Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-10
OPERATORS HAVE INNINGS
Eouunion Men Close Case Before Anthracite
Strike Commission.
GENERAL GOBLIN TELLS HIS STORY
Describes Conditions which Led "a
His Famou shoot 20 XIII"
order while on Duty In
CoRl Fields.

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 9.-After occupy
ing eight days In presenting $50 Witnesses
the nonunlon men CLOSED their case today
before the coaI strike commission.
The coal companies will open tomorrow
in the order Of the geographical location Of
their mines. The Delaware G. Hudson,
whose collierles are %furtnest north, will
come FIRST and the Reading, which Is in the
southern part OF the fields, will be the last.
The principal witness today was Lieu
tenant Governor j. Pl s. Goblin. senior
brigadier general Of the National Guard OF
Pennsylvania, who was in command Of the
Third brigade when It was on duty in the
hard coal fields.
He said the sheriff Of Carbon county re-
fused to call on the governor for troops.
Counsel for the miners took exception to
this statement, and Mr.. barrow referred to
the general as a wise and genial man"
This nettled General Goblin, and he said
he had been invited to testify by the strike
commission, and II the gentleman from
Chicago refers TO me again as he has Just
done | will refuse to answer any OF his
questions on his cross-examinatlon."
Mr.. Darrow disclsimed any intention OF
being disrespectful. The general said he
had been asked by the coal companies to
protect nonunion men, but he refused be-
cause he had not sufficient troops. He said
the situation was most serious. He feared
the railroad men would be inundated and
he would be unable to move troops. Threat
ening letters were also sent to him.
When he FIRST went into the coal region
with his men he was unable for a time to
get vehicles to carry his supplies. In Shen-
andoah and in the Panther creek valley
there was no civil authority at times. Com
wnNtNaag WrgNtaI ...zu H.. ..A $1,000 liz.
that the striking miners would give him
all the assistance they could, but as far
as he could remember they nev.r gave him
any help. though at the same time he did
not ask them to do so.
Men Only in Danger.
The now famous shoot to kill' orders
issued by him, after his soldiers had been
attacked by stones, was touched upon by
Mr.. barrow. The general said he meant
every word he said and that the order had
a most s~alutary effect upon the communi-
ties which his soldiers covered. 1t had
such a good effect that It was not necessary
TO fire one shot. Mr.. Darrow called his at
tention to the fact that the order did not
except women and children and witness re-
piled that his men were engaged in fighting
men.
Inere was considerable croBS-nfe over the
right of q sentry to Are upon a man skulk-
ing about the camp after dark. Witness
finally gave It as his Judgment that a sen
try had a right to shoot in guarding the
men IN camp
.JHst beforp the cross-examination- was
concluded Mr.. Barrow wanted to know n
General Goblin ever met certain coal oper-
ators.
He was asked by Mr.. Watkins the OBJ
ject Of his question and Mr.. barrow re-
+, piled: .i.l =
ITO show that his relations with the coal
companies were much more fasndly TO the
. operators than to the workers"
THAT is not true" warmly replied the
general, and the discussion stopped,
= q scene at n funeral.
Rev, Carl Hauser. a Lutheran minister
Of Freeiand, said when he was called upor
. to o~ficiate at the funeral OF a nonunior
man, In the Panther Creek valley. he ex.
perienced the greatest difficulty In secur-
ing pail bearers
when the body was taken from the housC
the strikers yelled ''scab'' and spat upor
the CONN, Some OF them made such re.
marks as; IT'S a shame to bury a 'scab;
throw him to the dogs
John Ervilla OF Jeddo, employed by Coke
Bros. during the strike, said he was al.
tackled by strikers and had an eye shot out
He was unable to recognize his assailant
Max Kiesleth, another employee OF Cox,
Bros, also told of having been assaulted.
Counsel for the nonunion men theI
called John Mitchell to the stand and asked
him II he knew William Dettrey, who wa: