Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-10
Union Witnesses Charge Peon-
age Illegal Imprisonment
and Anarchy in Coal Fields
of Colorado,
OPERATORS ALLEGE
MINERS WERE LAWLESS
Colorado State Official Insists
Constitutional Government
Does Not Exist in Many
Mining Counties,

lftiIIfiit Va NNNiltlNef
10y NoawNd JOURNAL SPECIAL tgsurp wlsti
Denver Fch q Charges Of peun-
ago llegM imprisonment ana anar-
ghN were met hl counter ehargcs of
violence ana lusurrpCtiOu. at u stormy
session ot the federal strike invest-
gaiion committee this afternoon State
olf9llH uud luhor leaders were the
Wliutssp4 the teatlmuny of tho oneru-
tors being re.erycd for the night
meeting 10 Wus announced that ses-
s.una would bc hold hero tomorrow
all intention ~ going "a Trinidad to-
mgnt having been given mp.
.li Cross, superintendent of the Cpl-
urldO free employment bureau, VIII,
previously had testified that he be-
ltcvcd peonHge was praetleed In the
coal fields, continued his testimony
with un attack upon the militia and
lhc military methods Of handling the
strike situation ln southern Colorado.
Vie snid mat Mario zeni arrested az
% suspect. was kept awake five days
ana nights.
"They posted soldiers IN front OF his
CellH ho declared "and those soi-
iiers threw water on him ana stuck
him with their hayonets when he tried
% ~ e. sleep. Zeni WIS afterwards
rCleaacd
Cross-cXnmlnod hy Fred Harrington,
hp s1id he knew that the district court
1f laa Ammas county had upheld the
arrests made hy the militia.
TINE house committee next called 20
the stand Adolph Germer, interna-
tiunnl organizer of the United Mine
Workcrs 6f America He testified that
bo WIS ufreaiel at NNlscnburg held
uine days then released,
Whit Wat lhe charge AGAINST YOU"
De wns asked.
None chat know Of WIS the re-
nly lle snld some ~ his mall was
never delivered and that all the iet-
iers DE received while he was In iail
had been opened by the military au-
bnrlties.
Major Edward J. Boughlon. Judge
advocate of the National Guard Of
Colorado, oruH-eXamined The labor
leader
"Dont you know YOU were held on
suspicion of importing arms after the
disarmament order was Issued ?" he
demanded You ala buy arms. as
mnttcr of faet didn't your
y did buy arms cnlmly replied
The witness
Representative nyrnes asked Ger
mer how many guns he had purchased
~ bought twenty y-flVe on thirty RI
files WAS The answer. Fl got them to
protect our property, after minr
euards had shot down "a number of
our people ON the streets of Walsen-
burg and We had lenrned hat lhef
planned tn raid oar headquarters
Edward " Brake. deputy labor
commissioner of colorado, testified
that be- hard no personal knowledge ~
ueouare n the minca. He declared
that at the Colorado Fuel ana Iron
eompnnvs steel works at Pueblo q
private employment agency charged
aatkors 81 montE for keeping them
I'm amploymenL and that the company
deducted lhia amount from wage
5hegke
wins didn't you prosecute the COM
PANS end stop this Illegal practice?
asked member of the committee
Whon Rfate touched "A match To tho
whole dlsphy of fireworks Most ot
Chose alans urr in los Anlmas ana
Hueriano countless he asserted ITS
ird iu e>plHu these matters 90 you
but anybody who lives IN
Colorado knows YOU can't prosecute
fueh0dv u those counties Further,
uorp. ran say without fear of con-
.uair fIon. eat there's nothing harder
81 hs at4tc ihpn to get anybody prose
.uted ton ANYTHING It's very seldom
.ou oau convict anybody IN bucriano
.ounty ~ he's got amy friends the
Ipuuiv labor commissioner continued.
tIru FHrr the sheriff selects the
urIea. ANA they're picked lu convict
81 armu iuat as the cnsc may be-
Hna dnca sborff Farr get elect
Fl he WIS asked
"rd hue 60 say, bat I have my sus-
I0uJs
Fred Hrinnetnu. one Of tho attor-
..ta f0r tho mine GENERATORS. leaped 10
Ii. feet % want 10 protest for the
slka 81 fhn diuuity of The state" ne
Interrupted "This has gone Ear
.noueh If he has any faets 10 back
lu iheso accusations. he should state
hem ,,.
chairman Foster suggested mildly
hDt thp committee wished 10 prone
into all the causcs OF me
lriRc lle ordered. however mat lh"
elerpnee tH "suspiclona' be stricken
rom lhe rreord.
Thou Representative Eyons asked.
llN NNN iliNItN '''f NNft 'tf''ffff
.oveiumeut u Colorado.
Personally do not
udeo 1esc 81 Northcnu II frini-
af. ii founael far lhe operators. in
ua- examination asked Fer whnt
apeth of time has constitutional gov
Iumpnt not obtained in Colorado
In my Wd4meut it has not obtain
% sIuec Peabody sent state troops To-
rlnule Greek Tn 1904
The witness then explained that he
# NOT moan that constitutions gov
umpnt hnd hron suspended an over
he state. but thnt anarchy prevailed
h thc strife REGIONS during the vari-
us iimCs thev had been occupied by
iute truuus ue admitted, upon fur
her Questionng TINT he had no per-
an8 fnaRledee ~ iures having been
elected hy SHERIFF tarr
Nr cross related an Interview h2
ia with mine Guard near Bout