The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-11-03
charleston, W. va,
February %, 1910
Hon w. f. Giasscock,
Governor OF West Virginia,
charleston. West Va.

OF February 18th, enclosing the letter OF
( MIR. c. a. Scragg, OF Monarch, making
complaint OF certain inhuman treatment
OF miners in this State, l beg to say
that the facts which Mr. Scrag. re-
{ ferred To i'll his letter, and concerning
which You inquired ri me, are as FOL,
lows:
ALBERT Deck. of Herrin, Illinois. was
1 sent by I. c. Lewis, President OF the
( United Min. Workers OF America. to
/ the New River Coal Fields TO gather GER
tain information, concerning which Mr..
! Lewis had received several letters from
lucn in that region. Mr.. Deck was stop
/ ping at the Hugurt Hotel in the little
town of Glen Jean. where he had been
at intervals since the first part oil Jan
nary OF this year. So far as we hav.
been able to ascertain he had been car
IyinS himself properly while there. and
had the esteem and respect OF the best
people there. The people generally, how
ever, did not know his business. and
wien pressed on this point he passed a.
81 hmberInan. From time To time. how.
ever. Mr.. Deck received word from APP
sous in that neighborhood were conspir-
ill, to do him serious bodily harm. Mr.
Deck, however, WHO l. an intelligent and
modest young man aud member OF the
, Masonic Order, did not believe he was in
danger and did no, leave thi. country IT.
he had been advised it would l,c best for
him to do
ErI l1N H.,
fourth day Of February. he was told
by Il reliable person that this person had
heard Il conversation on the night be
fore between certain persons. that the
sun Of One Hundred Dollars wa, to be
paid ior the arreS, and conviction of
Nh, Deck on some charge. or for an i'll
jury TO be done him. Alarmed at this
action. and upon the advice OF friends he
Left the town OF Glen jean on that
tn ins. u distance OF fifteen OF eighteen
miles. to til. Virginia Railroad, and took
passage on passenger train for the
city Of Charleston. On arriving at Deep
water, where the Viryinian train con
Y,ccts with the c. & =. Railway, certain
persons from the town OF Glen Jean. and
who had been suspected by Mr. Deck
and others. boarded the train and took
Nj. Deck back to Glen Jean, ON a war
KANT issued by local Justice OF the
Peace at Glen Jean, and charging MIR.
Deck with the otfense Of carrying II re
>qlver. On their arrival at Glen Jean
no Justice OF the Peace was to be found,
and Mr.. Deck was told to take care OF
himself that night and to report to the
Office Of tue Justice on the following
morning. He had requested his cap
tors to permit him to send Il telegram to
myself. advising me OF his arrest. rs
well as also Il message To the. Sheriff vi
Fuyettc County. advising him Of his az
rest, but this was denied him.
Mr.. Deck had not carried ii revolver,
did not have one with him. had never
| had one. and this alleged otfense is now
! known and was then known by the good
people of that town To be merely
Lrilmped up cllarSe. in order to get MIR.
Deck back to this town. On that night.
acting OH the advice III soIur of the best
people i'll Glen Jean. and upon his own
impulse. Mr. Deck employed II colored
fll;ti1 70 accompany llui GOWN the railroad
! his way to Thurmond. After going
down tue railroad track about perhaps
ON. mile and half, III about eleven
o'clock that night, Mr.. Deck and the col
ored man were suddenly confronted by
three men VIII" flashed burglar lanterns
, in their faces. and who were. armed with
rcvulvers and Inaccs and wearing masks
nl,on their faces. These men told Mr..
I Deck that they knew what his business
was. and that representative Of the
organized miners vas not permitted to
II. or to remain in that country. and
that they had beaten up other men there
and on the Norfolk x Western Railroad
and that it mot their intention to
Kill him. but L" beat him that it
would b" Il warning to other Representa-
tives OF the organized miners to stay
.lif Of that locality. Thcv then knocked
him down and beat him over the head
, ard body until he was ius.lISib. break
J ing both bones in his left leu and then
tried L" make him run down the rail
icad. which ctu,..d the broken bones to
protriide from the flesh. They then left
living the steel rail. After some time
: Mr.. Deck regained control Of himself
IA I.4.I l..