The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-17
On Witness Stand Tells of
ArmOred Train Attack.
Machine Guns for DefenseleSS
Women and Children.
IS ASKED ABOUT CONSCIENCE
Gets Indignant, but Refused to
Answer Question.
Members Committee Can
Scarcely Restrain Wrath.


Charleston, June 17.-With scores
of witnesses called to tell the mine
operators side of the labor controversy
in the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek
districts the senate hearings here Will
end tomorrow night. Senator swan
son, chairman of the committee, de-
cIared that the situation in Washing
ton demanded the presence of the
committee and that it would be nee
essary to leave Charleston at the earli-
est possible moment.
Critical Condition.
Those witnesses not given an OPP
portunity to appear here will be taxi
en- to Washington. News of critical
conditions in the hills continued to
come into Charleston today, although
union officials declared they We're DO
ing their best to keep the men on
Paint Creek and Cabin Creek at work
They asserted that so who participated
in the strike meeting Sunday We're DIS
charged and that the men were quit
ting work rapidly. The operators in
town said they were having no diff
Guilty running their plants.
Union Meeting.
The union officials have called a
meeting for tomorrow of the district
executive board They declare that a
strike will undoubtedly be voted on
at all of the mines in the New River
field which fail to make an agree
SauabbIe Over Sanitation.
controversy between c. c. Watts
of counsel for the operators, and SEN
ator MARITIME enlivened the session
DIR. ]. w. Ashby, physician for the
Cabin Creek Consolidated Coal com
pany, testifying as to sanitary cond1-
lions in the strike zone, said that con-
ditions we're as good as they were
anywhere else around the mines"
Senator MARITIME contradicted this
statement and when he and the wit
ness engaged in an argument MT.
Watts interfered.
Mr.. Chairman, L object to the SEN
ator. who IS supposed TO be sitting as
a fair judge he shouted, 'browbeat-
ing and bullying this witness He
should not take advantage of his posi-
ton as a senator of the United States.
Senator Excited.
Senator MARITIME ieaped to his feet
and shouted:
Il am a senator of the United States
and 1 am exercising my prerogatiNes
as a senator. You gentlemen. with
wealth and power at your command
should provide sanitary conditions to
protect. the lives of these working
men"
West Virginia. interrupted Mr.
watts does not need to go to the
mosquito ridden swamps of New Jer-
say to learn sanitation 800
owner E1feu SnOtS.
Quinn Morton, who owns several
mines on Gable creek and who was
charged by Lee Calvin, former mine
guard, with participating in the at
tack on Holly Grove with the armored
train. told of the attack Mr.. Nor
ton described arranging for the trip
with Sheriff Bonner Hill and buying
81 rifles in Charleston to arm the men
on the train Mr.. Morton asserted that
before the train reached Holly Grove
the lights were turned down on the
train because Sheriff Hill said the train
was likely to be ''shot up.
Sheriff Hill was in charge of the
train, according to Morton. He said
he saw d ca bin crowded with women
and children just before the train
reached Holly Grove.
1T was our belief. that women and
children had been removed from there
by the miners and that we were going
to have trouble. Just as we got to
Holly Grove. I heard two shots that
seemd to come from the camp. one
window in the car was broken, and
second later a general fusillade from
the train and from the camp wa son.
shot, of course just as everybody
did,
Here Senator MARITIME again ella shed
with the lawyers. Mr.. Morton and At
torney Vincon demonstrated excitedly
when Senator MARITIME demanded:
Machine Guns Against Women.
In your conscience do you approve
of the use of a machine gun to shoot up
village inha bited by defenseless
women and children?' AS the lawyers
argued. Senator MARITIME shouted; Il
thank God l am not lawyer
MARITIME Gets Peeved.
Senator MARITIME. Attorney NinSon
and the other senators engaged in a
Vigorous dispute. Senator MARITIME has
oIr Nv n a IA r
me-" said Morton excitedly, when Lee
Calvin was on the stand. The senator
without any proof has by his questions,
accused me of attacking women and
children in their homes with a ma
chine gun. This treatment is out
rageous and not even an United States
senator should be allowed to PREJUDICE
a case in this manenr.'