The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-10
Wife's Death Due to Eviction
 from Home by MafkIss
SCENE WAS VERY PATHETIC
Strike Commissioners Were VisibIy Af- fected and as the Old Man Talked Between Sobs No One Would
 cross-Examine Him.

Scranton, Pa, December 9.-Tales of eviction rem houses owned by G. B. Marlle & Co., the narration of the death of wife as a result Of an enforced re- moval from her home and the story of a mother whose husband was killed in the Markle mines, of how she and her two boys struggled years to pay the Marlles the back rent and coal bills she owed them, were the principal features Of te- days session of the coal strike commis- son. The testimony wGs presented by some of the witnesses, whose lives are given up to the coal inning industry. was at times pathetic and surprising to the commissioners, who listened to it with undivided attention.
 The miners this afrcrn oon concluded tue calling of witnesses against the Mat kle company, which concs,n and other conditions surrounding 1t, have been prominently before the commissioners since last Saturday. Tn the absence Of Samuel Dickson of Philadelphia and George R. Bedford of Wilkesbarre, attor- neys for the Markle company, who are reported to be unavoldably absent. there was a perfunctory cross-examination which was carried on by J. H. Torrey, who is representing another company be- fore the commission and who had been asked to take care of the interests of the G. B. Markle company as best he could.
 No Effort to Refute.
 There has been considerable surprise expressed that the company has not made greater efforts to refute some of the seemingly damaging testimony that has been presented.
 It is expected however, that the com pany will do so later. The attorneys for the large companies have nothing to say regarding the character of the testimony being presented, but those representing the miners are well pleased
 After closing the Markle case, the rep resentatives of the miners called wit nesses who had formerly been employed in the mines of several companies to show that blacklist exists, and that some of the companies had broken the engagement which ended the strike and resulted in the appointment Of the arbi- tration commission. It is the intention of the lawyers for the miners to take m tomorrow with the conditions of the
  and others in the Hazleton region.
 A Pathetic Story.
 The most pathetic story during the hearing was told today. An old miner, decrepit from many injuries, told under examination of how his eviction from his home for not paying rent was carried on The wife was sick, and her 100-year- old mother was blind and unable to walk The day on which they were thrown out was rainy. He took them as best he could to Hazleton, seven miles away, and placed them in cold, damp, empty house. This was last month, when the atmosphere on the Hazleton mountain was quite cold. His wife be- came worse Medical aid was kindly furnished free by a Hazieton doctor, but 1t did not help her much.
 I've were greatly worried because of our having been turned out of our house, and one night" the witness said, be- tween sobs. she died"
 "She died?" said Judge Cray who was pacing to and fro across the room and who quickly turned when he heard the mans last words.
 ''Yes she died, and buried her yes- terday"
 All the commissioners and many of those in the court room were much af- fected by the old miners story. The witness went on to say that he did not know whether the centenarian was alive today or not. She was in bad condi-