. Some of the
witnesses called testified that they
were not given back their old places
and maintained that men prominent in
the union in the various localities dur
ing the strike were Disseminated
against. The commission has decided
to invite the mine inspectors to appear
before them because the miners claim
that the workmen fear to inform the
mine inspectors of dangerous or I'M
healthy places in the mines because the
mine inspectors are usually aCCOmpa-
MED by some representative of the
company who may cause the mans
dismissal. This is new point before
the commission.
Rumors of possible negotiations look
ing towards a possible settlement out
side the commission continue. to be
heard. Lawyers admit having heard
such rumors. but say they know moth
ing about a possible settlement. What
ever is done will be first decided upon
in New York, where those in authority
to act are located. Several attorneys,
among them w. W. Ross, of the Della
ware, Lackawanna & Western Co.,
have returned to the metropolis.
peace negotiations cannot be learned
here. The opinion still prevails here
and rather strongly too, that the oper-
ators and the miners will agree on
most points before the commission con-
cludes its hearings.
W. H. Dettrey, miner from the
HaZleton region, and president of his
local union, who was on the stand yes
terday was recalled at the opening Of
the afternoon session. He presented
some correspondence that passed be-
tween himself and the Coke company
with reference to the accomplishment of
439 men who struck and were not given
back their old places. Some of these
men were subsequently taken back. The
witness testified that the mine foreman
read him letter Ga copy of which the
foreman refused to give himl in which
President Dettrey was informed that
the other men would not be taken back
until after the strike commission shall
have made it's award. If the award,
he said the letter stated, is against the
men, none of the United Mine Workers
will be taken back.
On cross examination by Attorney
Lenahan, for the non-union miners,
Dettrey said he did not known how
many Of the men mentioned in the list
were held by the courts for violating
the laws, but he did know of sixteen of
! them having been dragged fifteen miles
past offices of justices of the peace in
Hazleton, where they had to appear be-
fore a justice whose synpathies were
with the companies.
Jackson Ansbach of the Hazleton re-
eion was an interesting witness because
he is the first fireman to appear before
the commission. He said he received
$1.57 for a day of II hours and his as
sistant $1.26. On every other Sunday,
when he and his assistant shifted from
| day to night work, they were compeli-
! ed to work "a hours straight without re-
lief. This caused buzz through the
| court room and every commissioners
Strengthened up and became more IL
| terested In answer to a question put
by the commission he said he was off
duty every two weeks, thus working
six days one week and eight days the
following week.
Surprising you should fall asleep
when you work in the long shift OF
| "a hours, what would happen?" asked
Mr.. DarroW.
"Well," he replied, eff l slept long
enough the fans would stop, gas would
accumulate in the mines and if an ex-
| plosion took place, some men would be
| killed; that's all"
The Rev. James V. Hussie, rector OF
| St. Gabriels Roman Catholic church.
Hazleton, was the next witness. He
said he had an intimate knowledge OF
conditions in and about Hazleton by
reason of he being the rector of the par
| ish there. Drinking among the miners
he said, was at a minimum during the
strike. When asked to explain the gen.
eral conditions as he found them Fa-
| Their Husse said he had lived in the
coal regions practically all his life
1.-The conditions in this region" he said
"are deplorable. The mine workers are
barely able to exist. I have been ir
| their homes. They are not homes, but
merely a habitation, a resting place
They are frugal. conservative, reason
able and a God fearing people"
Continuing, Father Hussie said that
during the suspension of work the mine
workers and their families were more
pinched than before; that they were
most economical in many things and
barely existed. Families cannot be kept
together The boys are sent into the
| mines almost as soon as "theV are able