The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-09
Proceedings of the Anthracite Strike
Commission EnIivened by an I'm
expected Incident.
AN IMPUTATIoN RESENTED
JUDGE GRAY HOPED MINERS WOULD
COME OUT OF THE NIRE,
And Mr.. Mitchell Said the Union
Should Not BE Indicted Unless Ii
Was Guilty of LawIessness.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. S.-President
Mitchell to-day took exception to a remark
made by Chairman Gray. of the coal strike
commission, when Judge Gray said he
would like to see the miners union come
up out of the mire and into the sunlight
The miners president said the union should
not be indicted unless a connection could
be shown between it and acts OF lawless-
ness. The head of the commission replied
that he did not wish to indict the organiza-
ton, but hoped it would disentangle itself
entirely from the violence and lawlessness
committed during the strike. The Incl
dent came Unexpectedly while a witness
on the stand. and caused a SIR among
the lawyers for both sides of the contro-
versy. Outside of this tilt the entire day
was taken up in hearing nonunion men or
their relatives, who alleged persecution
during the strike
The remarks of Chairman Gray were
brought about by Commissioner rarker.
Anthony Ferguson, of Mahanoy City, out
side foreman at the North Mahanoy coll
liery of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal
and Iron Company, testified that he was
beaten while on his way to the works; he
recognized two of his assailants as union
men, who later were prosecuted and con-
victed. Mr. Parker asked the witness IL the
men were expelled from the union for what
they had DONE but the foreman did not
know. Mr.. Mitchell had said on the witness
stand that all members of the union found
guilty of crime were expelled from the
union.
Noting the interest the commission took
in Mr.. Parker's question. the lawyers for
fha lpd IN n
ley, a member of the executive board OF
the union in the district where the assault
was committed, for the information de-
sired. Ginley said he did not know whether
the local union to which the men belonged
took any action, and he went on to give
long explanation of how the local unions
and individual strikers used every means
to dispense crowds and help maintain the
peace. The action taken by the local
He told of the attempts made to keep the
peace at Shenandoah before the big riot
there, and added there had been dis
turbance until the coal and iron police were
Chairman Gray then asked: do you wait
for conviction by the civil authorities be-
fore disciplning your men? Do you think
make Investigations yourself and bring the
men up and punish them in some way?
a man who would be glad to see your order
come out of the mire and the clouds that
are around the baser portions of il, into
the sunlight and into the air of free gov
eminent and free country
IF IL Is proved that our men have COM
mitted acts of violence there is no ques-
ton about disciplining them," replied the
witness
Then followed discussion of the shen-
andoah riot and the killing of a man. and
in reply to Mr.: Mitchells remark that II
not the miners who did IL, Chairman
Gray said: But there was a crowd and as
yet have heard no evidence of disciplin-
ing voice in that mob. No man there said
shame on the coward
Later, in reply to question. Mr.. Mitchell
said that, while the commission was to
determine all the questions that were be-
ing presented here, there was greater
jury passing upon the attitude of the
strikers. LAS to the action of our or
ganization and the position of the coal
operators" he said. there is no doubt i'm
my mind that many of the witnesses are
brought here. and do not come as witnesses
ordinarily do, TO testify against the strikers
and indirectly against the United Mine
Workers. 1t does seem to me that until
there is some connection shown between
the United Mine Workers of America and
acts of lawlessness the organization should
not be placed under any indictment at all"
After further discussion and the state
ment by Chairman Gray that he did not
wish Mr.. Mitchell to understand that any,
thing he said indicted the organization, the
incident ended
Mr. Mitchell was later called TO the
stand and testified that the three men who
were convicted of killing a man at Nanti-
coke were not members of the union when
they committed the crime. They were for
mer members because they had failed to
pay their dues. In reply to a question
Mr.. Mitchell said that the union had spent
nearly 100000 I'm relieving the distress
among the 10000 to 10000 strikers who were
not members of the union.