Evening journal., 1903-01-09
CRAY TIRES Of
TALES OF VIOLENCE
Mitchell Resents Iinputation
That Miners Union Was
Responsible
WI WITH THE JUDGE ENSUEI

Philadelphia, Jan. 9.-The principal
feature Of the proceedings before the
coal strike commission yesterday was
the exception taken by President
Mitchell to remark made by Chair
man Gray that he would like TO see
the Miners Union come up out Of the
mire that is around the baser parts of
it into the sunlight. Outside of this
the entire day was taken up in hear
Ing the stories of non-union men or
their relatives Of alleged persecu-
tons during the period Of the strike.
The Mitchell incident was brought
about by Commissioner Parker. An
thony Ferguson, outside foreman at
the North Mahanoy colliery, of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company, testified that he was
beaten while on his way to work, that
he recognized two of his assailants
as union men. and that they were pros
ecuted and convicted. Noting the In
terest the commission took in Mr..
Parker's question. the lawyers for the
non-union men called on Terrence
Ginley, a member of the executive
board of the union in the district
where the assault was committed for
the information desired. Ginley said
he did not know whether the local
union to which the men belonged took
any action, and he went on to give a
long explanation OF how the local un.
ions and individual strikers used
every means to disperse crowds and
help maintain the peace.
Chairman Gray then asked: do
you wait for conviction by the civil
authorities before disciplining your
men? DO you think you can have eff
fective discipline unless you make in
vestigations yourself and bring the
men up and punish them in some way!
l ask you as a member of the order
and as a man who would be glad to
see your order come UP out of the
mire and the clouds that are around
the baser parts of 1t, into the sun
light and into the air Of free govern
ment and free country?"
'If it is proven that our men have
committed acts of violence, there is
no question about our disciplinine
them" replied the witness.
Then Mr.. Mitchell arose and said;
81 do not know whether quite under
stand you in expressing yourself tc
the witness as to your solicitude fol
the organization, that it should rise
above the mire or that part of It should
rise above the mire."
Chairman Gray: Perhaps I may
have been misunderstood. 1t was nof
an unfriendly wish that was expressed
said I hoped it would lift itself ou
of the mire and of the conditions
created by these things which have
been testified to. around its basel
parts"
Mr.. Mitchell in reply said that while
the commission is going to determine
all questions that are being presented
here there is a greater jury passing
upon the attitude Of the strikers.
"As to the action of our organiza
ton and the position of the coal op
orators" Mr.. Mitchell said, there il
70 doubt in my mind that many of thu
witnesses are brought here, and d.
not come as witnesses ordinarily dc
to testify against the strikers and in
directly against the United Min
Workers. It does seem to me unit
there is some connection shown be
tween the United Mine Workers o
America and acts of lawlessness tn
organization should not be placed un
der any indictment at all"
Chairman Gray said that he did no
wish Mr.. Mitchell to understand tha
any thing he said indicted the organ
cation.
Mr.. Mitchell said he did not lznoy
that any member of the union ha
been expelled, and added that unit
men are convicted of violation of lay
the organization had no right to expe
them and thus prejudice their case bs
fore the trial court Chairman Ora
said that Mr.. Mitchell's point was wel
taken so far as concerns those unde
indictment, but what he wanted t
know was whether any of those me
were ever called up who had been M
toriously engaged in illegal acts an
to whether they were subjected to dil
cipline by the organization.
The lawyers for the miners calle
the attention of the commission to tn
fact that President Baer and job
Markle told President. Roosevelt ths
21 murders were committed during tn
strike. and they wanted the operator
to prove the assertion. Chairma
Gray said the commission also wante
them to prove the statement.