The bee., 1902-04-03

1t should indeed be warning to
our young miners when they review
the history of some young men who
were once contented and prosperous
miners, but who were beguiled by
the deceitful tales told them by the
u. NJ. w. agitators and led into an
organization who's influence had led
them from the paths of right and
justice to that of degradation, until
now, we are informed, they are refu-
gees from justice, hiding in one state
and another, pursued by officers of
the law armed with warrants of ar
rest charging them with crime. One
of them, we are told, was only last
week arrested in one of our neigh
boring states and brought back to
Kentucky TO answer the charge of
murder which the influence of bad
associates and advisers led him
to commit if the charge is true as
made. And this is only the natural
result likely to follow the associa-
tion with an organization some of
whom have the past year been
charged with waylaying innocent
men in the discharge of their sworn
duty or ell route to work, and under
cover of the night have time after
time attempted to take life. If these
charges are true, can you expect a
young man who allies himself with
men of unsavory reputation to lead
a Christian life? Idleness, we are
told, begets crime, and when these
young men quit work, for which
they received good wages, to accept
place with the common saloon
loafer, and to subsist on few cents
per day, their best friends could see
their fate was sealed and their down.
fall was assured.
1t is said that in Virginia two fell
lows thought they could ignore the
order of Uncle Sans court, whom
they were told that intimidation
would not be allowed, and so by
threats and otherwise strove to in
timidate with the result that they
were tried and convicted and were
sent to Jail for six months each, and
the rumor is afioat that some of our
own citizens are so conducting them
selves as to lay themselves liable to
similar action by a court over which
His Honor, Judge Evans, presides,
and to such degree has threats and
other forms of intimidation been
carried on in this county by the T..
NJ. w. and sympathizers that many
timid miners have at times hesi-
tated about going by themselves to
and from work, and in some cases
assurance of protection was nee
cessary inducement. This is all
wrong in county where everyone
is guaranteed freedom of word and
action when in the right, and a
timely step has been taken IN their
behalf.
Facts continually leaking out IN
dicate beyond a doubt that the U.
NJ. w. have become tired Of the col
ored brethren, and now the question
arises, what offense has he commit
ted, that now after they have robbed
him of his all. a place to work and
that at good wages, they threaten to
throw him overheard after year or
more service as scapegoats of the
men actually behind the guns, hum
bly, submitting to persecution and
prosecution, that the agitators might
go free they are now to be cast aside,
but the reason for this move may be
that the colored member has be-
come tired of being placed IN the
front rank as a target to be- shot at
and has so forcibly expressed him
self and therefore being useless any
further as a tool, they kick him out.
Mr.. Richard Mercer, who died last
Saturday, can safely be said to be
one OF the oldest miners in this coun-
ty. After him was one of the main
entries in No. 8 mine named. At
one time he was very popular here