Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-02-10
SAYSHE WASFORCED TO WORK
FOREIGN sTRIKE5REAKER AS
sERTs HE WAS NOT ALLOWED
TO RESIGN POSITION
Low WAGES in MICHIGAN
INVESTIGATORS THERE HEAR
TALES OF DEDUCTIONS FROM
MEMS PAY

Denver, Feb. 10.-Further testimony
designed to establishe charges of peon-
age in the Colorado coal fields was
introduced today before the house
subcommittee on mines and mining
which is investigating the coal min
ers' strike.
Salvatore Valentin, Sicilian, told
the committee that he had been
brought to Colorado from Pittsburgh
through deception and forced to work
in the Delagua mine. One Of his fell
low strikebreakers, he declared, was
shot and killed by an unknown person
in the mine.
James Adams, the young Missourian
who last night testified that he was
held prisoner in the Delagua mine, was
recalled to identify tne contract un-
der which he said he was brought to
Colorado. He was unable to identify
positively his own signature The al
legged contract produced by counsel for
the mine operators bound the signer
to work in the mine as a strikebreak-
er.
Salvatore yalentin, sicilian, was
called as the next witness for the
strikers. He said he came to Colo
RADIO from Pittsburgh at the solicita-
tion Of man who was seeking 1000
men to work in the mines in the Trini-
dad district He signed a contract on
December 10, he declared, in which he
was told, according to his statements
that there was no strike in Colorado.
When the train reached Trinidad, he
said, all the curtains in the coach
were closed, and the laborers aboard
were taken to the Delagua mine.
He was not permitted to go outside
the camp to buy beer and tobacco,
and was guarded by soldiers on the
way to and from his boarding house.
One of his companions, he testified,
was shot and killed while in the mine.
He did not know who did the shoot
ing. but he saw the body carried out
of the mine by militiamen, he said.
Valentin said that after the shoot
ing he tried to leave the mine, but
was told that he was indebted to the
company $136 for tools and transpor-
tation. On the morning of January 2S
he again demanded his release, and
was given a military escort from the
mine to boarding house. Reaching
there he was told tnac he must pay
the company $1S6 before he would be
permitted to leave the camp. He tried
with several companions, to go out
one Of the gates, but was stopped by
soldiers. That night, however, he and
48 Italians succeeded N passing the
guards. He went to the strikers camp
at Ludlow.
on further examination, the witness
said he served in the United States
army in the Philippines.
eDid you have any trouble while In
the army?s he was asked
Il got shot in the back, he replied.
The witness said he had consulted
the United Mine Workers attorney at
Trinidad relative to securing a return
of the money he had paid for trans
portation to Colorado. The attorney
advised him not to seek legal redress,
he said.
Says He viii Shoot
I'm going to hunt UP the fellow who
got me to come out here,7 he volun-
teered.
"What viii you do when you find
hih?" asked Representative Byrnes.
TIN going to shoot him." was the
cool reply
"How much time win you give him
to pay your money back?"
Twenty minutes"
The witness further swore that he
had heard Adiutant General John
Chase instruct his men, IN clearing the