The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-09
SPOKE LIGHTLY OF ROOSEV ELT
GEN. NILSSON REBIkES ATTOR-
NEY ATCOtL STRIKE INQUIRY.
Mr.. Burns Referred to the President rs
Teddy and the Military Member ~ the
Board prot cstcd-TeSttmOny aS 10 the
Treatment of Miners by the Narkies.

this afternoon. John u. hughes. manage
for Armour a Co.. vas called TO the stand 10
show the increased prices of meat. the idea
Of Mr. barrow being that Il" would prove
that the cost Of living had increased III re-
cent years while there WIS no corresponding
increase in wages.
Mr. Hughes Mas c-oss-examined by | II.
Burns. counsel for tie independent opera
tors. Several cue -tions were asked him
relative to tho Reef Trust, about Shich the
witness declared tha I've knew nothing. He
said he had read in the newspapers about
II. but he die not believe all that had lccn
printed. Mr. Burns then asked:
"Do YOU agree with wha, Teddy Roos"-
welt said about tr,ists?"
The witness replied that lac did in part.
Hardly had he spoken, WHOM Con. Wilson
sprang to his fee and bu'toning his coat
cbout him. said with sipN Cf much
feeling:
Il objec, 10 any person before this body
referring 10 the President of the United
States ~ that manner"
Silence followed tho explosion of the Com
missioner. Mr. Burn, dropped the cross
examination and the matter was not again
referred TO.
The day was taken up principally 10y the
attempt of the counsel for the miners 20
show that dcplornhlc condition az affairs
exists at the mines Of NIrkle & Go. The
Representatives of the big coal companies
took little interest in this. evidently con-
sidering the allegations a matter for the
Independent operators 30 deal with.
When the commission met this morning
Judge GRAY said that the commission de-
sired that the compaIieS would submit
statements as to wages, SC. AT the earliest
possible moment. In case any Of the
companies did not have them all prepared.
he asked why they could not submit what
they have ready. Mr.. Warren said that
some Of the companies that lac represented
had figures ready that would be- handed in
almos, at once. Mr. Reynolds said that
II all the figures that TIA" commission de-
sires are prepared by some nf the com
panies that he repre- sented two months will
I've occupied in comp!e'i ng the task
Mr.. Darrow suggested that almost any
thing can In done with figures. lie did not
want 10 impeach the honesty of any man,
but he did not want to take the mere word
Of the companies that their figures were
correct. Judge Gray said that the accounts
will become public property when they arc
filed with the commission and then Mr..
barrow could have his experts go over them.
james Gallagher, an employee Of Naikle
4 Co. was questioned with regard to the
burial fund arrangement that prevails at
the Markle coliery. He said that the
Marklcs pay $50 into the furd every time
that a man meets his death In the mines.
but never when an employee dies a ratural
death. There was a COndlli ion Ia this. that
the men working in a gaHgway or slope tlo
NOT nj lcl .nna " hon "a m is killed
as they had been In the haiti Of dol z.
Once this contract had been violated by
the men and for some years the MarkleS
would give 10 more than SIS when a man
was killed Several years ago the addi-
tional as was restored.
Tho witness thought that j; required a
great deal Of experience To loo a miner.
He has been thirty-fve years IN the mi"es
and he can be taught yet. In answer To a
question by Judge Gray th" witness ssid
that a great many men are killed in the
mites because of ig.orauCe. lie would
rot attempt 10 say how many are killed
through the carelessnesS Of Others.
The witness told of the way H. VI ."h the
father of little Andrew thppis was killed
Chppie is the boy who has attracted atten-
tion by SAYING that he has been working
for the Maikles for four cents a dav, and
that the money was applied by tho com
pany 10 ray of "A rei.t debt owed by his
father before he was killed. Deecritii
lapher said
"IIe and anot her man were coming down
a gangway. When they came 10 wh"rn
kicking mule was in the way they went
under a platform to get Out of the way
Of the mule, IT, mule kicked the platform
TO pieces and kili"7 the men under it"
The witness II, that tn" cars at the
Markle coliery 80 been made larger in
recent years. He went on to LAY that the
year Hayes was elected
Hayes was not elected" said Bishop
Spalding
We'll" said the witness, "tho year he
took his chair then"
Gallagher said that the MarLle. admitted
then that the cars were larger because
times were bad and the COMPANY could
not AFFORD TO pay more. Tn" company
promised to restore the car to it, regular
size when the times became better, but
this was not done.
The witness said tha, he had heard that
certificates as miners had been sold TO
incompetent persons. If they had been
sold in that way II was, Of course, hv the
miners on the examining boards, and who
were perhaps members ut the union. on
cross-examination the witness admitted
that when the cars were made larger the
price car paid TO the ininer was increased,
hut, he insisted, the car kept getting larger
all the time.
Frank Ray. a miner for Marklo 4 Co
at Hazleton, was then recalled. He did
not agree that 90 per cent Of the accidents
in the mines are due To the ignorance Of
tf1e miners. The miners are often unable,
, he said. owing 10 the smoke caused by
blasts, to see dangerous bits OF roof that
fall and cause accidents. This witness
I also said that larger cars Were placed in
the mines at Jeddo some years ago.
The witness said that he was the treasurer
OF the local union at Jeddo, When the
. strike was settled h" was told that there
was no work for him. The witness was
asked about the strike al the Markle mine
that followed the settlement Of 1900. Ray
F, said that this was because the Markes
J would not agree to srhitratc The major
/. grievances that had been presented
y Paul Dunleavy, former employee Of
D. Markle h Go. at Jeddo, said that he was
y among the people evcted, lie mad family
= Of eleven, all living in four-room house.
II They had five minutes to got out, and when
y they did not go the household effects were
q thrown outdoors. He had been prominent
u in the local union, he said.
ID Dry Snoblaud of Jrddp. aloti q
former employee Of Ma'id' Z co. test ihed
u nat he was evictcd The Snerh had given
~ him two minutes to get Olt and then threw
q his stove out into the rain. He believed
I, this was becaus' he had served on the
a. local committees.
4, After luncheon Shobland'- testimony was
I, re- s,lmed. He said tha, lie had bced doCkod
~ tiDjustly. This brought up "A long dis
IL Cllsgiop nm O. ar-t.t, by VII ~,