Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-12-24
MINE OPERATORS TESTIFY.
Before the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission
in Session at Scranton, Pa

The anthracite coal operators opened
! their side of the strike controversy be
fore the commission at Scranton, Pa. +,
Wednesday, The sessions were the
liveliest yet held. The miners law
yers challenged the fairness of certain
wage statements handed to the com
mission by the Pennsylvania Coal Co. /:
| Lawyer Darrow, miners counsel, had
spirited discussion with Chairman
/ Gray as TO whether the miners had a
right to know who is paying the law
yers representing the non union men
before the commission, Mr. barrow
having asserted they were employed by
the coal operators. Counsel for the
Reading company, previous to this, IN
the opening address on behalf of all
the large companies. made the point
that the recognition of the union is
not an issue before the commission,
which brought IA protest from Darrow,
who claimed that if it were not, then
the operators should be forbidden from
presenting testimony that tended to
show the union was responsible for all
the alleged violence committed during
the strike. The alleged unfairness of
the wage statements came TO the no
tice of the commission as result of
its inquiry into the child labor ques-
ton. Several little girls testified that
they worked all night in a silk mill in
order TO help their fathers along. who
were employed in the Mines and re-
ceived poor pay. Other testimony
showed that one father received last
year 81. 400 and another 81, 600 for him
self and laborers. These earnings were
divided among four to six men. This
testimony surprised the commissioners,
The figures were taken from the wage
statement, already filed by the com
pany with the commission, which did
not indicate whittier two, four or six
men worked 10 earn the money. The
opening statement of the individual
companies dealt to a great extent with
the rights of non union men to work
in the mines without interference on
the part of the union men.
Thursday testimony was introduced
tending to show that reign of terror
existed in the anthracite coal fields
during the 5le months of the mine
workers strike. About core of wit
nesses were called by the attorneys for
the nun-union men. They told of Sc
rious boycotts. brutal attacks by
crowds of men, women and boys, and
an attempt to burn the house of non
union man. In most instances the wit
nesses testified that the alleged offend
ers were members of the miners I'M
ion The lawyers for the miners OBJ
jected frequently to the admissions of
testimony on hearsay, and sometimes
objected because of irrelevancy of Ger
tain other statements. Thirty wit
nesses, non union men and their rela-
tives. testified Friday in regard to al
legged boycotts, intimidations, dyna
hitting and violence in various forms
by union men. -Four witnesses said
attempts were made to blow up their
houses one house was badly damaged.
Many of the witnesses were threatened
with bodily harm, several We're beaten,
one was shot in the leg and every one
stoned. boycotted or hung in etfigy.
One school teacher testified to having
lost his position because his father
did not strike. One man was asked to
resign from a Catholic temperance so
cety and another witness was expelled I
from a local lodge of the Ancient Or I.
der of Hibernians, after IA membership .
of 20 or Is years, because they are
classed as unfair workmen. The COM /
mission adjourned Saturday morning /
to reconvene in Philadelphia Jan. >.