The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-24
President Roosevelt Asked to Interfere to Keep Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison
 from Jail.
MINE WORKERS PETITION
American Federation Chiefs Out on SI2.000 Bail Pending Appeal from Heavy Sentence for Con-
 tempt of Court.

Washington, Dec. 23 Twelve months in jail for Samuel Gomrers, president; nine months for John Mitchell one of the e-presidents, and six months for Frank Morrison, secretary, all of the American Feder- ation of Labor was the sentence i'm posed by Justice Wright of the su- preme court of the District of Colum bia to-day, for contempt of court In violating an order previously issued enjonng them from placing on the 'unfair" or I've don't patroni2e list the Bucks Stove and Range company of st. Louis, Mo-
 All three of the defendants were in court when sentence was pronounced and notice of an appeal 10 the court of appeals of the District of Columbia at once was filed, Gompers being re- leased on S5,0O0 Mitchell on &,o00, and Morrison on S8,000
 Whether President Roosevelt will take any action as he has been urged to do in telcgrams received from diff A'' 'llA di'l VT HtAiilNh Aiull1 lllVhk llVuA the country, relative to Judge Wrlghts decision, has not been decided. it was said at the White House to-day. It was explained there that the presl- dent has not read the decision and therefore cannot say if he will take any action, It was hinted, however, that some action might he taken if he i' convinced that the sentence is un- just, if 1t is affirmed upon appeal
 The various labor organizations in protesting to the president against the sentence urge him Co prevent the in- carceration or the labor leaders, The Illinois United Mine Workers sent this telegram, signed hy President John II. Walker. the vice president, secretary treasurer and members of the execu- tive board
 Tn the name of 75.O00 mine work CTS in Illinois we desire to protest against the recent decision committing to prison servitude those great com moners and representatives Of tho American labor movement, Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank Morrison. These may be guilty of breach of law but a law that denies the use of free press and full speech is breach of the fundamental princi- pies ofNour country such decisions only tend to create cnmlty and class hatred. We respectfully solicit your influence to prevent tho incarceration of these mcn."
 In addition 10 the wife and daugh- ter of Gompcrs, there were present number of local labor leaders and others who were attracted by the notice that a decision in the famous case would De announced today MT Gompers family were vislbly affected With tears courslnE down his own cheeks, President Gompors heard the order of the court which condemned him to prison for year Both Mitchell and Morrison seemed stunned by the sentence, although Mir Mitchell appeared to Dc tho least concerned Asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not bc pronounced, President Gompcrs declared that he had not conscientiously violated any law. There was much he would Ike to say, he said. but he could not do it at that time He added, however. that this is struggle of the working people of our country and it is struggle of the working people for the right II Is struggle of the ages a struggle of the mon of the labor to throw off some of the burdens which have been hcaped upon them; to abol- ish some of the wrongs and to secure some of the rights too long denied
 Mitchell and Morrison confined