The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-08
Charged With Violating the
Sherman Antitrust
Law
John P. WHITE
: AMONG NUMBER
nlaged Defendants Conspired With
Coal Operators to Raise Wages
in Coal Fields-Perry's
Statement

Charleston, w. VA, June 7.-President
John p White and Is other officials of
the United Mine Workers of America
were indicted in the federal court here
today on a charge of violating the Sher-
man antitrust law. 1t is alleged the
defendants conspired with the coal oper-
ators of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana and Illinois to raise wages in the
West Virginia coal fields, SO as to pre-
vent its competition with other states.
Those named in the indictment are:
John P. White, president; Frank j. Hayes,
vice president; Thomas Haggerty, Joseph
yasey, James Cantrell, Charles Hatley.
Marco Roman, George II. Edmonds and
Benjamin f. Morris. organizers of the
United Mine Workers of America; Thom-
as Cairns, president; Clarence C. Grif-
: fifth, vice president; James NJ Crago. Sec
retary of district No. II, United Mine
Workers of America, and James Diana.
John Nutter, Rome Mitchell, w. s. Reese,
F. D. Stanley, u S. Cantley and A. d.
Lavender, subordinate officers of district
No. II.
It is said here that this case is the
first one in which officers of labor or
ganizations have been indicted on
charges of having violated the Sher-
man antitrust law
The indictments charge that the 10
men angaged in combination and
conspiracy in restraint of trade and
commerce. The offense is said to have
Started September 1, 1912, and con-
tinued since.
Agents of Organization
1t is charged that the indicted men
ante ar1 ,h<,. .f
"unincorporated voluntary organiza-
tion of individuals as labor union
known as the United Mine Workers of
America. having many thousands Of
members who unlawfully combined and
conspired together with the object and
intent of unionizing and making mem
bers of said organization the laborers
employed in and around the coal mines
Of the state of West Virginia in order
that and with the intent that said or
ganization, by regulating the wage to
be paid to said laborers for their work,
could and would fix and control the
price at which the coal mined In the
state of West Virginia could compete
with coal mined in the west part Of
Pennsylvania and in the states of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois in the markets of
the states in the United states outside
of West Virginia. The Indictment al
leges that coal produced in West Vir-
gina is Snlppeu III competition WIN
coal mined in the other states of the
competitive field and that not more
than Is per cent of the coal output
pf West Virginia is consumed within
the state.
n To Fix Wages
THE object and purpose of the Unit
led Mine Workers is to fix wages to be
paid to laborers and to refuse to allow
said laborers to work unless said
wages are paid" the complaint furth-
er reads. Continuing 1t is stated the
organization intends to unionze the
miners In West Virginia and If sue
cessful, to fix the price at which coal
of West Virginia could be sold in the
outside markets named, thus permit
ting the competitive states to compete
more favorably in the western markets
with the product shipped from West
Virginia
1t is charged that the mines in the
competitive states are .unionized. DOM
mated by the United Mine Workers
and the coal operators of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois have
entered into a combination and con-
spiracy with the miners union where
in the alleged conspirators have agreed
to prohibit the coal mined in West
Virginia In entering the lake markets
and Canada
The information upon which the in
dictment Is said to have been based
is said to be the result of an extend
ed probe into conditions by District
Attorney Hard A. Ritz of Blueheld. W.
Va. and his assistant. H. d. Rum
nell OF Charleston.
The indicted men, 1t is said. Will be
SUNNI moned into court during the COM
ing week.