The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-06
TESTIMONY
 FOR MINERS Another Day Consumed
 by Them. BLIND MEN AS WITNESSES Introduced to Show Dangers
 of Their Trade. Now saId That Settlement "out q courtn VIII Not Occur Before All Evidence Has Been
 Submitted.
BLIND MEN AS WITNESSES

Scranton. Pa. Dec. 6-The lawyers e
 the mine workers continued to call wit-
 resses today before the strike commitses
 to testify to the alleged blacklisting mesn-
 ods pursued by several coal companies tn
 refusing to rs-smploy strikers who took
 6 more or less prominent part in the az.
 fairs of the mine workers union durin9
 the recent suspension
 All of them said they had been employ-
 ed before the strike. but were rsfsssa
 their old places after the strike was
 ended. In most cases. according to the
 testimony, no satisfactory reason was
 given why they were not taken back.
 Two blind men who were also otherwise
 badly injured by underground explosions.
 were presented as living evidence of the
 dangers in the mines.
 When the commission adjourned for the
 day the Rev. J. J. Curran, the Roman
 Catholic clergyman of wilkesbarrs. who
 took a prominent part in the miners'
 cause during the recent strike. was on
 the witness stand. Only one session wilf
 be held tomorrow. adjournment to be taken at D. m.
 Nothing could be learned here today
 with reference to the reported efforts For
 settlement outside the commission. Wayne MacVeagh, who Is representing the Erie Railroad coal properties, was the only attorney in a position to know. who would talk about the matter. He left here accompanied by commissioner Par ker over the Lacka wanna Railroad for New York. as the testimony now being presented to the commission does not con- cern Mir. Macveagh's clients to an extent which makes his presence necessary. Macveagh Talks. | Mir. Macveagh. before leaving. said to the correspondent of the Associated 1 Press that q majority of the operators | thought 1t better to adjourn all efforts
 to reach by amicabie conference basis i for the award of the commission until | both sides had presented the testimony 1t had to offer. Whether the efforts to | reach such a basis will be then resumed
 can be decided only after the testimony | Is closed.
 Mir Macveagh added that he personally | thought in view of the extraordinary con- | ditions existing in the anthracite region | that was a mistaken attitude for the op. orators to assume, as he feared each day's' testimony would tend to increase | the bitterness of feeling: but 1t was not | only the right but the duty of the opera | ation, and he sincerely hoped the result would fully justify the conclusion they reached.
 MT. MacVeagh and MT. Parker's de- parture gave rise to a report that the | distinguished attorney was going to New York to consult with the operators on | the settlement scheme, but when he was seen just before he left the city he said | he did not know whom he would see ETA al Irnn tAA Nf efforts being made by the large coal com panies to absorb the independent con- cerns. Individual operators who were approached on the subject also said they
 knew nothing of such a move. Before the examination of witnesses was re- stunned at the afternoon session Chairman Gray said the commission had decided | to present to both sides tomorrow certain | blank forms which would indicate what l information regarding wages the coua- mission wanted.
 Two Blind Witnesses. | A half 6 dozen witnesses. all of them mine workers were called to the stand | in rapid succession to testify to the ei- legged biacklisting of themselves by the | companies. MT. Darrow for the miners. then presented two witnesses who had | been injured by an explosion in the mines, Both were stone blind and had to | be led to the stand.
 l In response to protest by the attor- neys of the operators against the intro duction of such witnesses Mir. Darrow | said he did not intend to overdo the presentation of such witnesses but he | wanted to bring the commission to real izinR sense of the dangers of coal mining. Chairman dray here broke in and said he hoped the thi1g would not be over done. '"we have a realizing sense of the conditions" he said, ''and may say that never saw a sadder spectacle than tnat presented by these two men," Rev. J. J. Curran, who was the last witness of the day, read statement tn which he said he made every effort pos- slble to prevent the recent struggle ana | that after the men had concluded 70 strike he came out and strongly espouseo | their cause because he thought they were being unfairly dealt with and deserved more money for their labor. Father Curran then gave descrlpuon 1 oF the conditions under which the mine workers live which was somewhat sinh- lar to that given yesterday by Falh9r Hussie of Hazelton. In answer 70 ques- tions nut by Judge Gray Father Curran sotd he was opposed to the boycott and hIacLliat- This sentiment received the ap- proyai of the Chairman, who salo tiat l is hovcotts were permitted the country | would go to pieces. ..a | Father Curran will resume the s'~"e
 tomorrow morning,
 Macveagh Says No Compromise Naw York, Dec. 5.-Wayne MacVeasn
 arrived from Scranton tonight and went 10
 the waldorf-Astoria. When asked wneIh- | ar tbars was any possibility of settle noent of the strike by an agreement out
 aide of the commission. Mfr. MacVeagh | said emphatically: There Is no such pos l sihiIitv and there will be no further con | ference outside the commission except 1 such as may occur between the counsel | for the clearing up of minor details The | commission will go on with It's worK 10 | the end
 1 MT. MacVeagh will go to Washington tomorrow. His visit. he said, was on pri- | yate business and in no way connects4 | with the coal controversy.