Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-12-09
Widows Tell Of Husbands Killed and Cash
Extracted by Company.
DAMAGES ARE DENIED TO POOR WOMEN
officials Present Papers for Signature
Absolving Them from claim.
TALES AsloNlsH STRIKE ARBITRAToRs
Cannot Understand How Ten Per Cent
Increase Nets Miners NO More Cash
and witnesses Also Pro-
fess Their Ignorance.

SCRANTON, Pa, Dec s.--Almost the en-
tire session Of the strike commission was
taken UP by evidence affecting the Markle
pits.
The miners placed witnesses on the stand
who swore the company refused to employ
them because they belonged to the union,
had evicted them from their houses for
the same cause; that the docking system
was intolersble; that the price of powder,
which enters into the computation of
wages. had been raised and the size of
cars increased, while pay remained as be-
fore.
Two Hungarian women, one Of them the
mother Of the boy who testified on satur-
day, we're placed on the stand and said
the Markle company deducted house rent
from the last wages of their husbands, who
were killed in the mines, and attempted
to get them to sign a paper which would
absolve the Markles from damages for the
death OF the men. They also confirmed
the story told by the breaker boy that
children had to work without pay until
debts owed by dead fathers we're paid of.
The Markle company was not represented,
although II had ample notice that testi-
mony affecting Its collieries would be pre-
sented. The commissioners, however, ex-
pect 1t to bring evidence in rebuttal.
Figuring of Wages Are Strange.
The commissioners we're much surprised
TO hear that the 10 per cent increase
granted in 1900 was not straight out raise
in wages. but instead a "a per cent in
crease and reduction in powder of 71a per
cent, making the net increase In earnings
10 per cent. This the minerJ claim is not
being paid by the Markle company, owing
to peculiar manner Of figuring which they
do not understand. The question aroused
considerable discussion and no one in the
court could give satisfactory explanation.
There was a furry at the afternoon ses-
sion, when Ira II. Burns, representing the
independent companies, referred to the
president of the United States as Teddy
Roosevelt"
Brigadier General Wilson and Judge Gray
at once administered q stinging rebuke and
the incident dropped.
The first witness was James Gallagher
who was on the stand on Saturday. He said
II used to be the custom of the Markle en-
ployes TO contribute $50 to the family of a
man killed in the mines and to lay on until
he was buried. The Markles however. made
a contract with the workmen whereby they
paid the $50 and the men remain at work.
The witness said the size OF the mine
oars had steadily increased, but wages had
not been raised.
The powder question came up at the
afternoon session and caused considerable
discussion, but when II was over the COM
missioners knew little more than they did
before.
Mr.. Clark raised II when he read to
Paul Dunleavy statements Of wages sub
mitted by him. which showed that some
months he owed the company money for
powder.
Witness could not tell clearly how It waf
he was in debt and added that to his way
of thinking the 10 per cent increase granted
in 1900 was not an increase at all.
In some way the Markle company placed
some OF the men in debt for powder. Nc
one seemed to know how it was done.
J. N. Rittenhouse followed and said two
years ago 1t cost a family $17.61 a month
for all the necessities of life, but now
s22.94 was required to purchase the same
articles. His figures were made up from
those quoted by twenty-five merchants.
Armour Man Discusses Merger.
John d. Hughes, the Scranton manager
for Armour 4 Co., gave the wholesale
prices for meats and compared them with
the rates prevailing in 1900 and 1901. He
presented large mass Of figures, showing
that meats had increased 23 1-5 per cent
since 1900.
In cross examination Ira d. Burns, fol
the Independent companies, asked:
Don't you know that the rise in meats
was due TO the Meat trust7"
witness-I don't know of any such in
stitution.
Mr.. Burnside you agree with wha
''Teddy' Roosevelt says about the trusts?
Witness-I believe In some OF It,
He was proceeding to explain apparentl!
Just what portion OF the presidents view
found favor with him when General Wilson
jumped up and Indignantly exclaimed:
"Mr. Chairman, | object to any persol
before this commission referring to tn
president OF the United States in tina
manner"
Mr.. Burns intensified the sensation thu
oeeasioned by calmly replying: He some
times calls himself that"
Judge Gray, however. smoothed matter
out by saying: IL think the objection 1
well taken"
Mrs. Andrew Chippie. the mother OF tn
12-year-old breaker boy, who said on Sat
urday that he had to work out the debt o
dead Iatnef, TOOK the stanu ana SUP
stantiated all her son had said. She CAV
the additional information that the Markl
company wanted her to sign a paper waiv
ing the right to damages for the death Q
her husband.
The company promised her rent and cos
free for six months. but she refused
sign. Upon this they charged up rent an
coal and compelled the boy TO work at
cents an hour in the breaker, but his wage
were SO small that the debt was increasing
Another struEEIing Infant.
Another Hungarian woman. who're hus
band was killed at the same time, tol
precisely the same story in every detail.
Her son was given a Job in the mine
as a driver boy at so cents a day, aud
hve or six months only received s., a
his wages being retained for rent and Goa
Both women received $50 each for burl'
expenses from the company, but the funer'
expenses In each case were greater tina
that.
when their husbands we're killed. II
Gcantinusd on Second PaEe)