The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-11
Presidents of Two locals" Said to
Have Been offered $4,000 Each to
Break the Strike.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN EARLY
AT THE ANTHRACITE COMMISSION
SITTING AT SCRANTON.
Witness Not Examined by Counsel
for OperatOrs-PrOtest from
David Wilcox.

SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. l0.-IeStlmOny was
introduced at to-day's sessions of the coal
strike commission to the effect that an at
tempt had been made by a former mine
foreman to bride two presidents of local
unions of the miners TO have ten men In
each local use their influence to have a
resolution passed sending the men TO work,
thus making serious break in the ranks
of the strikers. Each of the presidents
was to receive $500 and a good position
as mine foreman. and each of the ten men
was TO get from 800 to 500. No company
was mentioned in connection with the brib-
cry scheme and none of the lawyers cross
examined the witness.
The testimony was given by John Early,
a check-weighman, employed at the Gypsy
Grove colliery of the Erie Company, who
was president of the Gypsy Grove local.
Early said he was introduced to former
foreman named Michael Grimes in the Lack
awanna Valley Hotel, Scranton. Grimes
and miner named O'Hara. who was also
president of a local, were each offered s2,5O
to get ten men to pass resolution order
ing the men from the two locals which they
represented back to work.
Early's story follows: He met Grimes
at the hotel through another person. Dur
ing the conversation Grimes asked him
how he stood in politics. Early replied that
he had not made up his mind, and Grimes
said that, being president of a local union,
he had a good deal of influence among his
friends in Dunmore, and that IL he worked
for William Connell for Congress he would
give him $1,000. This was on Sept. g. After
Grimes made the $1,000 proposition, con-
tinued Early, Grimes said: How about
the strike? Don't you think the men are
weakening?" Early replied that he did
think they were wavering just a little
Grimes then told him that he knew break
was coming in the ranks and that they
the men had grievances and that they had
put up good fight, and as they were going
to be defeated by the operators Early ought
to get something out of it. Grimes then
made this proposition: If Early could get
ten men to have a resolution passed by his
local Grimes would give nine of them 500
each, the tenth man $500 and Early $500
and all expenses necessary to carry out the
scheme. He further added that Early need
not apply for work for three months, and
that he then would be given a foreman's
position. During the three months his ex-
penses were to be paid there would be no
trouble in getting mine foremans certifi-
cate. as the companies controlled the boards
that issued them. Later during the con-
versation Grimes amended his proposition
by Offering TO give two Of the ten men 500
s each "a. and at the same time offered Early
the money and told Grimes he would see
him later.
Early reported the matter to District
President Nichols and it was decided to
see how far the bribery scheme would
be carried. Another meeting was arranged
and as Grimes had spoken of having APP
preached J. F. O'Hara, the latter went
O'Hara. The same night there was to be
a joint meeting of all the locals in the
vicinity of Dunmore and Grimes wanted
them to pass the resolution that night, but
the two presidents could not see their
way clear to do 1t. Grimes then proposed
that they size up the men in the meeting,
get thirty OF them interested, and if the
resolution was passed the thirty would
each receive $500.
Early went on to say that the ministers
they were not to get as much as the min
ers for breaking the strike President
Nichols, he said, then gave out public
statement in which he intimated bribery
was being resorted to in order to break
the strike and the whole thing fell through
Grimes wanted Early to help him out of
the fix; but Early would have nothing to
do with him. The story held the atten-
| ton of the commissioners and spectators.
| During the afternoon session David WILL
| cox, vice president of the Delaware &
| pany,. addressed the commission and pro-
tested vigorously against the commission
| holding his company responsible for condi-
tons that may exist at the Coke and Mar
| kle mines. He was quickly stopped by
| Chairman Gray, who said the commission
| did not intend to hold any company re-
| sponsible for whatever special conditions
| may exist in any particular part of the
coal fields. While none of the ATTORNEYS
| for the other coal-carrying roads said any
| thing to the commission they said privately
| that Mr.. Willcoxs attitude in the matter
| had their Endorsement
large amount of technical testimony
| was heard on various phases of the uues-
| lions at issue. Two check weighmen pro.
| duced figures which tended to show that
| at two Delaware x Hudson collieries the
| miners produced 1859 tons of coal more
| than they were paid for The miners must
| bring up 3,l36 pounds of coal and dirt 70
| make a ton of 2240 pounds of pure coal
| and the union claims that the company
| gets more than 2.240 pounds of coal out OF
| each miners" ton of 3,136, and produced
| official figures to prove it. The Delaware
| q Hudson Company presented its figures
| to the commission to-day. They show the
| average earnings of the miner in 1901 &c
| have been S662 6S and those of the laboreI
| s449.47. When Mr.. Mitchell was on the
| stand he said that 5000 should be the mini.
| mum of American living wages.
| Among the visitors at the commission's
| hearings to-day was Michael Davitt the
| Irish leader. He came here from Wash.
| ingtOn especially to listen TO the Droceed.