New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-16
MINERS FEAR FOR LAWS.
Yarn Mitchell That Requirement
of Certificates Is Threatened.

The anthracite miners are impressed with the
belief that the operators are trying to have the
Pennsylvania miners certificate law declared
constitutional with the ultimate purpose Of de-
claring a lockout next April and filling the mines
with cheap Hungarian and Polish labor So firmly
do they believe this that District Presidents Fahy
and Dettry sent telegram of warning TO Presi-
dent John Mitchell, after listening to the evidence
in hearing in the Astor House In the case OF
NJ. J. Shea. who is alleged to hold Illegally a GER
tificate permitting him to work in the Pennsyl-
vania mines.
One of the coal road presidents yesterday char
acterized the miners fears as "bosh He said
that there never had been d lockout In the an
thracite fields and was not contemplated now
lockout he said. was largely expression used
to carry weight in a strike but in practice one
rarely existed. The operators, he continued, We're
well satisfied with present conditions and hoped
that they would continue There need be no fear
of lockout but for a strike-weL, no one
could safely predict what the miners would do
under any given conditions.
Shea came on from the bituminous mines Of Illi-
nois some time ago and got certificate IN eenn-
syIvauia According to the Pennsylvania law,
man must have worked two years mine Iaoorer
before he is entitled to one of these certificates
The mine workers unions assert that Shea got
his certificate by. Misrepresentation, and that ne
did this in the of the operators. who want
to have the law declared void When the case was
brought to the attention of the authorities District
Attorney w R. Lewis of Lackawanna County be
gan action in the equity court to have Sheas
certificate annulled.
AS the case is to be tried in November, c. Wendt
appointed by the court commissioner to take
the testimony in this city Of miners from eight
States The hearing, which has been in progress
since Wednesday in The Astor House, ended yester-
day. The coal operators and Shea were represented
by ]. OBrien J. H. Terry and Amos P. Rhodes.
George j. Horn represented Pennsylvania, and John
R. Jones' formerly District Attorney of Scranton,
was present in the interest of the miners.
Testimony which the miners regarded as particu-
lary tending to prove their contention in regard
the operators purpose was given by John Roach an
Illinois miner and John Carroll also from Illinois.
In answer questions by Mr.. Jones, Roach said
that he was working a street cleaner, and
that he got IS day and his travelling expenses for
coming here to testify. Carroll said he considered
that the Pennsylvania law protected the miners,
but that he was asked to come on here and tell
whether the Western miner could dig anthracite.
which. in his opinion he could.
Fourteen miners altogether We're examined.
Every one asserted that he had worked in both
hard and soft coal mines and declared the Penn
sylvania law to be unfair. They said. also,
that the law passed in the interest of the
anthracite miners and Disseminated against the
soft coal men, who are just as experienced miners
George Richmond a miner from Missouri said that
he went to work with his father in the Pennsy-
vania mines when he was fourteen years old, and
worked about five years helper in different
anthracite mines He said that there diff
been gas in several Of the anthracite mines in
which he had worked, but in his opinion. miner
not accustomed to gas would be able to go into
a hard coal mine and blast coal properly and with
perfect safety to his fellow workmen
A miner named Green from West Virginia,
recalled by Mr.. Jones and asked:
You say you worked alongside John Mitchell in
the soft coal mines at Spring Valley. ILL.,"
Yes" replied Green.
And you got well acquainted with MITCHELL"
II did not fall in love with him
And he is the same John Mitchell that is the
President Of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea ?"
YES the same man"
You are sure OF that?"
Yes"
With this reply. Mr. Jones drew from his pocket
the following telegram which he read to the wit
ness:
Shamokin. Penn, September Is, 1905
J. R Jones, Aston House. New York
I understand that a witness named Green testi-
fed yesterday that he worked with me in the
mines at Spring Valley, Ill. never worked with
man named Green in my life, either Spring
Valley or elsewhere. JOHN MITCHELL.
On objection by Mr.. O'Brien. the telegram was
not accepted evidence.