The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-06-14
That This Action Was Taken
Twice Shown in Core
spondence of Former Gov
ernor Classcock, w. Va.
MINE GUARDS RODE
ON RAILWAY PASSES
Number of Witnesses APP
peared Before Committee
Today and Told of Abuses
of the Mine Guards.
(National News Association


CHARLESTON, w. Va, June IA
The senatorial investigating commit
tee today placed c. o. Honaker. rail-
road conductor, on the stand to show
tlsat the Baldwin Feltz mine guards, as
all guards are termed by the miners,
had been riding on passes issued by
the railroad company. This, the min
ers contended, was a violation of law.
Former Governor Glasscock was re-
called today to testify regarding gen.
eral causes leading up to the strike.
The ex-governor read much CORES
pondence between himself and the coal
operators and the United Mine Work
ers.
Refused Arbitration Plan.
These letters showed that on two
occasions the coal operators refused
to arbitrate because that would be a
recognition of the union, placing the
operators and miners of other states
T in control of the coal industry of West
Virginia. These and other matters
were read into the records. In this
connection Attorney Knight took an
active part, insisting upon getting in
to the record the reasons why the coal
companies could not deal with the un-
ion.
The committee frequently found it
necessary to stop the trend of the
questioning on both sides.
ex-governor Glasscock expressed it
as his belief in answer to questions by
Chairman Swanson that had the oper-
ators signed and agreed to the terms
of the agreement offered by him there
would have been no necessity for mar
tial law. The ex-governor was on the
stand two hours. The miners fol-
lowed with a number of witnesses to
show abuses by mine guards Among
the witnesses were ]. H. Pike presi-
dent of the local union at Holly Grove.
Mine Officers Arraigned.
The officials. of the United Mine
Workers of America, under indictment
on charges of violating the Sherman
antitrust law, appeared before Judge
Keller of the United States court for
the Southern District of West Virginia
at noon today. They gave bond in
the sum of $1,000 each for their ap-
pearance for trial on July 49, 1t is
charged that they conspired with coal
operators in other states for calling
the strike in the WesEs.,irginia fields.
Causes of thssatrike.
Inquiry into the causes of the strike
in the Paint Creek coal fields, and
rs%
pied the entire time of the senate
subcommittee investigations at last
nights sessions. Some fifty miners
were subpoenaed from Paint and Cab
in Creeks, and the committee insisted
tnat these be hurried through as rap
idly as possible. The witnesses so
far examined as to the cause of con-
ditions are all strikers and their wives
The riotous conditions in the strike
zone were laid at the door of the mine
guards by the strikers who testified.
Most of the witnesses so far examined
as to this phase of the investigation
We're from Paint Creek proper and
their testimony referred to the
town of Mucklow, property of the Paint
Creek Golfers company, and controll-
ed by Scranton (Pa) capitalists. Muck
low, the first mining camp up Pain
Creek from the Kanawha river, has
been thrice shot up" since the strike
was ordered. April IS, 1912, and there
was little doubt that the firing from
the mountain sides into the village
was. done by strikers.
Increase Was Refused.
Last year the operators refused to
grant the increase of 212 cents per
ton, expected by the Cleveland min.
ers' convention, and the agreement was
discontinued. Many of the miners
went on strike. and early in May the
first guards were brought into the
district. Until that time the mine
leaders claim they had been peaceful
Armed guards evicted them from com.
pany property, and reign of terror
ensued. There has been no complaint
Of short weights, high store prices or
the houses in which the miners lived.