Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-09-25
From West Virginia
CONTINUED Fnoa 1sT PAGE.

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Weston where l spoke on the night
after my arrest at Monogah. Com
rade DIR. M. Holt, who was chairman Of
my meeting, drew back his sleeve and
exhibited the mass of ugly bruises left
upon my arm by Chief of Police Viii
liam Finley. At this there was no mis-
taking the temper of the crowd. The
sought local man and offered him
ten dollars if he would tell them on
| what train l would leave town and
where would speak next OF this
DIR. Holt was promptly informed Dr.
Holt is an old and highly respected cit
| izen Of Weston. He and others in the
town said that if we wanted to tackle
Monogah again, they would come with
a large delegation to our meeting.
On the 25th, the stenographer, a
company spy and notorious B.. & o.
guard followed Comrade Snider and
me to Fairview, a town of 1000 in
habitants, As minutes out from Fair
mont. FairvieW is mining town, but
the mines are not owned by the Con-
solidation Company. We were told
upon our arrival there that trouble
was brewing. The mayor, however,
and the local police officer promised
that our meeting should have full pro
lection. The town was out in force.
spoke from the porch of the largest
hotel. Fleming, popularity known as
Jackie" stood braZenly near my plat
form. His life is of the mire and his
life is in his face. He is a typical thug,
a fine capitalization of rudianism.
reminded my audience that armed men
we're present in our peaceful meeting
and the crowd got ugly Fleming, well
accustomed to browbeating helpless
workers, advanced menacingly toward
me and fifty voices went up daring him
to go farther. His discretion prevailed.
From my stand requested the stenog-
rapher to tell the coal compay that
! go quite unarmed, but that l do not
fear their army of outlaws from Sen
ator Watson down; that l, in common
with other members of my class, did
not hold my life so wonderfully dear,
we have grown we'll accustomed to
capitalist slaughter but that if the
coal company sees fit to take the life
of a Socialist organizeb the inter
national party will see to it that the
price will be rather high, even for the
coal company. One might corrupt
Kipling to say:
Belize the price of the Socialists
life were more than thief could pay"
We secured eight signers for on.
charter application, and arranged
Quietly with the applicants to return
next Sunday for an organization meet
ing, as some of the most aggressive
Socialists Of the town were absent
at K. P. encampment. However, d
| delegation of citizens, including most
of the professional and business men
of the town, came to the station with
our party and urged me to return last
night to hold meeting. One said
1--WE will show you real meeting. I've
never been Socialist, but by the
eternal, I've voted the Democratic
ticket for the last time. Young woman,
that thug made. more Socialists in
this town than you did" l thereupon
promised to recommend Mr.. Fleming
to the National party as Socialist
maker.
A large part of the audience follow
ed us to the station. In the darkness,
a heated alteration arose between
Fleming and six-foot miner who want
led to relieve the guard OF his gun.
Jennings colleagues had escaped ear
lr. 1t was dark and we feared harm
to some of our people. / climbed up
on bank and urged the men present
to organize in the mines and at the
polls and rid themselves forever of
Fleming and his paymasters. but not
to give their lives in a fight in the
dark with cheap ruffian.
A change had come over the spirit
OF the company's dream. We returned
to Fairview last night where we were
WELCOMED by the people of the city. One
lof the company guards, several of whom
were on our car, approached the au-
thorities Of Fairview smilingly and
blandly informed them that there had
been done great injustice to the COM
lpany-"that their guards were in my
meeting and gave me protection"
One could almost exclaim, what do
you know about that" The gifts of
these modern Greeks brought no IA
vorS from us. and the company was
asked last night to explain why they
had searched the jails of the country,
raked hell and sifted the cinders, so to
speak. to find men who were criminal
enough to carry out the program Of
tyranny in this commonwealth.
i We shall have at least thirty mem
bers in local Fairview and local Hay
wood which had "a in the beginning,
has added Is comrades to its original
list. The coal company won for us a
fine and sympathetic hearing and they
are giving much impetus to our or
ganization work all along the line.
Comrade Parsons Is workin gin the
state. Comrade Kintzer reports a to-
tai of eight charter annEcatinns re.