The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1902-12-13
THE sADDEsT STORY YET.
AGED Miner Tells oN E''c''o" ~
MarkIe Company and Death
of His wife.

Scranton, Pa, Dec H. i"ies "a
eviction from houses owned Dy IT, D.
Marklo a Co, the narration OF the
death of a wife as a result OF an en-
forced removal from her home, ana
the story OF mother whose husband
was killed in the Markle mines, or
how she and her two boys struggled
years 10 pay the Markles the back
rent and coal bill she owed them, were
the principal features of Tuesdays
sessions of the coal strike commits
sion. The testimony as presented by
some OF the witnesses whose lives are
given up TO the coal mining industry
was at times pathetic and surprising
| to the commissioners, who listened 10
il with undivided attention.
Mrs. Kate Burns, of Jeddo, was then
| called TO the stand, and told story
OF how she and her two boys worked
| 10 years to pay off an accumulated
/ house rent and coal bin due to the
Markle company, the narration OF
which deeply interested the commls-
sioners. She was examined by Lawyer
| barrow. and in answer 10 his ques-
tions She said her husband was an en-
pineer inside the Markle mines. The
husband was killed underground, leav-
ing her with four children, the Oldest
Of which was a boy Of eight years Inc
company never offered her a penny
but the employees gave her about $3.50
TO defray the funeral expenses. After
her hus band rad been killed, she moved
from her four-room house into one
containing only two. one room above
the other. and for the next six years
She struggled as best she could to-
Get along. She took in washing,
scrubbed for the neighbors and once
in awhile She was given work cleaning
the Offices Of the Markle company.
During these six years she said she
kept her children at school. As the
eldest child was IA years she sent MN
TO the mines to help earn the dairy
bread. At the end Of the first month
, the lad brought home the wage state
{ ment. showing that the mother owed
: s396 for back rent. The boys wages
for the month had been taken of the
bill, and he came home empty-handed.
She submitted TO this and in the courfe
Of time her next boy was old enough
10 help earn n living, and he, too was
sent to the colliery. Like the older
brother. the second boy received no
pay. his earnings being deducted for
! rent. The mother, on the witness
j stand. was by this time yelling up,
y and when she added that the money
she earned for cleaning the Markle
: office was never given her, but kept by
i the company for rent, the commissions
> ers looked at one another in surprise.
II She said il took the three Of them 10
4 years 10 make mp the debt, the moth
Al cr's earnings from ncighbors being the
principal contribution toward the
II maintenance of the family. The debt
> was cleared last August.
L. Then followed the most pathetic
story yet told the commission. The
y old miner, decrepit from many in
d iuries. told under examination OF how
l the eviction was carried on. The wife
re was sick and her l00-year-old mother
was blind and unable TO walk. The
70 day on which they were thrown oui
IL was rainy. lie took them as best h'
~ could to Hazleton, seven miles away
II and placed them in a cold, damp, empty
e. house. This was last month, when the
'u atmosphere on the lIazelton mountain
nc was quite cold. His wife became worse
Medical aid was kindly furnished free
by a Hazelton doctor, but it did no
=, help her much.
lu 1--WE were greatly worried because o
me- our having been turned out of on
or house, and one night" the witnes
IT, said, between sobs. 'she died"
MI "She died?" said Judge Gray, VIII
ie- was pacing TO and fro across the room
rs he quickly turned when he hear
Sc, the mans last words.
ed Eyes, sir, she Hied, and ] buried he
II. Monday"
Ell All the commissioners and many o
on those i'm the courtroom were much al
re fectcd by the old miners story tn
To witness went on TO say that he did nc
know whether the centenarian wa
alive Tuesday or not. "She was in bn
condition, owing 20 her daughter
death, when / left hsme last night,
'"S said he
No one cared TO cross-examine an
Judge Gray said:
THAT is all, Mr. Coll, and that
nv enough"
Ter DEATH AT A CROSSING.