The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-18

tne county. fractlcduy tne same cOnOltiOu
will be shown to prevail throughout the
coal region
ct will he shown by reliable statistics
and the testimony Of physicians that mining
Is not an unhealthy occupation, and that
aside from accidents. its healthsulness
compares favorably with all other occu-
pa'ions.
As TO the claim for the reduction Of the
hours Of labor without any reduction Of
earnings 1t will he shown that miners and
laborers do not now work eight hours. and
that as to the miners in ma jority OF cases
they work less than six.
1T is TO he hoped that after the estimony
In behalf OF the respondents has been
fully heard the miners and laborers will
feel that the wages paid to them are not
| only equal TO but greater than are paid TO
others engaged In similar occupat ions, and
that their conditions and surroundings are
not intolerable. as the paid agitators and
organizers would make them appear, am.
that the good feeling between the opera
tors and employees which prevailed prior
to 1900 for over thirty years will again he
restored
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS SIDE.
At the conclusion of the statement by
MIR. Wolverton statement for the Indie.
pendent operators was read by l. II
Burns. He said
The statement Of the independent opera
tors opens by referring to the task before
the commission. II says questions that
concern individual operators are wages,
hours Of labor. non-union men and dis
elimination. II adds:
We think the commission before taking
any action looking to the increase of wages
should carefully consider upon whom such
increase must fall. OF course any increase
in cost of production ultimately rests on
the consumer. The shivering inmates of
the East Side tenements of New York
must pay a few cents moro for each pail
Of coal In order 10 give more wages to the
miners of Pennsylvania
If any award is made by this commits
sion in favor Of the mine workers We claim
that a. a condition precedent there should
he some substantial assurance on the part
Of such United Mine Workers that they will
in the future refrain from, in any way, in
terfering with, or moesting persons who
wish To work in or about the mines. but no
do not belong 10 the union
NoS-rNIoN TESTIMONY BEGINS.
1t was then announced that the non
union men would go ahead with their testi-
mony. Mrs. James Winston was called
as the first witness. Her husband
was murdered the Grassy Island col
liery, Olyphant, %. Sept. rs. He went on
strike with the miners. she said. but re-
turned to work on Sept 8, as a company
man. He left home at $3.50 o'clock on the
morning that he was murdered. He was
He had been member Of the miners
u non from the time of the organization
up 10 the time Of the strike.
Samuel Lewis of Oyphant. a son-in-law
of Mrs Winston. also told Of the murder.
Mr.. D arrow asked the witness il he
hired the attorneys that were representing
the non-union men. Lewis answered that
he did. Mr.. barrow wanted to know If he
had paid them anything and the witness
said that he had promised 10 pay them.
Mr.. barrow insinuated that the companies
were paying the attorneys.
Judge Gray said that il made no difference
to the commission who paid and hired them.
He supposed that the men were too poor
to do 50. The Judge said
These men are giving evidence to the
commission about a murder. Hasn't any
body on this Gods green earth got the right
to prosecute murderer The fact that
the relatives haven't the money to prose-
cute does not exclude those who have been
seeing that justice is meted out
Mr. barrow said that II WAS all right to
prosecute a murderer, but he couldn't See
why the commission should permit any
underhand work to be done right under its
observation. Judge Gray rose from his
chair and said very earnestly:
If a murder was committed and II the
relatives of the dead man could not prose-
cute the murderer and II l had the money
last cent that had"
The applause that came from the rear OF
the room at this was deafening,
Thomas Watkins. secretary Of the Grassy
Island local test fled that the three men held
for the murder of Winston we're members
Of the union. No action had been taken
against them by the union.
John Flanagan OF Dunmore told OF an
effort to lynch him on June ~. There were
thirty or forty in the crowd, he said.