The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-10
BRIBERY.
A Miner Testffies Before the
Arbitration Commission
That He and Others We're Of
fered Money.
FROM 500 TO $4,000
To Vote Local Unions Back to
the Mines.
FROM 500 TO $4,000
The Story Caused a Marked
Sensation in Court.

ness to come before the strike commission
was the presentation by Simon P. Wolver-
ton of a part of the statement of the Phil
adeIphia & Reading Coal and Iron COM
pany showing the average wages paid to
contract miners and inside and outside
laborers. A further statement will be
made later. The statement is not yet Off
ciaIIy on file but was presented so that
the commission could determine whether
the figures prepared are in the shape they
wanted The first witness called
Delaware & Hudson miner, who told the
same story that dozens of others have
told to the effect that he not given
back his old place in the mine. but was
placed at work in d more undesirable part
of the colliery. On cross examination he
denied that the miners boycotted certain
breasts or chambers. by marking half
moon on the place thus notifying other
workers of the boycott.
The miners, through MIR. Darrow, an
nounced at this point that they are pre-
pared to pile up cumulative evidence on
their claim that members of the union are
being Disseminated against by the COM
panles, but they did not wish to take up
the time OF the commission Mr.. DarroW
asked that in case the companies when
they presented their side of the conlro-
point if the union could put more wit
nesses on the same line of evidence.
Mr.. Torey for the Delaware & Hudson
said that company had a large number of
witnesses to testify on the violence phase
of the case which has a direct bearing.
Chairman Gray, in reply. said he hoped
both sides would do the best they can not
to produce too much cumulative evidence
and concluded by saying
4 think the matters growing out of the
will h<lX We
much weight with this commission.
G. W. Phillips, city superintendent of
the public schools of Scranton, was then
called. He testified that children of mine
workers leave the schools earlier than
the children of parents engaged in other
occupations.
John Archibald of Hazleten, who is 65
years old and says me has worked in and
about the mines for IS years. said that
some of the miners employed in the Le-
high valley mines receive only dollar a
day.
After Superintendent of Schools in
Lackawanna county ]. c. Taylor. ard
Superintendent of Schools NJ w. Cum
mings of the borough of Olyphant. had
told the commission that q 1-3 per cent.
of the children in the mining region
were out of school. a sensation. was
caused by the testimony of John Early,
a check weighman employed at the
Gypsy Grove collery of the Erie COM
pany. who was president of the Gypsy
Grove local. Early said he was intro
duced to former mine foreman named
Michael Grimes in the Lackawanna Val
ley hotel, Scranton. Early and a miner
named O'FIara. who was also president
of the local union, were each offered
$500 to get ten men to pass resolu-
ton ordering the men from the two
locals they represented back to work
Early's story was as follows:
He met Grimes in the hotel through
another person. In the course of con-
versation Grimes asked him how he
stood in politics. Early replied that he
had not made up his mind Grimes said
that being president of a local union ne
had a good deal of influence among his
friends in Dunsmore. and that if he
worked for William Connell for con-
gress he would give him $1,000. This
was on September %. After Grimes
made the 81 1000 proposition, Early con-
tinued. Grimes said:
| How about the strike, don't you
think the men are weakening?" to
which Early replied that he did think
they We're wavering just little. Grimes
then told him that a break was coming
in the ranks of the men and that thev
that the men had grievances and that
they had put UP a good fight and as
long as they were going to be defeated
by the opera tors Early ought to get
something out of it. Grimes then made
this proposition:
If Early could get ten men to have a
resolution passed by his local Grimes
would give nine of them $100 each. the
tenth man 5000 and Early s2,500 and al
expenses necessary to carry out the
scheme. He further added that Early
need not apply for work for three
months and that he would then be Civ
! en- a foremanship. During the three
T months his expenses were to be paid
there would be no trouble in getting a
mine foreman's certificate as the COM
/ panies controlled the boards that issued
them.
Later on during the conversation
Grimes amended his proposition by Of
fering to give two of the ten men $20f
each and at the same time offered Early
so for current expenses. Early refused
the money and told Grimes he would see
him later. Early reported the matter
to District President Nichols, of the
Miners union and it was decided to see
how far the bribery scheme would be
carried
Another meeting was arranged and as
/ Grimes had spoken of having approached
| P F. O'Hara the latter went along. The
same proposition was made to O'Hara
The same night there was to be a joint
/ meeting of all the locals in the vicinity
I of Dunmore and Grimes wanted them tC
pass the resolution that night. but the
| two presidents could not see their way
| clear to do it. Grimes then proposed that
they size up the men in the meeting. get
thirty of them interested and if the reso-
luton was passed the thirty would each
receive $500
Early went on to say the ministers OF
the vicinity were to be approached but
they were not to get as much as Nhe min
crs for breaking the strike. President
Nichols he said. then gave OUT a public
I statement which he intimated bribery was
being resorted to in order to break the
strike and the whole thing fell through
Grimes wanted Early to help him out OF
1 the fix, but Early would have nothing tc
| do with him The story held the attention
of the commissioners and the spectators
and after Early had concluded, none OF
the lawyers would cross examine him.