Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-12-10
TESTIMONY OF
EvICTED MEN
Local Witnesses Arouse the
Commissions Sympathy.
Henry Coll. Whose Wife
Died From Illness Due to
Exposure. Tells Ills Pa
thetic Story on the Stand.

Ever since the hearings OF the An
thracite Coal Strike Commission wore
resumed last Wednesday the minors
lawyers have been attacking the inde-
| pendent operators, but the latter have
made little or no attempt to strike back
or even to defend themselves. Coke
days, but did not even have a lawyer
present. Part Of Friday, all OF Satur-
day, Monday and yesterday the miners
de eyoted their attention to G. b. Markle
& Co., but the two lawyers representing
this firm, Samuel Dickson, OF Phlladel-
phia, and George R. Bedford, OF Wilkes
barre, remainetaway.
The miners this week placed witnesses
on the stand who gave testimony to
show that Markle & Co. had refused to
employ them because they belonged TO
the union; had evicted them from their
houses for the same cause; that the
docking system was intolerable; that
the question OF the men getting the 10
per cent In wages granted as a result Of
the 1900 strike is much In doubt, be-
cause the men got only "a per cent
more In wages, but were charged ~
per cent less for powder; that the size of
the mine cars has increased, but the
wages have not.
The very last bit Of testimony offered
on Monday was charge against the
Markle firm, but it was allowed to go
unchallenged. The operators have
claimed all along that they are willing
and anxious to adjust all grievances be-
tween themselves and their own em-
ployes and that they stood ready to
guarantee them fair treatment The
miners contention Is that the companies
do not live up to this agreement and
that the men who represent the en-
| ployes on grievance committees are al
ways Disseminated against and oft-times
discharged.
The first witness yesterday was James
McMonigle, miner, formerly employed
| by Markle & Co. He said the breast he
was working In was so dangerous that
he complained to the company officials
that he might be killed He was told II
he worked any other breast he would
not be given any cars. He went out on
refused work and evcted from his house.
B. d. Gallagher, another Markle
miner, testified that the company char
ges him 35 cents a gallon for oil that
sells in Hazleton for IS cents, and SO
cents quire for blasting paper that can
| be had for Is cents. Andrew Hannik, a
Hungarian, told how the Markles evict-
ed him.
He was followed by Henry Coll, an
| other Markie miner, who told how his
family. including his mother-in-law,
who was 100 years old, were turned out
with their household goods. He gave a
graphic description Of how he was injur-
ed 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 mashed, ribs broken,
and skull fractured. The company gave
him nothing until after the employees
took up collection for him, then he
was given $50 after being on the injured
list for ten years. The company took
out of the collection the rent he owed.
In answer to other questions he said
that he was one of the thirteen evicted
by the company. The only rent he
owed was for the months during the
strike. His son was an officer in Jeddo
local union, and that may have been
the cause OF the eviction, he said.
Then the old miner, decrepit from
many injuries, told under the examina-
tion of how the eviction was carried on.
The wife was sick and her l0o-year-old
mother was blind and unable to walk.
The day on which they were thrown
out" was rainy. He took them to
Hazleton and placed them In a cold,
damp empty house. His wife became
worse. Medical aid was kindly furn-
ished free by Hazleton doctor, but it
did not help her much.
1--WE were greatly worried because of
our having been turned out Of our house,
and one night" the witness said, be-
tween sobs, "she died"
"She diedp" exclaimed Judge Gray,
who was pacing to and fro across the
room and quickly turned when he heard
the mans last words.
"Yes, sir, she died, and l buried her
yesterday"
All the commissioners and many Of