Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-12-09
STORY Of 4 Miner BOY. !
Works for Four Cents an Hour in
Mine to Pay OF Dead
Fathers Debts.
us NEVER BEEN PAID ANY MONEY.
Esstineny Before tho. Anthracite
strike Commission Rehe@rses
Nardships of the Miners-Father
Curran Says Nonunten Men Do
Wrong to Take strikeHs' Places.

Scranton, Pa, Dec. s.-Rev. J. j.
Curran, of Wilkesbarre, who was on
the stand Friday when the coal strike
commission adjourned, resumed the
witness stand when the commission
began its session at ten o'clock Sat
nrday.
Commissioner Parker was absent
from the hearing Friday, having gone
10 Washington on private business.
Father Curran was taken in hand by
Harry Reynolds, one OF the lawyers
for the independent operators, who
cross-examined him at some length
regarding conditions in the vicinity
of Wilkesbarre. After examining
Father Curran on the violence in the
region and comparative wages, Mr..
Reynolds proceeded to ask the cler-
gyman regarding the comparative in
telligence of the children of the
miners. Father Curran said they
compared favorably with other chill
dren. Referring to the nonunion
men Father Curran said most of the
people of the coal regions believed
the miners should have better wages.
"If q so-called 'seab' takes the place
of man who is trying to get his
rights that so-called 'scab" Is doing
wrong and an injustice to the people
IN his community" said Father Cur
ran. He admitted that most Of The
violence committed resulted from at
tempts of mine owners to resume
work.
Picture Overdrawn.
John O,Brien, an attorney for the
nonunion men, questioned Father
Curran. He read Gov. Stones procla-
nation describing the violence and
reign of terror that existed in the
region during the strike and the
clergyman said that some of the
things stated in the proclamation did
not exist. This concluded his ex
animation.
Commissioner Watkins here asked
the attorneys for the miners and tho
Philadelphia & Reading company il
any effort was made by the com
;panies and the miners to get int,
more harmonious relations, as re
suit of the 1900 strike. The attor
neys said they would give the infoI
NATION later.
A Bov's Story.
A 12-year-o1d breaker boy EN-
ployed in the Markle mines at Jeddo
was the next called to the stand
The boy said he had one years
schooling and that his father was
killed IN the mines. He worked sis
weeks before the strike and has beer
working since the suspension ended
He produced due bills showing tina
he earned four cents an hour. HI
received no money, however, becaus.
there was an old debt against hi.
father. He was working to pay this
on and also the rent on his mothers
house. His mother, he said, had to
keep boarders, nine persons living IN
q four-room house.
James Gallagher, who was EN-.
iployed in the Markle mines, said that
he had received money once in n
years and 8 months. He explained
this by saying that he never got
enough money for himself, that the
company store got it all.
MacveaSh Calls On Morgan.
New York, Dec. s.-Wayne Mac.
!Veagh, who appeared as counsel for
the Pennsylvania and Hillside Coal
companies before the arbitration
Icommission, called on J. P. Morgan
lat the latter's Office before leaving
for Washington Saturday. He did
mot meet any of the presidents of the
coal roads at Mr.. Morgan's office and
the purpose of his call was not made
known.