Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-12-10

the story Of a mother whose husband
was killed Ia the Markle mines. Of how
she and her two boys struggled years
to pay the Markles the back rent and
coal bill she owed them, were the
principal features of yesterdays SEES.
sions of the coal strike commission
The testimony as presented by soma
of the witnesses whose lives are giveo
up to the coal mining industry were
at times pathetic and surprising to tha
commissioners, who listened to it with
undivided attention.
Oil and Powder Charges.
B. D. Gallagher, Markle miner
testified that the company charges him
35 cents gallon for oil that sells in
Hazleton, few miles away. for Is
cents, and So cents quire for blasting
paper that can be had for Is cents.
Chairman Gray asked what the out
side market price for powder was
Some of the independent operators
said $125 a key, and the attorneys for
the miners said 80 to 95 cents key
The companies are selling it to the
miners at $3.50 a keg.
Henry Coll, another Markle miner
told how his family, including his
mother-in-law, who was hundred
years old, we're set out on the road
with their household goods. He gave
a graphic description of how he was
injured many times in the mines. he
said one of his legs was no better than
a wooden one; he only had one eye
his hands have been crushed, ribg
broken and skull fractured. The COM
pany gave him nothing until after the
employees took up a collection for him
Then he was given $50, after being on
the injured list for two years. The
company took out of the collection the
rent he owed.
Pathetic Story.
Then followed the most pathetic
story yet told the commission. The
old miner, deerepit from many In.
juries, told under the examination of
how the eviction was carried on. The
wife was sick and her 10e-year-old
mother was blind and unable to walk
The day on which they were thrown
out" was rainy. He took them as best he
could to Hazleton. seven miles away
and placed them in a cold, damn,
empty house This was last month
when the atmosphere on the Hazleton
mountain was quite cold. His wife
became worse. Medical aid was kindly
furnished free by Hazleton doctor
but it did not help her much.
I'VE were greatly worried because
Of our having been turned out of our
house, and one night" the witness
said, between sobs, she died
"She died?" exclaimed Judge Gray,
who was pacing to and fro across tia
room as he quickly turned when he
heard the mans last words.
eyes, sir; she died and | buried her
Sunday"
Commissioners Affected.
All the commissioners and many Of
those in the court room were much
affected by the old miners story. The
witness went on to say that he did
not know whether the centenarian
was alive yesterday or not.
"She was in bad condition owing to
her daughters death. when | left home
Monday night" said he.
No one cared to cross-examine him
and Judge Gray said: THAT is all
Mr. Coll and that's enough"
Mrs. Kate Burns, of Jeddo, was
called to the stand and told story OF
how she and her two boys worked Il
years to pay off an accumulated house
rent and coal bill due to the Markle
company, the narration of which deep
ly interested the commissioners. In
answer to questions she said her hus
band was an engineer inside the Mar
kle mines. The husband was killed
underground, leaving her with four
children, the eldest of which was 4
boy Of s years. The company never
offered her penny, but the employees
gave her about $3.50 to defray the
funeral expenses.
Sent Children to Mines.
During six years she said she kept
her children at school, and as the cid
est child was then IA she sent him to
the mines to help earn the daily
bread. At the end of the first month
the lad brought home his wages state
ment showing that the mother owed
1896 for back rent. The boys wages
for the month had been taken off the |
bill and he came home empty handed
She submitted to this and In the course
of time her next boy was old enough |
to help earn living, and he, too, was |
sent to the eolliery. Like the older |
brother, the second boy received no
pay, his earnings being deducted for |
rent. When she added that the money
she earned for cleaning the Markle
Offices was never given her. but kept |
by the company for rent, the commits
sioners looked at one another In sur
prise The debt was cleared last An, |
gust. During the six years from the
time her husband was killed until the
time when the first boy went to work
the company never asked her for rent
This concluded the mine workers'
case against G. b Markle g. Co.