The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1910-03-03

the citizens in that vicinity. After the
matter was brought into court and the
cases tried, all of the men We're acquitted
The second time the men were arrested
on sworn affidavit of man by the
name OF Boiling, who was evidently hired
by some to do this work. The men
allowed this man Boiling to go into the
local union, thinking he would prove to
be all right and would stand with the rest
of the men at Williamsport, but he mere
ly wanted to join the organization to
place himself in a position SO that he
could say that he was a member of the
local union, and by SO doing, put him
self IN a position where he would receive
more recognition at the hands of the
courts by making false affidavit than
he would if not a member of our oreani-
zation. However, his testimony was i'm
peached by fifteen reliable witnesses, but
In spite of all this, the Justice before
whom the cases were tried, bound four of
our men over to the Grand Jury.
The cases against these men are at.
tracing great deal of attention from
the public in this entire section, and par
ticularly at Paintsville, the county seat
where the cases were tried. The four
men who are charged with this offense are
out OF Jail on bond, and their cases will
come up some time this month The firm
OF Howe, Vaughan s. Howe are retained
TO look after these cases. an quite sure
that our people will be acquitted. There
than the men who live at Wiliamsport.
never was a more law-abiding set of men
" T toJ ~
submit report in regard to the litigation
which he has had in charge, which I de-
sire to incorporate in this report, all of
which is self-explanatory.
Charleston, West Va,
February %, 1910.
Mr. Ben Davis,
President of District No. II,
U. M. w. of A.,
Charleston, West Va.
At your request I hereby submit re.
port OF matters referred to me by you, for
attention in behalf of the United Mine
Workers within the past year.
Detailed reports of these matters were
made to you under date of June 18th and
July 18th, 1909.
Clay Coal Companp
In the matter Of the cases of the Clay
Coal Company vs.. James Schoolcraft.
same vs.. Henry Mace, and same vs.. Ord
Welch, in which 1 appeared for defend
ants, beg to state that these men were
living in the houses of that company un-
der an oral agreement. The company
varied from the April, zoos, agreement,
and these three men, among others, came
out on strike. Written notices were sery-
ed upon each of them by the company, no.
tifylng them to vacate the houses within
five days. The men refused to vacate.
and, therefore, the company brought
three several actions of unlawful detainer
and possession against these men, the sum-
mons IN each being returnable on the 2Sth
day of June, 1909, beofre p. II. Camp,
Justice of the Peace of Kanawha County,
at Clendcnnin, West Va
On the day set for. trial I had these
cases continued until the 5th day of July,
and on that day 1 had the cases again
continued until the 10th day of July, on
which day the cases were all heard, and
the court rendered Judgment in each case
in favor of the company. We thereupon
gave notice of appeal and entered into
an agreement with the company and the
court that no writs of possession should
issue pending our decision in the matter
of the appeals.
The cases, however, were all adjusted |
and settled out of court by the company
paying the men for their gardens and the
men turning over possession to the com.
pany.
In each of these cases we showed in ey-
idcnce that the company had violated the
terms and conditions of the contract. un-
der which the men began work and enter
ed into possession of these houses, in
these particulars, viz, changed from the
short TOM to the ''long tom; from
nine hours per day to ten hours per day;
from two weeks pay to monthly pay, and
abolished the fixed price for the removal
of slate within the mne
Cabin Creek. !
In the matter of the trouble between
the miners at Ronda and the Coalburp
Colliery, and the at dry branch and
the Dry Branch Colliery Company, L beg
to say that the miners at these two places
went out on strike some time about the
middle of June, 1909, because the operat-