The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-22
The Same Kind Of Charges Contained
in Circular Letters That Have
Been sent out.
OFFICERS REFUTE CHARGES
PRESIDENT MITCHELL AND sECRE-
TARY WILSON HEARD.
The Whole Matter Had Been Present.
ed to the Miners Board Before
"A Smoker.

The proceedings of yesterdays session OF
the United Mine Workers convention in
Tomlinson Hall were sensational almost
from start to finish. Miss Molie Meredith,
formerly an assistant secretary in the ma
tional office, who was discharged last May,
charged in open convention that President
Mitchell, Secretary treasurer Wilson and
other officers OF the United Mine Workers
made misleading statements TO the dele
gates TO last years convention concerning
the shortage OF ex-Secretary w. c. Pearce.
The charge caused furry OF excitement
to spread over the convention and all day
the allegations were defended or discussed,
with the result that a committee APP
pointed to investigate the charges and re-
port to this session Of the mine workers.
President Mitchell announced the ap-
pointment of committees the first thing in
the morning. The next proceeding was TO
have been the election of officers, and in a
voice full of feeling President Mitchell said:
Gentlemen of the United Mine Workers
Convention-The election OF officers was 10
have been the first thing on the programme
this morning, but L have TO say, with deep
feeling and regret, that charges have been
made by Miss Mollie Meredith. an ex-em-
ploye Of the national office, Affecting myself
as president of the national body. against
your national secretary, Mr.. Wilson, ana
also against the national executive board.
''The time has come for the election or
national officers. but / am unwilling 10
have this proceed until these charges nave
been heard. L therefore ask the convention
TO hear these charges. and ask Mr.. VIM.
d Van Horn. OF Indiana, TO take the chair
while the charges are being heard.
VAN HORN IN THE CHAIR.
Mr. Van Horn took the chair and Dele
gate Lsve moved that the convention go
into executive session and exclude the
ha a
was then made TO have Miss Meredith pres
ent to explain the charges. committee
composed of ID. d. Nichols. John p. Reese
and w. II. Haskins went to the Denison
Hotel and escorted Miss Meredith TO the
hall. Reese helped her TO the stage and
Miss Meredith insisted on reading the
charges herself. She told how she had
discovered in the cashbook Of ex-Treasurer
Pearce in September, 1899. that he had
made an entry for $50 worth OF stamps. al
though he had purchased but SO worth.
She said she reported IL TO w. c. Scott,
then editor of the Mine Workers Journal.
and that he Investigated and found the
charge to be true. She charged President
Mitchell with allowing Pearce 10 go to
French Lick Springs TO tender his resg-
nation from there and in doing so said he
was protecting a thief" She said the
secret circular" read 10 the last conven-
ton Of the mine workers was a misstate-
ment of facts in the case, and that Secre-
tary Wilson attached his signature 10 a
lie" She alleged that Wilson told her that
Pearce got rake or on printing matter.
and that the extra money netted Pearce
about 5000 a year. This is where they
both lie to you, she said, "and l sincerely
hope that the miners i'm their convention
will demand an investigation OF the books"
She said matters were made very "miser-
able" for her at headquarters by Mitchell
and Wilson and that Mitchell once told her
that If her position was so unsatisfactory
she might resign. She said she refused
TO do so and that the next day she was
dismissed. She also charged that IL was a
''low and vulgar scheme" 10 get her out.
Miss Merediths voice was not strong
enough TO be heard over the entire hall.
and after she had finished. by request, Mr..
Reese read her statement
WILSON SPOKE FIRST
Acting Chairman Var Horn said IL
would only be fair that President Mitchell
and Secretary Wilson be given hearing.
Then there were cries Of Mitchell" but
Secretary Wilson said he desired TO speak
first. since he seemed 10 be first accused.
He said:
LAS the convention will understand by
this time no allegation OF dishonesty has
been made against President Mitchell or
myself except in so far as IL II alleged
that we did not expose all the fraud that
existed on the part OF Mr. Pearce. I
should like 10 ask 10 what / reply:
whether Miss Meredith knows OF any more
than the $50. or, rather, the $3.50, that was
reported to the executive session OF this
convention year ago, having been
taken by Mr.. Pearce. 1 want 10 know n
she knows OF that before proceed 20 re-
ply"
Miss Meredith said she only knew what
Mr. Wilson had told her. Then y0u don't
know of your own knowledge" he said.
Continuing he said;
might need closer examination. You will
recOllect the statement made 10 Us by the
experts and reported by them a
sworn statement But they were not suf-
fciently confident AS 10 these vouchers
having been changed 10 swear 10 Il. She
also states that / told her that Mr. Pearce
had at one time used $4,000 OF the
ganization's money. When the expert ac-
countants were working upon the books
they necessarily worked at night 1 was
in an adjoining room 10 make such eN-
plantations OF our system OF bookkeeping
as they might require
'One evening they reported 10 me that ~
looked as II there was $4,000 shortage. Next
morning in discussing the work OF the cx-
perts I said 10 Miss Meredith that they had
told me IL looked as II Pearce had been
using $4,000 Of the ORGANIZATIONS money.
The next night when they were again work
ing on the books they discovered what they
had not known before-that We used two
bank books-one in the name OF the exccu-
tive board and the other In which tho Een-
eral fund was credited and that they had
not given Pearce credit FOR the money de-
posted In the name OF the executive board.
j told Miss Meredith OF this mistake She
takes account OF that correction. She
also makes mention Of another shortage ~