The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-01-24
STIR IN MINERS, MEETING.
Mitchell and Other officials of
United Mine Workers.

indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 22.-Charges
against President Mitchell. Secretary
Wilson and the executive board of the
U. M. w. of America were the first or
der of business before the convention
Tuesday and the unsupported an
nouncement that the charges would
be taken up caused furry of excite
ment in the convention. President
in voice full of emotion, adj
dressing the convention said:
Gentlemen of the United Mine Work
ers: The election of officers was to have
been the first thing on the programme to-
day, but l have to say with deep feeling
and regret that charges have been made
by Miss NIiiiie Meredith an eX-employe
of the national Office, affecting myself as
president of the national body. against
your national secretary, MIR. Wilson. and
also against the ra'cGal executive board.
THE time has come Cor tie election of
ratiopal olEcsrs. l am unwilling to have
this proceed until these charges have been
heard. l therefore ask he convention to
hear these charges. ard ask Mr.. William
D. Van Horne, of Indiana, to AXE the
chair while the charges are being heard"
When Mr.. Van Horne took the chair
Delegate Harrison, of Illinois. moved
that Miss Meredith be sent Tor and
dshSa W captain tuS CudISeS
Acting President Van Horne put the
motion and it carried, and he appointed
Delegates Nichols, OF Pennsylvania;
Reese, of Iowa, and Haskins, of Ohio,
committee to go to the Denison hotel
to escort Miss Meredith to the conven-
tion hall.
Delegate Reese, on returning to the
hall, bringing Miss Meredith, said she
had prepared the charges in the form
of type-written manuscript. Reese
said Miss Meredith would read the
statement and would be at the dis
posal of the convention.
The charges concern the shortage
of SecretaryTreasurer Pearce and
allege that President Mitchell and Sec
retary-Treasurer Wilson did not give
out all the facts concerning Pearce's
actions and that they "wilfully lied"
to the miners committee year ago.
An investigation of the books is de-
manded to see how much Pearce's
shortage was. 1t is intimated that
both Mitchell and Wilson sought to
protect Pearce and for that reason did
not give out all the facts. Miss Mere
|
presented bills for double the amount
of purchases. She also says that
Pearce's extra money" amounted to
S., 900 year, while Mitchell and Wilson
reported that he had taken only S160.
Miss Meredith also says that Mitchell
allowed Pearce TO go away as a "sicls
man" and send in his resignation from
French Lick Springs.
AT the conclusion of Miss Meredith's
statement Secretary-Treasurer Wilson
arose and spoke at length. He denied
the truth of the statement and said it
was the outgrowth of spite. Miss
Meredith was recently let out as an as
sistant secretary. She is the young
woman to whom a gold medal was pre-
sented for discovering the Pearce
shortage.
Mr. Wilson finished his denial at the
noon hour. Then President Mitchell
made it known that he wished to reply
to the charges The delegates were
hungry and stood for adjournment
for dinner. Wilson appealed to them
and insisted that President Mitchell be
heard, but after parliamentary ex-
change the convention adjourned I'M
til 1880.
When the convention reasseafbled,
Mr.. Mitchell addressed the delegates
denying the stories contained in Miss
Merdith's statement. The convention
appeared to be with the president, as
his remarks were frequently interrupt
ed by applause.
President Mitchell made affidavit
that the statement he made to the
mine workers convention year ago
was the truth, and the whole truth.
He submitted the affidavit to the con-
vention.
Following the conclusion of Presi-
dent Mitchell's statement there was q
protracted discussion, many delegates
being DESTROYS of being heard at the
same time. A resolution was offered
during the confusion expressing con-
fidence in President Mitchell and the
other accused officials and condemna-
ton for Miss Meredith, but it was
: voted down and National Organizer
Evans submitted a substitute resolu-
ton calling for the appointment of a
: committee of seven to investigate all
: charges and report to the convention.
This was adopted. President Van
Horn appointed the following COM
nittee: ]. H. Kennedy and Samuel
] Lynch, of Indiana, Districts No. s and
l II; w. d. Ryan, of District No. IL, Hi
e aois; T. d. Nichols, District No. I,
d Pennsylvania; j. d. Wood, District
e No 23, Kentucky; w. H. Haskins, Dis
;. trict No. 6, Ohio; Richard Gilbert, Dis
{ riot No. 2, Pennsylvania. Chairman
t Kennedy will call the committee to-
: gether at once and the work of inyesti-
n cation will begin.
Ransom Money Forwarded.
Constantinople, Jan. 22.-Notwith
standing the efforts made to keep the
3 matter secret, it has been ascertaineG
It that the money subscribed for the
e ransom of Miss Ellen M. Stone ant
> Nine. Tsilka, her companion, has beer
It forwarded to the Americans who have
l. been negotiating with the brigands fol
Is the release of the two women. TIL,
- wherea bouts of the nepOtiatorS Il