The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-15
ArbitratorS Again Work
 at Scranton.
MITCHELL tN THE STAND
TeStifieS in Favor of the Dis
 satisfied Miners.
The Unions President Under Heavy Fire of Cross Examination. Operators Have Array of
 Star Attorneys.

Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1L-The anthracite ccal strike commission, appointed by President Roosevelt to arbitrate the diff ferences existing between the mine work CTS of the hard coal fields of Penrsylva- mia land their employers, today began the hearing of testimony by which 1t will de- termine whether the workmen are receiv- ing fair and just wages for their labor and whether their conditions should not be improved. The star witness for the miners. President John Mitchell, took the stand in the forenoon. and when the com mission adjourned at 4 o'clock in the af- ternoon. he was still under the ire of cross-examination by David w. Wilcox, general counsel-o of the Delaware and Hud- son Company.
 It was e trying day for the miners leader, but he seemed to stand the test well. The heaviest fire of cross aues- tions was aimed at him late in the af- ternoon session, and when the hour of adjournment was reached. MT. Wilcox was still propounding questions and test ing Mir Mitchell's memory.
 An Array of Lawyers.
 The opering of the sessions was no' table day in the annals of the law in the upper anthracite region. Such an array of lawyers has never been seen in this part of the State. and it is doubtful whether attorneys have ever been so nu- merous on one side of a case in this State as were present in the interests of the coal companies today. The commission s sessions arc being held in the room of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, which Is now sitting in Philadelphia. Ranged around three tables in front of the seven commissioners who occupied the, 3udges' bench were no less than thirtyfdve law yers, twenty-four of whom were looking after the interests of the mine owners,
 In addition to the lawyers, there was a large number of members of the bar present, who came merely to look on. The court, room at both sessions was packed almost to suffocation, and scores of persons were unable to gain admit tance. Only one of the heads of the large coal companies Chairman Thomas of the Erie. was present. There were among the spectators quite a large number of general superintendents and district and mine superintendents, all of whom took A deep interest in the proceedings, and some of them frequently made notes. Among them were E. E. Loomis, Vice President of the Lackawanna; c. E. Rose. General Superintendent of the Delaware ard Hudson; Superintendent J. D. Bry- den of the Ontario and Western; Colonel Phillips of the Lackawanna; Superintend- ent Thorne of the Temple Coal Company; General Superintendent Richards of the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Company, and General Superintendent s. D. Warnock of the Lehigh Valley Company.
 The Miners Representative.
 Grouped about Mir. Mitchell were Dis trict Presidents Nichols, Duffy and Fahy, the three district secretaries, the three National Board members and the mem bers of the three District Legislative Boards of the anthracite field. Scattered through the spectators were many prac- tical miners, who will be called upon to take the stand In behalf of the miners.
 The attitude of the commissioners was closely followed by every one in the court room. They appeared to be great ly interested in the cross-examination of MT. Mitchell, but at times seemed to grow restless under the eeaseless fire of questions aimed at the mine workers leader. Judge Gray, as chairman of the commission being versea in court pro- ceedings and in the law, was the only spokesman for the commission. He at times asked questions and at the very close of the afternoon session directed a query at Mir. Mitchell which MT. Will cox had been leading up to for some time. The chairman asked MT. Mitchell whether his organization approved the act of withdrawing from or denying the necessaries of life to those who had of tended the organization, and he replied:
 T should say, emphatically. no"
 During the day MT. Wilcox asked MT. Mitchell many questions as to the policies of the union, the method of calling strikes, the ability of the union to main tain discipline and prevent the members of the union from violating the law and also as to the liability of the union break ing contracts.
 To Show Responsibility.
 It was apparent to many of those nresent, who understood the situation, that MT. Willcox's object was to attempt to prove by MT. Mitchells own testimony that the contention of the companies that the miners union was an Irresponsible orranization was well founded and that trade agreements therefore could not safely be entered into with the union.
 During the hearing the statements were brought out for the first time since the Iak strike was begun that the union had disbursed $1, 800, 900 among the union and ~on-union men who were on strike.
 One of the questions which came up be- fore the commission was the advisabhty og hearing counsel on behalf of the non union men who remained at work during tba strike. John T. Lenahan, one of the ot+orneys for the non-union men, asked tbe commission what his status before the arh;trators was. Judge Gray informed kim that the question would be taken under consideration and that an answer bl ha tOmOrFOW. MT. Mitchell before taking the witness .+a,d in the forenoon presented the roiners ;,,, side of the case in a statement of six thousand words. It took him forty .,inntes 10 read his address. and he was ,iHta,od to bv the commissioners and the nnsrators with the closest attention. It tI not unlikely that Mir. Mitchell will be nr inc stand all day tomorrow and prooa- bly, longer. . 4. ,axt call on Rev. Peter Roberts of Maho- nov City. Tho has an intimate knowledGe