The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-12
Senators Co Over "BattlefieIdS''
of Coal Strike.
Hundred BraWny Miners on
Hand to Give Testimony.
GLASSCOCK FAILS TO APPEAR
Disarranges Committees Plans
Star Witness.
Miners Tells Senators of Part
Taken i'm Battles.

! Charleston, w. Va. June 12-Five
United States senators today started
back into the West Virginia hills 20
view the "battlefelds'' of the coal
strike on Paint Greek and Cabin Creek.
The failure of former Governor Glass
cock to reach Charleston today result
ed in the disarranging of the senate
mine investigating committees pro-
gram and preparations were made i'm
mediately for the trip to the mines
which had been planned for later. A
special train on the c. & o. railway
was provided and an itinerary was ar
ranged which included all of the prin-
cipal mines on both the Paint and
Cabin Greek spurs of the railway. BE
fore starting for the hills the COM
mittee heard one witness on the sub
ject of interference with the postal
service. John Goldsborough told that
his letters had been opened at the High
Coal postoffice in BONNER mine field.
No further witnesses were on hand
and the committee adjourned to pre-
pare for the trip to the mines
Hundred Miners on Hand.
Down the sunbaked hills of West
Virginia today, came a hundred brawny
coal miners to tell the senate mine
country was transformed into a the
ater of civil war. They thronged the
lobby of the hotel where the commit
tee held it's hearings awaiting the dis
position by the committee of former
Governor Glasscock, who was to have
been the star witness of the day. Gov
ernor Glasscock was chief executive of
the state when the mine workers struck
on Paint Creek and Cabin Greek, and
issued the proclamationS which placed
the strike district under the dominion
of the state militia. From him the
committee desired to secure the record
evidence as to conditions which pre-
ceded the declaration of martial law
and proceedings under martial law.
Through the testimony of Governor
Glasscock the mine operators planned to
place in the record their contention
that when the militia superseded the
civil courts in the strike district the
civil authorities had notified the gov
ernOr that they were unable to cope
with the situation. Urged by their de-
sire to cut as short as possible the
hearings at Charleston, the committee
members today planned to hear only a
few of the small army of witnesses
summoned and in attendance.
Need Not Answer Questions.
The ruling of the committee that no
witness should be compelled to an I
swer questions tending to incrininate
much of the examination of wit |
nesses by the attorneys of the opera
tors. This became quite apparent in |
the examination of John Seachrist, |
young miner, summoned to testify as |
to Interference with the postal service |
Attorney knight for the operators un-
dertook to cross-examne him. He be- |
gan with a discussion of the mine own
ers' plans of issuing scrip to miners
as an evidence of work done, negoti- |
able at the company stores. Seachrist |
said that to negotiate scrip for cash |
at 10 per cent discount was a pretty |
good trade"
Admits Attacking Town.
Then Attorney knight elected that
Seachrist had admitted he was one
of a party that attacked the village of
Mucklow on February 10 of this year.
How many men were there?'' he
was asked.
About 1oO,' said the witness
Were they armed?'
Yes
How many shots were fired?"
''Well, 1 reckon, 1 just could not
say
did not you fire any shots?"
Yes
with what?''
with 2 gun
Where did you get it?"
4 bought it, said the witness, shift
lHS d Cuu VI lObdCCO anu reaching IOE
the committees official cuspidor.
"Just Happened Along"
He explained that he bought the gun
ION the road" from a man he had never |
seen before, shortly after the strike be-
gan last April. Attorney knight want |
ed to know who told him to go to |
Mucklow Hill to attack the town and
where he got his ammunition for his |
gun. He said he just happened along |
there and that most of his ammuni- |
ton he bought in Montgomery
At this point two questions brought /
the committee to its feet and resulted |
in a ruling that the witness need not |
answer questions tending to incrimi- /
nate him. Attorney Knight wanted to !
know if Walter DiehI had ordered |
Seachrist TO go to Mucklow Hill for !
the battle and if G. F. Parsons had |
furnished him and other men with am
munition. Neither question was an |
swered Attorney knight urged in |
vain that he expected to prove a con-
spiracy, involving men now present |
before the committee connected with |
the Mucklow Hill battles
Through This Week.
The committee expected to keep down /
the list of witnesses as much as DOS !
sible in order to shorten the hearings /
and the scores of miners who crowded |
the room, although under subpoena |
were not expected to be heard at |
length. The committee hopes to con-
clude the hearings this week. /
Child Dies From Burns.