The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14
in THE FIELD OF LABOR
NATIONAL ORGANIZER BLAKELY
TALKS OF HIS EXPERIENCES. y
Secretary Wilson Leaves to Meet Pres
ident MitcheII-Mother Jones
Here-Labor Notes.

William Blakely, a national organizer Of
the Mine Workers Union, stopped in In
dianapolis yesterday to visit Secretary
Wilson and s. NJ. Sexton, editor of the
Mine Workers Journal. Mr.. Blakely has
been, since the arbitration board has been
In session, instrumental in securing much
Of the testimony concerning the restitution
of miners and their families that has been
submitted to the arbitration commission.
The testimony Of some of the men who
have appeared before the committee is ap-
palling to those who hear it. Blakely says,
and the members Of the commission have
been affected by it. He cites the instance
of Poles testimony In which he described
his work in the mines, his poor pay and
miserable condition because Of his treat
ment by the mine owners. The attorneys
for the operators declined to cross-examine
the witness and Justice Gray significantly
suggested that there was no need of ques-
tons TO bring out additional facts from
that witness.
Mr.. Blakely says that the evidence Sc
cured for the consideration of the commits
sion is having its effect. Persons who have
been following the testimony In the papers
and those who have heard ii at Scranton
say that there could not be In the magma
ton anything as appalling as the testimony
of the men, women and children that has
been heard, Blakely said. The facts brought
out will undoubtedly show to the commit
tee, Blakely says, that the strike, which
he declares to have been prompted by the
most terrible conditions that have ever
existed in America. was justified and un-
nv Ia of ha min
ers' organization has been to show to the
commission that the strike was not waged
because the leaders of the union wanted II,
but because conditions were such that no
other course was possible. The facts as
brought out, Mr.. Blakely says, he hooes
will awaken the people interested and those
In authority TO what has been going or In
Pennsylvania and will preclude the pos
sibility of a recurrence of them.
FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT.
Blakely was one OF the organizers ar
rested for contempt of court in Clarks-
burg, w. Va, last summer for a violation
of the injunction granted by Judge Jack
son. He, together with Mother Jones'"
and others had been intending to make a
speech at Clarksburg, when the United
States marshal interrupted the meeting
with arrests of the speakers Blakely says
and she had hardly begun her talk to the
large crowd when the marshal made the
arrests. He spent twenty days in Jail
for contempt o. court, but says that the
experience hurt nothing but his dignity.
Blakely has been down i'm Kentucky.
where he was a witness in the Wood and
Barnaby trial. His experiences in Ken
lucky during the strike in the soft coal
field there, which has been on since Jam
uary 1900, would fill a large volume of
sensational reading. One incident which
he told yesterday, was that OF his making
a speech at Ellington. He, together with
a negro miner. had been billed TO make
a speech in a union miners yard-no other
place was available because OF iniunctions
and on the night OF the speech he was
very nervous. Rumors OF shootings
lynchings and bodily violence at the hands
OF the armed guards of the coal company
meeting came the negro was afraid to
talk Blakely began his speech and short
ly afterward the speakers stand was sur
rounded by about twenty guards. who did
nothing but try TO intimidate him by a
show of force. Because of his nerve and
steadiness during the trying time he was
not molested. He says he was backed by
the wife OF the owner. who sat in her
doorway with a basket. In which she had
placed six loaded revolvers and was pre-
pared to use them should any attack be
made on him. After the meeting was ad-
journed Blakely was told by the woman's
husband that she was a crack shot and
would certainly have done some execution