Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-10

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No one cared to cross-eIamine him
and Judge Gray said: THAT is all, Mr..
Coll, and that's enough"
Two more witnesses told of how they
were refused work by the company, and
then Councilman P. G.. Gallagher, OF
Freeland, national board member OF the
U. M. w. OF A., took the stand and
told OF conditions as he found them at
the mines OF the company. The air In
some OF the gangways, he said, was so
bad that miners lamps would not burn.
So far as he could remember not one
man who was on any OF the Markle
grievance committee is now working
for that company.
He said that In one mine one OF the
exits was barred by locked iron gate,
the remaining exit being under the
control OF the mining boss, so that 1t
get to the surface under stipulated
hours, ranging from eight to fourteen
hours. Attorney Mccarthy, for the min
ers, elected the fact that this was an
extremely dangerous condition In case
OF an accident.
Mrs. Kate Burns, OF Jeddo, told how
she and her two boys worked thirteen
years to pay off an accumulated
bill due to Markle & Co., the narration
OF which deeply interested the commits
sioners She said her husband was an
engineer inside the Markle mines. He
was killed underground, leaving her
with four children, the eldest OF which
was boy OF years. The company
never offered her a penny, but the en-
ployes gave her about $3.50 to defray
the funeral expenses. After her hus-
band had been killed, she took In wash
ing, scrubbed for the neighbors and
once in while she was given work
cleaning the Offices OF the company.
She added that the money she earned
for cleaning the Office was kept by the
company for rent, and the commission
ers looked at one another in surprise.
The debt was cleared last August.
This concluded the mine workers
case against G. B. Markle & Co., except
that Mr.. Darrow read and had placed
upon the records of the commission John
Markle's statement to President Roose-
welt at the time OF the now-famous con-
ference In the temporary White House.
1t Is the intention OF the lawyers for
the miners to next take up the condi-
tIons at the collieries of the Lehgh Val
ley Company.
MONDAYS TESTIMONY.
The first witness called was James
Gallagher, OF Jeddo, who was on the
stand last Saturday. Mr.. Gallagher
said 1t used to be the custom OF the
Markle employees to contribute $50 to
the family Sf man killed In the mines
and thu men working with the man
would lay off until the dead man was
buried. The Markles made compact
with the workmen that they remain at
work and would pay the $50. Mr.. Gal
lagher also said that miner had been
killed through his own ignorance, and
the mine inspector made report that
the man had committed suicide.
Paul Dunleavy, of Jeddo, testified to
having been refused work and being
evlcted. His wifes parents we're i'll,
but Notwithstanding this the company
gave him five minutes to get out. The
day was rainy. He said he earned
about $3.50 year, and out OF his earn
lngs he had to pay an assessment for
services Of the company doctors. Mar
ried men are assessed rs cents a month
and single men so cents.
Henry Shovlin, another former Markle
employe, said he was given six days
notice to leave his house. Two days
after the time limit expired his goods
were placed on the road. He was in
arrears In his rent about five or six
months during the strike. He was not
asked to pay his rent nor were his goods
levied upon. Since the 1900 strike, he
said the men have, through committees,
often submitted grievances to the com
pany, In accordance with the agreement
made which ended the strike, but only
one complaint, In the last two years,
was satisfactorily fixed up.
Mrs. Andrew Cripple, thesmother of
the twelve-year-old breaker boy, who
testified on Saturday that he had to
work out the debt OF his dead father,
took the stand and substantiated all the
boy had said.
She gave the additional Information
through an Interpreter that the Markle
Company wanted her to sign paper
waving all right to sue the company for
the killing of her husband in their
mines. The company promised her rent
and coal free for six months, but she re-
fused to sign. Upon her refusal to do so
she said they charged IN rent and coal