Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-09
HELD It AN insult
CONTINUED from First Page.)

course has been in an effort to contend
for the principles of free speech and free
press, the offer Of an apology-the sug-
gestion of an apology-was an insult
The cross-examiner then inquired
If this was the only explanation the
witness wished to make of his refusal
to avail himself Of the opportunity given
by the committee to apologize.
1T haze none other to make" answered
Mr.. GOmpers.
In the course Of the cross-exam1nat1on
of Mr.. Mitchell, Attorney Davenport
not said: IT wish to say for myself
and 1 yield to no man living IN loyalty
to this country-that if a judge were 70
enjoin me from doing something thaI
had a legal, constitutional and moral
right to do / should violate the injunc-
tion?"
The witness could not recollect that he
used the language mentioned. but de-
clared the statement to be substantially
as read
Coming to the convention in Indian
ar oils. where the resolution to fine any
member purchasing a Bucks stove was
adopted, Mr.. Davenport asked witness:
Wind on Other Things.
IF the fact be that You were presiding
when the committee made its report
recommending the adoption of the reso-
luton, that you put it to q vote OF the
convention and declared it to have been
adopted, do you wish 1t to be understood
that your several acts Of participation in
it's passage were the result OF uncon-
seriousness upon your part Of what was
going on in the convention in that regard
and Of what you yourself were doing?"
Mr.. Mitchell responded, IF the court
should conclude I was presiding and
performed the functions enumerated.
,,1l c1x he haItQVQ L
did not understand the import of the
resolution or the action Of the conven-
tion''
Continuing the witness explained that
he was then in ill-health and placed at
a disadvantage by mental worry. He
was about to retire. he said, as presl-
dent of the mine workers. and contracts
involving 100000 miners were about to
expire 1t was his ambition. he stated.
to renew these contracts and prevent
coal strike His mind was concentrated
on the solution of this problem.
Witness admitted he had not attempt
ed in his speech to the convention year
later to notify his fellow workers that
resolution.
Mr.. Mitchell on Injunctions.
Mr.. Mitchell on the stand yesterday
afternoon decried what he termed the
indiscriminate granting of injunctions
preventing working people from making
honest efforts to secure fair treatment
at the hands Of employers. He called the
ment of the rights of the citizen, and de-
clared they had done more than anything
else to shake the confidence of the peo-
pie in the integrity Of the courts.
Speaking calmly and deliberately, the
witness looked at Justice Wright and
said: mo citizen should be deprived OF
the rights which are guaranteed him by
the Constitution.
Calling attention to the fact that he
and his associates had been sentenced to
Jail without being allowed trial by jury.
Mr. Mitchell stated.
Not even the meanest criminal. the
monster who killed his mother, he who
assails the purity and chastity Of your
daughter, is denied the right to have his
case tried by jury. This right Is de-
MED us for no other crime than to fight
for. the right Of freedom of speech and
press and the ameliOration of the work.
ing people"
Calls Sentence Unjustifed.
The sentence imposed ON him and
his associates, he said, was unjustified
by any act which may have been COM
mitted by them. He had never said or
written anything, he averred. in the
Bucks Stove and Range Company case
having for its purpose to boycott that
firm or preaching boycott against it. He
said that his understanding Of the in
junction had been that they were en-
Joined and restrained from speaking to
the employees Of the company as means
to further a boycott"
Mr.. Mitchell denied signing the ''urg-
ent appeal and had nothing to do, he
said. with the editorials published in the
Federationist AS to whether he was
presiding at the convention of the United
Mine Workers when the resolution filming
any member who. purchased a Buck
stove was passed, witness could not re-
CALL He was presiding officer of the
convention, but did not remember
whether he occupied the chair when the
resolution was carried.