The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-11
Congressional Committee, al His Re-
quest, Will Hear Parents Of the
Victims, and Others

The terrifying charge that the Citi-
zens' Alliance caused the Italian hall
disaster in Calumet on Christmas Eve
VAS made at the congressional inquiry
into the copper "suiso" at Hancock
this morning by Judge O. y. Hilton,
counsel for the Western Federation of
Miners.
In an impassioned plea he repeate.,
the statement previously made by ota-
er Federation heads that the man who
shouted the cry that -esulted in the
oeath Of "a men, women and cAillre1
wore a Citizens Allau,e pin ON his
| coat
This statement was made by Hilton
ia spite of the fact that the records of
Coroner Fisher, who conducted tho
| inquest Subsequent to The catastrophe.
show conclusively tha; the cry oc nro
was not sounded 10y a man who wore
AN Alliance button and that the cry
came from within the hall.
The Moyer deportation incident also
was recalled by Hilton in an attempt
to show the committee that the con-
stitutional rights of American citizens
| had been violated.
At the beginning of the morning ses-
sion. the Federation introduced four
pay dockets, dating from 1907 to the
inception of the strike. ON one OF these
doCkets was an item FOR railroad fares
which was deducted from the earnings
of an employe. Attorney Rees for the
mining companies explained 10 The
committee, at this iunCture, that men
who came from outside paid their own
railroad fare in !nstalments covering
a period of sin months. and If they
remained with the companies during
that entire time the railroad fare
would be refunded.
Among other dockets was that o.
Henry Smeep, an emDllyc of the Mo-
hawk Mining company, from 1908 10
1913. Hilton stating that during %
months of this period Smcep never
drew any money in wages as his
wages were entirely taken up FOR J.
p. Petermann & Co. Congressman
Howell asked:
Was he continually employed? Are
the other 2S vouchers not presented
Hilton replied No
Hilton Accuses Citizens Alliance.
At this juncture counsel for the Fed
Grafton asked il the committee desired
To be shown that constitutional rights
of citizens had been violated by indig-
mites and unlawful arrests.
Hilton then referred to the Italian
hall disaster. He said:
"On the eve of Christmas day the
Western Federation of Miners and tho
Ladies' Auxiliary, i'm Calumet anxious
10 relieve the stress that was incident
to the strike, conceived the idea Of
having a Christmas tree and a celeDra-
ton i'm the Italian hall. Five hundred
dollars was set aside by the fedora
ton for this purpose The money was
expended and presents were purchased /
for every child. ON the evening of the /.
occasion all were i'm the hall. The 3
children who came in unaccompanied Z
by their parents were admitted upon
of their fathers cards. |
The hall was crowded. When, as the |
testimony will show. If the commit /
tee sees tit, o man presented him /
self AT the door of the hall having ON /
his left lapel a Citizens Alliance but |
ton. As he stood in the doorway he I
spread his arms and shouted Fire. /
Fire! Fire Everybody IN the hall /
rushed for the door. scene of panic
followed. Children who ran for tho
door tumbled down the stairs ana
were piled four or hVe leet hish az
the bottom. They were Nedged Ia