The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-01-29

Were Not Guilty Of Criminal Acts.
But MIR. Markle Did Not Care to Re.
Employ Them.
Philadelphia. Jan. 27.-The atten-
tion of the anthracite coal strike COM
mission WAS yesterday directed to the
claims and charges OF the Independent
operators, the first case presented be-
ing that of G. B. Markle & Co., whose
collieries are located in and about Jed
do, in the Lehigh region. Ten wit
nesses for the company were ex-
amined, the more important being Sid
ney Williams, general superintendent
for the firm; Gertrude Martin pro-
gessonal nurse in the employ of the
company, and Frank Walk. general
storekeepor at JeddO.
Mr.. Williams testified that on Octo-
Der 22, al his direction, notices were
posted asking the striking employees
of the company to appear at the office,
bringing their brass checks, and apply
Tor work. Probably $50 men respond
sd but witness learned that pickets
had been stationed along the roads
leading to the office To prevent others
from doing likewise. On October % a
committee of miners waited upon Mr..
Markle and said the men desired to
return in a body as they had quit.
They were told that certain men would
mot be re-employed.
Witness was asked the object of the
brass checks and said that the miners
were numbered, the checks containing
the individual numbers. The company
also wanted to know if the men as in
diyiduals were willing to accept the
COmui- .uG's arbitramont The min
ers failed to accept the overtures of
the company, anr on October q
twelve notices Of eviction were issued.
The thirteenth man affected was not a
tenant OF the company. On November
6 the cyictions took place.
Cross-cXaminod Mr.. Williams said
me was present al all the eyictiOnS.
"Was any appeal made to you by
She men, asked Mr.. Dickson.
1.-TWO Of the men came to me and
desired to see their leases. granted
them their request,
Was any undue force used in maxi
ing the 1yicuOna?'
mo, ir. the Goods and furniture
Were placed ont en- the main highway
with reasonable care"
Did gcu hear Of any case of sick
ness tH"t rladc you grant any extern
5ions Of time to one or more of the
tenants"
1.-TWO Nor, I was told, requested an
extension OF time bit our agent ad-
vised us nor 70 Grant e, x - it -1'ou,
asked for in o,der that an appeal
might he made to the courts"
Did ysI see any children"
- did not"
did you see blind woman almost
400 years of age in your capacity -
chief evictnr7"
NO. sir
Rain was falling on the furniture
and goods Of the poor people,"
81 can't say"
at was raining, thoagA?"
Eyes, sir
You made no inquiries as % where
or how the Old blind woman and the
children spent the night?"
81 learned that the old womans son
and daughter-in-law habitualy abused
her, and that she sat on the ground
most of the time"
who told you that" inquired Mr..
Darrow in a sneering tone.
81 can't remember"
You nave been told that since?"
I'm December, | think"
$50 that you didn't turn her out to
sit on the ground in October because
you thought it was her habit?'
mo, sir"
lis there one of the 13 men mention
ed who has ever been guilty of Grim
inal act, so far as you know" queried
Mr.. Darrow.
NO" said the witness.
"Why were these men turned out?"
Because Mr.. Markle said they had
committed acts for which he did not
care to reemploy them"
Samuel Dickson, counsel for the com.
pany sprung a surprise on the oppos-
ing counsel by requesting the commits
sion to summon to the stand ID. J.
Mccarthy, of Hazleton, one of the
miners attorneys. Mr. Dickson stated
that he desired to question Mr.. Nc
Carthy concerning the evictions made
by the Markle company and also re-
garding a statement he had made be-
fore the commission at Scranton.
Mr.. Dickson then asked Mr.. McCar-
thy if he went TO see the sheriff Of
the county about the evictions where
upon Mr.. Mccarthy announced
81 asked the sheriff to give me
twenty-four hours notice of his in
tention to serve the writs. as it was
necessary for me to know in order that
] might appeal to the court to prevent
the summary elections. He said he
would be only too Glad to give me no.
tice. He failed to do so, and the men
and their families were set out in he
street. On meeting the sheriff subsc-
ouently in Hazleton, | upbraded him