The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-01-13
NON-UNION MIN CLOSE
Coal Strike Commission Heard $50
Of Their Witnesses.
GENERAL GOBLIN ON THE STAND
Miners Attorney Asked Him to E,

Miners Attorney Asked Him to Ex.
plain His Famous shoot to XIII"
order-coal Companies Open Their
Case.
Philadelphia. Jan. 1O.-After occupy
ing eight days. during which time thev
presented about $50 witnesses. the
non-union men who are a party to the
arbitration agreement closed their case
yesterday before the coal strike com
mission. The coal companies opened
their case to-day, and according to the
plans of the operators the companies
VIII present their case in the order of
the geographical location of their
mines. The Delaware and Hudson
company. whose collieries are farthest
north. will first present its witnesses
and the others will follow. concluding
with the Philadelphia and Readln.
Coal and Iron company. which is in
the southern part OF the coal fields
The principal witness before the
commission yesterday was Lieutenant
Governor J. p. S. Goblin, senior brig
adier-general OF the National Guard OF
Pennsylvania. General Goblin was in
command of the Third brigade during
the time the troops were on duty in
the hard coal fields From his obser-
vations and from reports made TO him
by his officers. It was his opinion. he
said, that an excited state of lawless-
ness" existed in the regions: that dis
turDances were numerous: that the
presence OF troops was absolutely nee
essary TO preserve law and order. and
II was difficult TO maintain the law
even after all the troops in the state
had been placed in the disturbed terri
tory.
During direct and cross-examination
General Goblin had several tits with
Clarence s. barrow, counsel for the
miners. but they never reached a seri-
Gus point
After his entire brigade had been
called out the general said, the situa-
ton became extremely serious in soy
eral parts of the strike territory. and
he feared he could not cope with tho
situation II II grew worse. He so in
formed the governor. The now IA
nous shoot TO kill" order issued by
him after his soldiers had been at
tackled by stones. was touched upon
by Mr.. Darrow. The general said II
meant every word ii said. and that the
issuance of the order had a most salu-
tary effect upon the communities which
his soldiers covered. II had such a
good. effect that IL was not necessary
TO fire one shot. The order, he further
women and children. Mr.. barrow
called his attention to the fact that the
order did not except them, and the wit
ness replied that his men we're not en-
gagged in fighting women and children.
There was considerable cross-fire
between Mr.. barrow and the general
over the right of a sentry to fire upon
a man slulking about the camp of
soldiers after dark. The witness
finally gave II as his judgment that
sentry has right to shoot in guarding
the men in camp. This discussion was
brought about by Mr.. barrow reading
a communication from the late Colo
mel Theodore f. Hoffman OF the Eighth
regiment, TO the brigadier- general, in
which he reported that a sentry fired
on a man who was skulking around
the camp ct night and in which the
colonel added that he regretted there
was no result of the sentry's shooting.
In the sparring that followed this Gen
eral Goblin, who is a lawyer, would not
approve or condemn the sentiment ex-
pressed by Colonel Hoffman. The lat
ter died from pneumonia while on duty
in the coal fields.
Just before the cross-examination
was concluded. Mr. barrow wanted TO
know If he ever met certain coal oper-
ators. He was asked by Commissioner
Watkins the object of his questions,
and Mr. Darrow replied 80 show that
erslegatfihbyior .ppXtd tcto-tlitiesloca
his relations with the coal companies
were much more friendly to the oper-
ators than to the miners.
THAT is not true warmly replied
the general. and the discussion was
stopped there.
The testimony of a number of other
witnesses called yesterday was along
the same line as that presented dur
ing the last eight days of the commits
sion's sessions.
The evidence of the $50 witnesses
called by the lawyers for tho non-
union men since thoy opened their
case. related almost wholly to their
personal experiences and to the coDdi-
tons prevailing in the strlke-effectsd
territory as regards lawlessness. The
lawyers for the non-union men, in the
early proceedings Of the commission
at Scranton. flied a statement with the
arbitrators on behalf OF 1900 non
union mine workers. asking, among
other things. for a 20 per cent IN
crease in wages. insisting upon the
right TO work as many hours as they
choose. and protesting against any
agreement being entered into between
the Miners Union and the coal COM
panies which would interfere with tho
interests of the non-union men. During
the examination of these witnesses b.
the nOn-union mems lawyers they
never referred to the increase in wages
or to the hours OF work. These ques-
81. H..