Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-28
Superintendent of Land Co.
Receives Black Hand Let
ter Threatening Death In
as Hours.
SHUT DOWN OF
PLANT EXPECTED
n Spirit Of Unrest At Me
Kce's Rocks In Strike
Zone.

llItSDuTg, IA, Aug. ES.-Samuel
Nclch, superintendent OF the land
company subsidiary to tRe Pressed
Steel Car Company, and controlling
the tenements from which the Nc
KEGS Rocks strikers were evicted,
has received a BLACK Hand letter
threatening death within twenty
eight hours
1t is believed that the letter enc
mated from the strikers and is not
from an organized band as is inti-
mated.
Government representatives are
still carrying on an investigation Of
the charges or brutal treatment of
the workmen. one Of the charges
which they Will fathom Is that strike
breakers were concealed ih filthy pits
while the government inspectors
We're visiting the works. Charges
or receiving bad food are also made
One hundred and fifty more men
left the Pressed Steel Car COmpany's
plant today. All the others VIII
probably leave tonight or tomorrow
Complaints of bad treatment are
growing as the peonage investigation
continued.
Trouble is feared FOR several reas-
ons, the principal one being the fact
that imported workmen have been
deserving the Pressed Steel Car plant
In droves OF from two to two hsn-
dred. The men declare unequivo-
cally that they nave been misusod,
subjected to indignities and forced TO
work whether they chose or not.
"A spirit OF unrest prevades Nc
KEGS Rocks and the strike zone The
strikers declare that before morning
the Pressed steel Car Company will
be forced to suspend operations. But
300 workmen were left in the plant
slast night at sundown, so the desert
ing wOrkmen declare.
The grounds surrounding the river
gate OF the plant presenteS a pictur-
esque sight last night. Encamped
there were over 900 worKmen who
left the car works during the day
and who say they VIII stay near the
car plant Offices until they get at
least a portion OF the wages due
them. The sncamped workmen de-
clare they Will stay on watch al the
car company until they are forced 10
retire by force.
Stories told by the workmen who
have quit their jobs IN the car plant
are almost unbelievable. Conditions.
according TO these workmen, were
practically unbearable inside the car
plant stOckade. Soup prepared from
rotting vegetables was served them.
th"y declare, by filthy negro walters.
picked up from employment agencies
in the slums OF Pittsburg. Beds
Nled with vermin were given them
to sleep on, they declare, while they
were charged exhorbitant prlcs for
clothing, even two-cent stamps sell
ing at four for ten cents in the car
company commissary. These stor-
les were made the subject OF am-
davits IN the government probe into
allegal peonage conditions al the car
plant.
Sensational developments in the ses-
sion OF the government peonage
probers developed when several wit
nesses declared on affidavit that they
h2d been treated worse than dogs. q"
had been served rotten FOO the car
company had "faiiol to keep fnan-
cial promises and car company
bosses had 'threate1ed 10 blow heads
or with Tevolvers. Charges that
gambling was allowed TO go ON uu-
checked in the ear company commits
sary were also made.
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