The Washington times., 1902-12-14
MINERS PRACTICALLY
CONCLUDE THEIR CASE
Cumulative Testimony of
Bad Mine Conditions.
MITCHELL AGAIN ON STAND
Declares the Organization Is Able to
Enforce Terms Of Contract
Upon Members.

SCRANTON, Pa. Dec. 13.-By keep
ing Che strike commission in session up
10 nearly 8 o'clock this afternoon Mr..
Darrow succeeded in introducing practi-
cally all the evidence that the miners
have to offer In concluding their case.
He may detain the commission for an
hour or two on Monday. he said.
Tho Delaware and Hudson Company
viii be the first OF the respondents TO
introduce testimony. 1t is expected.
however, that recess until after the
holidays viii be asked. This the com
mission is aversc TO granting 70 there
is a possible chance 20 20 on.
The nrst witness this morning was 4.
Schoetteu. OF Hazclhrook q miner for
tho Wcntz Company. lie testified that
the company houses near him looked
like barns; they were very cold in win
ter. He had often been injured in the
mines. His average pay was about $1s
81 two weeks.
The witness further said that many
men are idle because. owing 20 the
strike Of steam men. three levels at the
mine were flooded. and only one has
been pumped out 10 date.
Mitchell on the Stand.
John Mitchell was called 10 the stand
for cross-examination by Mr. Torrey. He
explained that when ne said that the BIZ
luminous mine workers received from
30 TO 80 per cent more for a days work
than anthracite men. he meant the men
who were paid by the day. He was not
sure that the figures he possessed with
regard 20 the soft coal workers were ac-
Curate.
Mr.. Mitchell thought that shorter
hours increased the efficiency OF labor
about 20 per cent. Here followed dis
cussion between Mr. Torrey and the Wit
ness relative to the figures showing the
wages OF the bituminous men that the
representatives Of the miners had pre-
pared.
Mr.. Mitchell said he realized his own
responsibility in the matter OF the strike.
so much so that he had tried TO avert it.
He said. however. that he had a right
to veto the action OF the convention de-
claring the strike. and had not done so.
He thought that his offer 20 arbitrate
took much Of the responsibility for the
strike of his shoulders.
Mr. Burns then took Mr.. Mitchell in
hand and asked.
If the coal operators should make a
contract with you. as the head OF your
organization. and one Of the provisions
Of that contract should be that the men
under your control would not in any
way interfere with the non-union men
employed at the mine. could you enforce
that part OF the contract"
Mitchell said the miners we've able to
enforce any contract they might make.
Then in the last six months you 5uId
have stopped your men from interisri .g
with the non-union men about the
mines?"
There was no contract then"
Could Carry Out Contract.
4 am getting at your power and not
at your contract All that time-the last
six months-you could have prevented
your men from interfering with the non
union men II you had the power"
Il don't understand how you mean. I
am sure that We can. l am not assum-
ing that the union men interfered with
the non-union men. but / presume that
they would obey such contract and we
would take their charter from them and
put them out Of the union II they would
not"
Did you take any such measure in
the last six months 10 prevent this?"
4 have no knowledge that at any time
in tho strike any OF the United Mine
Workers OF America violated any law.
Some men. Of course. violated the law,
but II it was Gcne # was done by indi-
viduals and not by the United Mine
Workers Of America"
THAT amounted 70 about the same
thing, II Il was committed by the indi-
viduals or by the organization"
THE individual members might have
done IL. Il would not nave been fair 10
indict the United States for a crime that
vas committed by an individual citizen
Until a man is convicted in court he is
supposed to be innocent"
AS matter OF fact. the United States
Government does punish the individuals
that compose the body polite. But the
United Mine Workers DO not punish a
member OF that body
"I say that we have no right TO pun
ish man until he IS convicted by the
court"
Paid His Fathers Debt.
Paul Hennihan, a ten-year-old break
er boy. said that the last months pay
he drew was 80 cents. the remainder
being deducted for rent that his father
owed He was employed al a Delaware
and Hudson colliery az Wilkesbarre He
had secured position through saying
that he was older
AT the afternoon session the evidence
introduced was cumulative. Several wit
nesses we're called 10 show that they had
been refused work az the conclusion Of
the strike.
Nearly all OF the witnesses called after
luncheon were employees Of the Reading
Company In the schuyIkiII region. ". c.
Fulton, an insurance agent testified that
the rates charged miners were high.
The last witness Of the day was Allen