Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-08
Testimony Continues Before Strike
Commission at Scranton.
SCORES MARKLE SYSTEM.
James Gallagher, Aged LabOrer.
Says In Thirty Years He Got
But $50 In Actual Cash.
Boys story.

/ NO-NS III tut lluLlttOIi ItSlOli
turned the attention OF the coal strike
commission to the cOllieries of q. h.
Markle 4 Co., in the same locality.
The witnesses for the mine workers
scored what appeared to. he telling
points with regard to wages and other
conditions prevailing in the mines of
this independent company. The attor.
ney for the company was not prepared
to cross examine the witnesses ON all
things they testified to. and the COM
mission has granted the company the
privilege of recalling the witnesses to
the stand FOR the purpose Of cross ques-
toning them OH some of the state
ments.
The principal witness called against
the Markles was James Gallagher, who
worked in the Markle mines for thirty
years. He claimed the wages were so
low that he was always in debt to the
company and that in seventeen years
he only once received money in wages,
and that was 500. He further testified
tAut Auu " luc .
store, the only place where the miners
could get credit. and that the prices
We're from 10 to 20 per cent higher
than in other places.
Miner Was Refused Work.
He said lie had made large wages
and wiped out his debt. but the com
pany would then give him such bad
work that he would Immediately SO
into debt again. He was evicted from
his house and refused work. but he did
not know why employment was not
given him.
The Witness who is about sixty years
of age and native of Ireland. kept
the court constantly in good humor by
his wit and sharp answers to the ques
lions of the lawyers. He said a man il
is half killed. He was half killed twice.
he said, which brought out the remark
from Chairman Gray that if he was
twice half killed then he was now dead
This caused much merriment, but it
was turned into roar of laughter
when the witness replied that the first
half was healed before the other half
was injured.
The Rev. j. J. Curran Of Wilkesbarre
resumed the witness stand when the
coal strike commission began its latest
session. r
Commissioner Parker was absent from
the entire hearing, having gone to
Warrington on private business. Fa-
ther Curran was taken in hand by Har-
~ Reynolds one Of the lawyers for
the independent operators, who cross
examined him at some length regarding
conditions In the vicinity Of Wilkes
barre.
After examining Father Curran on
the violence in the region and compare
tive wages Mr.. Reynolds proceeded to
ask the clergyman regarding the COM
parative intelligence Of the children Of
the miners. Father Curran said they
compared favorably with other chill.
dren.
Referring to the nenunion men, Fa-
ther Curran said that most Of the peo-
pie Of the coal regions believed the
miners should have better wages.
III 90 called 'scab' takes the place
Of q man who 10 trying to get his rights,
that 10 called 'scab' II doing wrong and
an injustice to the people in his COM
munity," said Father Curran. He ad-
mitted that most Of the violence COM
mitted resulted from attempts Of mine
owners to resume work.
stones Proclamation Read.
John O'Brien, an attorney for the non
union men, next examined Father Cur
ran. He read Governor Stones procla-
nation describing the violence and reign
of terror that existed in the region dur
ing the strike, and the Clergyman said
that some Of the things stated in the
proclamation did not exist This con-
cluded his examination.
Commissioner Watkins here asked
the attorneys for the miners and the
Philadelphia and Reading company if
any effort was made by the companies
and the miners to get into more harmO-
NOUS relations as a result of the 1900
strike. The attorneys said they would
give the information later.
A twelve-year-old breaker boy en-
ployed in the Markle mines at Jeddo |
was then called to the stand. The boy |
said he had one years schooling and
that his father was killed in the mines.
He worked six weeks before the strike
and has been working since the sus-
pension ended. He produced due bills
showing that he earned cents III,
hour.
He received no money. however, be
cause there was an Old debt agains
his father. he was working 10 pa!
this of and also the rent Oh his moth
er's house His mother. he said. had
had to keep boarders. nine persons liv-
ing in four room house.
The conditions prevailing at the lie.
high Valley company mines Will be
taken up next. The miners have a
large number of witnesses they desire
to call. and there is at this time no in
dication when the hearings will he