The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-01-13
DEFENJS MINERS UNION
Mitchell Resents lmputation That II
Was Responsible For Violence.

Was Responsible For Violence.
HIS TILT WITH JUDGE GRAY
Strikers Attorneys Want Baer and
Msrkle TO Prove That Twenty-one
Murders We're Committed. As Told
20 President Roosevelt.
Philadelphia. Jan. 9.-The principal
feature OF the proceedings before the
coal strike commission yesterday was
tho exception taken BY President
Mitchell to 4 remark made BY Chair
man Gray that he would like to SEQ
the Miners Union come up out Of the
miro that is around the baser parts OF
II into the sunlight Outside OF this
the entire day was taken NO in hear
ing the stories OF rau-union men or
their relatives of alleged pcrsccu.
tons during the period of the strike.
The Mitchell incident was brought
about by Commissioner Parker. An.
thony Ferguson. outside foreman at
the North Mahauoy collery. of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company. testified that he was
beaten while on his way 20 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. 4 member OF the executive
board Of the union in the district
where the assault was committed for
the information desired. Giniey said
he did not know whether the local
union 10 which the men belonged took
any action. and he went on to give a
long explanation OF how the local I'M
ions and individual strikers used
every means TO dispense crowds and
help maintain the peace.
Chairman Gray then askcl. no
you wait for conviction by the civil
authorities before disciplining your
men? Do you think you can have ef-
fective discipline unless YOU make in
vesigations yourself and bring the
men up and punish them In some way?
! ask you as n member OF the order
and as a man who would be tlad to
see your order come up out Of the
mis and the clouds that are around
the baser parts OF So. into the sun
light and into the air OF free Govern
mcDc and free country2"
III 1t Is proven that orr men have
committed acts Of violence. there is
no question about our discipuning
them" replied the witness.
Then Mr. Mitchell arose and said.
81 do not know whether I quite under
stand you in expressing yourself TO
the witness rs TO your solicitrde for
the organization. that it should rise
above the mire or that part Of it should
rise above the mire.r
Chairman Gray. "Perhaps I may
have been misunderstood Il was not
an unfriendly wish that was expressed
said hoped it would lift itself out
of the mire and OF the conditions
created by these things which have
been testified TO. around its baser
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
las to the action of our organiza-
ton and the position OF the coal OBJ
orators" Mr. Mitchell said. ~there is
no doubt in my mind that many Of the
witnesses are brought here. nd do
not come as Witnesses ordinarily do.
TO testify against the strikers snd in
directly against the United Mine
Workers. II does seem to M until
there is some connection shown be-
tween the United Mine Workers of
America and acts of lawlessness the
organization Should not be placed I'M
der any indictment at all"
Chairman Gray said that he did not
wish Mr.. Mitchell TO understand that
any thing he said indicted the organi-
cation.
Mr.. Mitchell said he did not know
that any member of the union had
been expelled. and added that until
men are convicted of violation of law
the organization had no right to expel
them and thus prejudice their case be-
fore the trial court. Chairman Gray
said that Mr.. Mitchell's point was well
taken so far as concerns those under
indictment, but what he waited to
know was whether any OF those men
were ever called up who had been no
toriously engaged in Illegal acts and
to whether they were subjected to dis
cipline by the organization.
The lawyers for the miners called
the attention of the commission to the
fact that President Baer and John
Markle told President Roosevelt that
21 murders were committed during the
strike. and they wanted the operators
to prove the assertion. Chairman
Gray said the commission also wanted
them to prove the statement