Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-12-25
CHILD LABOR LAWS
They Seem to be Disregarded in
Vicinity of Scranton, Pa.
Non-UniOn Wen Testify - They Were
Victims Of Mob Violence, Their
Relatives Were BOycOtted and
Their Lives Made MIser-
nbIe by the strikers.

yesterday.
Several little girls employed in silk
mills were called to the witness stand
and as a result Chairman Gray plain
ly gave his opinion of parents who
send their children to work at a ten
der age. The first girl called was only
IL years old and she had to go to
work because her father had been
hurt in the mines. She said she
worked from a. IN. until p. IN. for
So week.
Another 13-year-old girl said she
worked all night in the silk mill at
Dunmore for sc cents a night.
Judge Gray here inquired as to the
law in Pennsylvania regarding child
labor at night. One statute was found
which partially covered the case, and
the chairman remarked that it seemed
as though the statutes of Pennsylva-
mia in this part of the state do not
seem to bother any one.
After hearing all girl witnesses the
miners put a breaker boy on the
stand. He is IA years old and has a
10-year-old brother working in
the breaker of the Red Ash Com
pany at Mount Carmel
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 17.-Notwth-
standing that the mine workers an
nounced Monday that they had
closed their case with the exception
of calling one more witness, the two
sessions of the strike commission
yesterday were consumed in hearing
three witnesses for the men. They
were John c. Haddock, an individual
operator; Rev. Peter Roberts, who is
assisting the miners, and President
GomperS, of the American Fedora tion
of Labor.
President GOmpers testified as an
expert on trade unions. He created n
sensation when he strongly implied
that the coal companies are respon-
sible for bringing immigrants to the
coal regions. When one of the law
yers for the coal companies asked
him if he knew it from personal
knowledge, he said he could prove it.
Scranton. Pa, Dec. 1S.-The anthra-
cite coal operators yesterday opened
their side of the controversy with the
mine workers before the strike COM
mission and the attorneys who are
on record before the commission as
representing the non-union men.
Five witnesses were produced who
testified that strikers had killed one
man and mad seriously annoyed two
other men who worked during the
suspension.
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 19.-The coal
strike commission yesterday listened
to further testimony tending to show
that a reign of terror existed in the
anthracite coal fields during the five
and half months of the mine work
ers' strike. About score of wit
nesses were called during the two
sessions by the attorney for the non
union men. They told of serious boy
colts, brutal attacks by crowds of
men, women and boys, and an at
tempt to burn the house of non
union man.
Chairman Gray said the commission
was not bound by any strict rules Of
evidence, but asked counsel to con-
fine themselves in examining wit
nesses as far as possible to direct
evidence. He said it was difficult, in
trying to prove that boycotts exist,
to get information on the subject.
The commission. he said. wanted to
know whether a reign of terror eX-
listed in the anthracite region and it
could not get that information if the
strict rules of evidence were applielS
"The coward who will go to the
storekeeperS." he said. "and tell them
not to sell the necessaries of life to a
poor woman, usually seeks the OBJ
security that the law of evidence
throws around him. If a girl is dis
charged from her position in store
because she rode in a street car in
inclement weather while street car
strike was on, the coward who dis
/ charged her is coward enough to re-
fuse to testify" He recognized, he
said why some merchants will not
come forward and tell who forced
them to refuse to sell neceSsaries Of
life TO certain boycotted persons, but
/ ~ he Chairman Cray were store
| keeper, he thought he would risk his
all in order ia assist in breaking up
the cowardly business.
John Doran, manager of the Wilkes
/ barre silk mills, testified that be-
cause he would not discharge two
| girls who had relatives working in
the mines, the l,loO employees went
on strike and stayed out eight weeks
until the matter was fixed up.
! These witnesses and others that
| were called testified that their wives
were insulted on the streets, their
! children were beaten by other chu
/ dreu and could not he safely sent 10
/ school; that local unions requested
/ storekeepers TO refrain from selling
/ goods 10 any one related 10 man
working IN the mines; that their
/ houses we're stoned; that they were
/ stoned, shot al and hung in riiigy and
/ that life was generally made misera-
/ hle for them and their families.
! President Bser'z statement,
! New York Dec. ~ President Baer,