Evening journal., 1902-12-11
MINERS WERE
OFFERED A BR|BE
Witness Said He Could Have
Had S., 500 If He Turned
Traitor
TWO CHECK WEIGHMEp TESTIFY

mony brought out at yesterdays ses-
sion of the coal strike commission was
to the effect that an alleged attempt
was made by a former mine foreman
to bribe two presidents of local unions
of the miners to have 10 men in each
local use their influence to have res
olution passed sending the men to
work, thus making serious break in
the solid ranks of the strikers. Each
OF the presidents was to receive $1,000
and a good position as mine foreman,
and each of the 10 men we're to get
from 500 to 5000 each. The name Of
no company was mentioned in con-
nection with the bribery scheme, ard
none Of the lawyers cross-examined the
witness.
John Early, check weighman of
the Erie Company, who is president
of a local miners union, gave the tes-
timony. He said the bribes were Of
fered by a mine foreman named Mi
chael Crimes in a hotel in this city.
Early said he was also offered $1,000
to work for the election of William
Connell to congress.
P. F. O'Hara was called to the stand,
and. corroborated the story of alleged
bribery told by John Early. He was
followed by two check weighmen en-
ployed by the miners at two of the
Delaware and Hudson collieries. They
gave the number of miners tons
OF 1886 pounds produced at the two
collieries last year. They explained
that miner has to send up 31S6
pounds of coal and dirt to make a
ton Of 2240 pounds of pure coal. In
order to show that the company gets
more than 2240 pounds out Of the ''mi-
ners' ton counsel, in conjunction with
the witnesses, produced these figures:
Number of miners tons produced
last year at the Eddy Creek colliery.
according to the check weighmans'
books, which balance with the COM
pany books, 2OS,1s5. Number of legal
tons of 224O pounds sold or used by
the company at the colliery, according
to the official representatives Of the
state mining bureau, 242,2S0.
The check weigman's figures for the
Olyphant colliery were: Miners tons,
414491; legal tons of 2240 pounds
each, used OF sold by the company,
1925. The latter weighman said
there was no complaint with the dock
age of the tonnage, so far as he knew.
At this point the miners decided to
place on the stand witnesses employed
at the mines of c. Pardee & Co, OF
the Hazleton region. Only two wit
nesses were called against this com.
pany. One said the air in the mine
was good, was not afraid to complain
to the mine inspector in the presence
of the boss, and that he was not dock
ed, all of which was discomforting to
the miners attorneys and created a
laugh at their expense. The other wit
ness aid that the air was bad some
times. some men are afraid and 9th
ers are not afraid to talk TO the in
spector, and that the docking was
bad.
The large coal companies have Ia
ken notice of the testimony which has
been presented against the Coke ant
MzrlOle Companies During the after
noon session David Wilcox, vice pres
ident of the Delaware and Hudson
and general counsel for the company
addressed the commission and pro
tested vigorously against the commits
sion holding his company responsible
for conditions that may exist at the
Coke or Marke mines. He was quickly
stopped by Chairman Gray, who sait
that the commission did not intend tC
hold any company responsible fol
whatever special conditions may ex
list in other parts of the coal fields
While none of the attorneys for tn,
other coal carrying roads said any
thing to the commission, they stateC
privately that Mr.. Wilcix's attitude il
the matter had their endorsement.
The Delaware and Hudson Compan!
presented its figures to the commits
sion. they being the first certified sta
tistics to be handed in They show
the average earnings Of the miner II
1901 to have been Se326s and his Ia
borer $44947 When Nr. Mitchell wal
on the stand he said that $500 shoul,
be the minimum of American livin,
wages.