The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07
Irfshman who Was Half Killed Twice,
but Was Not So Dead as Judge
Gray Presumed.
LOW WAGES PAID BY MARKLE
LIGHT THROWN ON METHODS OF
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS.
Coal Digger Who Has Been I'm Debt
for Seventeen Years-Twelve-Year
old Boys Evidence.
POLITICIANS (In B,

SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. 6.-The miners
having finished their attack on the Coke
mines in the Hazelton region, to-day
turned the attention of the coal strike COM
mission to the collieries of G. b. Markle &
Co., in the same locality. The witnesses
for the mine workers scored what appeared
to be telling points with regard to wages
and other conditions prevailing in the
mines of this independent company. The
attorney for the company was not prepared
to cross-examine the witnesses on all
things they testified to, and the commission
has granted the company the privilege of
recalling the witnesses to the stand for
the purpose of cross-questioning them on
some of the statements made to-day.
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 $50. He fur
ther testified that he had to deal at the
company store. the only place where the
miners could get credit, and that the
prices were from 10 to 20 per cent. higher
than In other places. He said he has made
large wages and wiped out his debt, but
the company would then give him such bad
work that he would Immediately go into
debt again. He was evicted from his house
and refused work, but he did not know why
employment was not given him. The wit
ness who is about sixty years of age, and
a native of Ireland, kept the court con-
stantly in good humor by his wit and sharp
answers to thrusts by the lawyers. He said
a man Is never called hurt in the mines
until he is half killed. He was half killed
twice, he said. which brought out the re-
mark from Chairman Gray that If he was
twice half killed then he was now dead.
This caused much merriment but II was
turned into a roar of laughter when the
witness replied that the first half was
healed before the other half was injured
A twelve-year-old breaker boy was called
to the stand and gave testimony to show
that he was working at the MarkIe mines
TO pay off the debt incurred by his father.
months ago. He received no pay, but was
given due bills showing how much his
mother owed the company. The due bills
also showed that the debt his mother was
.ncurring. such as house rent ETC.. was
III,
he was only getting cents an hour
The conditions prevailing at the Eehigh
Valley Company's 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 indication when the hear
ings will he concluded. Some of the opera
tors desire to place witnesses on the stand
| in their defense. Unless some agreement
is reached on many of the points at issue
IL is likely the hearings Will run into next
month. While settlement talk is still heard
here, nothing of an authoritative nature
has come to the surface. There is still a
belief prevalent that an agreement on some
| points will be arrived at before the COM
! mission is ready to make its award
Lawyer Clarence s. Darrow, for the
| miners and Congressman John j. Lentx
| of Ohio left here this afternoon for Buff
| faio, and Henry ID. Lloyd. one of Mr..
| Mitcheirs advisers, and Dudley ID. Boyce.
/ of Boston, departed for Bostoa. Their busi-
| ness In these cities Is said to be of pri-
| vate character. President Mitchell will
isavs here tomorrow night fo New York