The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-02-10
DIGGER
TELLS TALE Of
PEONAGE
Sicilian, Employed in Delagua
Mine, Wants to Shoot Man
Who Made Strikebreaker
Out Of Him.
CLOSELY GUARDED BY
TROOPS ALL THE TIME
CBy Icasc0 Wire 60 Evening Herald, /,

AAtN tFgN'0 WIN 10 AaNtAtVk NhNHplU.N
Denver, Colo, Feb. i0.--Further
testimony designed To establish
charges OF peonage In the ColorP 20
coal fields was introduced today be-
fore the sub committee of the house
committee on mines aud mining which
Is investigating the coal miners strike.
Salvador Nalentin. Sicilian, told
the committee that he had been
brought to Colorado from Pittsburgh
through deception and forced Ia work
In the Delagua mine. one OF his fell
low stuikebrcakers. he declared. was
shot ana killed By an unknown per-
son in the mine.
James Adams. the young Mis-
sourian VINO last night testified that
he was held prisoner In the Delagua
mine. was recalled to identity the con-
tract under which he said lee Was
brought to Colorado Tie was unable
To Identify positively his own sigma
turc. The alleged contract produced
by counsel Tor the mine operators
bound the signcr To work In the mines
as a strikebreaker. SALVATORE Valen-
tin, a Sicilian. was calico as the next
witness for the strikers lie said he
came 10 Colorado from Pittsbureh al
the solicitation of man who was
seeking 2,000 men TO work In the
mines IN the Trinidad district. He
signed contract on December 10. he
declared IN which he was told, ac-
cording to his statement. that there
Was no strike in Colorado. when thi
train reached Trinidad he said. all the
curtains In the coach we're 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 soldiefs on the
way 60 and from his boarding house.
one of HIS companions. he testified,
was shot and killed while la the mine.
He did not know who did the shooting
but he saw the body carried out OF
the mine by militiamen. he said.
palentin said thai after the shoot
ing he tried to leave the mine. but
Ms told that he was Indebted 10 the
co.Gpany tl36 for tools and transpOr-
tatton on the morning Of January
% he again demanded his release,
and was given a military escort from
the mine 10 a boarding house. Reach
ing there he was told that he must
pay the company Si36 before he
would be permitted 10 leave the camp.
lie tried, With several compa Mons. 10
go out one of the gates Dut was
stopped by soldiers. That night,
however. he and a. Italians succeeded
In passing the guards. lie went to
the strikers camp at Ludlow.
on further examination, the witness
said he served In the United states
army In the Philippines.
Did you have any trouble while
in the army" he was asked.
II got shot in the back" he re-
piled.
The witness said he had consulted
the United Mine Workers attorney at
Trinidad relative Ia securing return
OF the money he uad paid for trans
porlation 90 Colorado. The attorney
advised him not TO seek legal redress,
he said
I'm going to hunt up the fellow
who got me 20 come out here" he vol
unteered.
what will you do when you ana
him?" asked Representative ByTnes.
Tn 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 Adiutsnt General John
Chase instruct his men, In clearing
the streets OF Trinidad. TO kill as
many as they wanted TO-"
Later the witness said his father
was German. born In Paris, DOR
many. Further questioning developed
considerable doubt as 20 whether the
name Nalentin was that of the Wit
ness himself or thar of relative. At
torneys and committeeman were puz-
zled and at a loss Ia determine what
the witness WAS trying 10 say. Just
before luncheon recess the witness
WAS excused, the committeeman APP
parently having decided that no fur