The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1905-02-24
JAMES zELIHsKA sQUANDERED|
MINERS MONEY AT POKER AND
Is ARRESTED ON SERIOUS
CHARGE.
roPpfEpLY WORKED IN THIS FIELD
AND IS WELL KNOWN HERE
TELLS HIS TALE OF WOE.
IN Charged with Beating Hotel Keep
ers Out Of Board and Passing Worth
less checks-Dropped Money Quickly
in Poker Game.

James Lellnbkl, an Organizer IN IN ~
service Of the United Mime Workers I'M.
til recently, and wao was in this field
tnree years ago, has been arrested at
Boswell, Pa. on a charge Of defrapding
boarding. mouse keepers and passing
WORTHLESS caecis. lie had the following
to say Of ais troubles after his arrest:
zeiinska went to Connellsvills, Pa
last May as an organizer Of tne United
Mine Workers Of America, and claims
tdat during his stay in Connelkville ne
succeeded in converting large number
of the non.union miners and established
several local unions. About four
months ago, Zelinska says, he got a
touch of American sporting fever and
was induced to take q iiand in the fass
chatting game Of poker. A well known
Connellsyille poker shark presented him
WITH a scheme to make money fastsr
taan it i turned out Of the United
States mints. Tie had a sucker with
500 and told Zclinska that With his as
sistance 1t would be IN easy matter to
secure the roll. Zelinska says he took
to tne scheme and game was arranged
for the same day in his room in a
Water street notel. zelinska proved
the sucker and dropped $50 in few
minutes. He raised $50 more by malS-
ing a loan from friend. This went the
same way as another $50 sZelinslsa rais-
ed on his diamond stud. For fous
months after that day, zelinska says,
he played tine sucker act and nearly
every cent of his salary Of sle5 per
month went over the green cloth.
The annual statement published by
the United Mine Workers of America.
for the year ending January u 1905,
SHOWS that zelinska mas received
si.s72.2o. zelinska says he spent more
taan this sum in connellsville and ac-
ccrding to the books of three hotel pro-
prietors, he mas paid but small amount
of his board bill.
The Homecoming Star comments edi-
torially on his arrest as follows:
An instance of now considerable
amount of the miners, hard-earned
money is spent by tae national treasury
Of the United Mine Workers will be
found in our news columns. An organ
izer, whose duty 1t was to give instruc.
tion and advice to the striking miners in
the Meyersdale field. ami whose position
required that by mis- conduct ne should
at least set good example to his fol
lowers-this apostle of the rights of
the workingmen spent mis- fine salary at
pokar and is now in jail for passing
worthless checks
This fellows name is Zelinskn. The
Star picked MIN out as bad egg a year
ago. and because of that was subjected
to dose of hot air from the5same in
dividual over the telephone. zslinska,
in That interview, prated about ais non.
esty, his solicitation for the miners and
exhibited the red spots made from his
bleeding heart for the downtrodden. 1t
is safe to say in the light Of recent de-
velopments. that Zeiinska dropped the
telephone receiver and MED himself to
the green-cloth table, where he whiled
away the hours, That should have been
devoted to mis- cause, in frvid dalliance
with the fascinating kitty.