The Washington times., 1913-07-06
LABOR SECRETARY
H TELLS OF ARREST
Wilson, Replying to Hearst's
Paper, Denies Any Attempt
to Conceal Record.

Continued from First Page1
course President Wilson, the Senate
or House would take as a result of
the story.
Charges Made By Paper.
Here are the charges as contained
in the American dispatch today:
That Secretary Wilson was arrested
and placed in jail in Cumberland
county, Nd, at Cumberland, Allegany
county, Nd. June I3. 1894.
That the charge was unlawful as
sembly and conspiracy in connection
with Mr.. Wilson's direction of the
miners strike conducted by the United
Mine Workers Of America
That, after being held all night in
jail. following his arrest at Homecoming
Mo, Mr.. Wilson was released in The
morning under $500 bail. to await the
october term of the court at Cumber-
land.
That the case was continued at the
October term of court, the States at
torney having reported that the war
rant was missing. In January, 1855. the
case was again continued, without as
o
That the case was dismissed at the
April term of court.
That Mr.. Wilson did not appear at
the sittings of court, but was repre-
scented by counsel
That previously he had been charged
with contempt of court. and had been
subject to three jnjunctions in Cum
berland.
That in connection with this case. the
judges delivered an opinion. which,
while hnldinc~ yVf1enn entity rlarpd
upon his shoulders the responsibility
for lawlessnes in the strike, and held
that some of his acts, IL committed
after the service of the Injunction.
would have made him liable.
Secretary's Statement.
The Secretary's full explanation of
the case. as made today to The Times,
10 as follows:
I'm the first week of April, 1894, the
regular annual convention Of the United
Mine Workers of America met at CO.
lumbus. At that time 1 was employed
as coal miner for the Blossburg Coal
Company at their mir es at Landrus, |
Pa I was sent as delegate from the |
local union 10 attend the convention. L
was there elected as member of the |
national executive board of the organi- |
zation.
The convention passed a resolution |
for general strike of the coal miners, |
TO begin April q. following. In response |
to the resolution. the bituminous coal |
miners of central Pennsylvania, includ- |
ing the Clearfeld region, western Penn /
syivania, Ohio. and in parts Of Illinois, |
West Virginia, and Maryland came out 1
on strike. At the time the convention
was held the miners of the Georges
Creek and Cumberland, Nd, coal fields
were not organized.
Wilson Sent As Organizer.
'T was sent direct from the conven-
fion &uto the Georges Creek region for
the purpose of organizing them. and
II possible, bringing them into the gem
eral strike movement
Articles were published in the local
papers denouncing me as coal opera
tor from the Clearfield regions, having
large stocks Of coal at the Lakes and
other points, and seeking to induce the
Cumberland miners to come out on
strike In order that the value of that
coal might be enhanced.
special trains were used to carr
these papers into the mining camps to
distribute them to the miners The
statement was lie out Of whole cloth.
~ I nsd always seen too poor to own any
thing but the few sticks of furniture
fects.
Calluses Proved Lie.
1t might have had the effect of dis
crediting me with the miners, which the
coal companies desired, but for the fact
that was able to show the hard. bony
cailuses on my hands that could only
come from the long continued use of the
pick - : : -,
AZ 1t was. It reacted. and the mi
bers came out on strike. l have always
neen proud Of my record in that strike.
ana know that Il win bear the closes,
scrutiny and investigation. II is true ]
tnat an Injunction was issued restrain
ing myself and others from doing GER I
tain things: 1t is true that / was Az
rested charged with conspiracy.
The facts are these: On NAV eo
lss4. the courts of Alleehanv county
NIL, NJ. issued a restraining order en-,
,h0se eI,,ded thilngs in which are usually in
abor disputes. On May 22 coDy ~
ne injunction was served me: on the
z4th L was cited to appear and show
why l should not be held in
vas tried for contempt before Judges
Huffman and Boyd !
Cited For Contempt.
"over the protest of my LAWYERS the g
court let down the bars. accepting
evidence of my actions prior to the
ISSUANCE of the Injunction of the
,ourt and after the citation for con-
empt. Notwithstanding this fact !
vas acquitted of contempt Immedi- :
itely charge was made that / was
'onspiring with the coal miners of
he Georges Creek coal region to stop
he mines.
I was standing at the station in
Ionaconing, Md, waiting for a train
.oming from Frostburg. on which I ,
messenger. When the
rain pulled in Sheriff King stepped
n and invited me into the train for
private talk. AS the train ALWAYS =
tops a few minutes a Homecoming /
complied. When we got on the train