Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-08
Nineteen Indicted Under Anti
Trust Law on Charge of
Conspiracy.
SAID TO HAVE UNITED
AGAINST WEST VIRGINIA
Aided Operators of Other States by
Higher Wage Fights, It
Is Said.

CHARLESTON. W. Va, June =
President John P. White and eighteen
| other officials of the United Mine
Workers OF America were indicted In
the federal court here today on a charge
of violating the Sherman antitrust law
1t is alleged the defendants conspired
with the coal operators Of western Penn
sylvania. Ohio, Indiana and Illinois to
raise wages in the West Virginia coal
fields. SO as to prevent its competition
with the other four states in the west
ern market.
Named in Indictment.
Those named in the indictment are
John p. White. president: Frank J.
Hayes, vice president: Thomas Hag-
gerty. Joseph Vasey. James Cantrell,
Charles Hatley, Marco Roman. George
II. Edmonds and Benjamin F. Morris,
organizers of the United Mine Workers
of America: Thomas Cairns, president
Clarence c. Griffith. vice president;
No. II. United Mine Workers of Ameri-
ca. and James Diana. John Nutter
Rome Mitchell. w. s. Reece. F. d. stan
ley. L. S. Cantley and A. d. Lavender.
subordinate officers OF district No. II.
Charges in Indictment.
The indictments charged that the nine
teen men, affiliated with the United Mine
Workers of America did in kanawha
county, West Virginia. and within the
jurisdiction of the federal district court
engage in a combination and conspir7 cy
in restraint of trade and commerce in the
several states. The offense is said to
have started September !. 1912, and con-
tinued since
1t is charged that the indicted men
have been agents and members Of ian
unincorporated voluntary organization OF
individuals as a labor union known as
having many thousands of members. who
unla wfully combined and conspired to-
gether with the object and intent OF
unionizing and making members OF said
organization the laborers employed In and
round the coal mines of the state OF
West Virginia in order that and with
the intent that said organization. by
regulating the wage to be paid TO said
laborers for their work could and would
fix and control the price Fat which the
coal mined in the state of West Nir-
ginia could compete with coal mined in
the western part of PENNSYLVANIA and in
the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
in the markets OF the states Of the United
States outside of West Virginia
Its Ridiculous" Says Perry.
INDIANAPOLIS, June Tt is ride
ulous' Thus Edwin Perry. secretary
and treasurer of the United Mine Work
ers' Of America. tonight expressed him
self when informed of the indictments
returned against the mine workers Of
ficials in Charleston. W. Va.
1--WE have never conspired in any way
against the West Virginia operators, and
have only tried to see that the miners
there received fair compensation for
their work In the matter OF wages We
always were willing to leave 1t to dis
interested parties and were ready to take
reduction in the scale IL facts war
ranted The West Virginia operators al
ways have fought our attempts to union
ize the miners, and We felt that under
those conditions it was impossible for
the men to receive just wages.
Mr.. Perry had just returned from
trip in the west
resident John p. White is in Cumber-
land, Md. his family said tonight, and
Frank J. Hayes. vice president. could not
be located, though he is said to be In
Indianapolis.
The officials visited the West Virginia
mining region about a month ago