Arizona republican., 1914-02-10
Federal Strike Investigation Committee Listens to the Charges and Counter Charges of Anarchy, Vio- lence and Insurrection
SAY CONVICTION
 IS IMPOSSIBLE
Witness Charges the Sheriff Chooses Own Jury to Suit Wishes of Powers Higher Up-Is Asked to Be More Specific
ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCH

ASSOCIATED PRESS DlSPATCHI
 DENVER, Feb. 9.-Charges of peon- age. illegal imprisonment and anarchy were met by counter charges of vio- lence an insurrection at stormy session of the federal strike investi- gation committee today. State off cials and labor leaders were the wit ing to Trinidad have been gwen up. Eli Cross. superintendent of the Colo rado free employment bureau, who had previously testified that he be- lieved peonage was going on in the coal fields. continued his testimony with an attack upon the militia. and military methods of handling the strike situation in southern Colorado.
 He said that Mario Zeni, arrested as a suspect. was kept awake five days and nights They posted sol diers in front of his cell" the wit ness declared, and those soldiers threw water on him, struck him with there bayontes when he tried to go to sleep. Zeni was afterwards released.
 Cross examined by Fred Harring- ton. counsel for the operators, he said. he knew that the district court of Las Animas county upheld the ar- rests made by the militia. The house committee next called Adolph Ger mer international organizer for the United Mine Workers He testified he was arrested at Walenburg, held for nine days. and then released.
 What charge was made against you?"
 None that I know of he replied.
 The witness said that some of his mail was never delivered, and that all letters he received while in jail were opened by the military authorities. Major Edward Boughton, judge ad- vocate of the National Guard of Colo rado. cross s-examined the labor leader
 Don't you know as a matter of fact that you were held on suspicion of importing arms after the disarma- ment order had been issued?" he demanded. You did buy arms didn't you?"
 T did buy arms" replied the wit ness.
 Representative Byrnes asked Germer how many guns he purchased.
 q bought twenty-five or thirty rifles" he answered. T got them to protect our property after the mine guards had shot down a number of our people. and we learned they plan ned to raid our headquarters
 Edward V. Brake. deputy labor commissioner of Colorado. testified he had no personal knowledge of peonage in the mines. He declared that at the Colorado Fuel and Iron company's steel works in Pueblo, private employment agency charged workers one dollar per month. and the company deducted this amount from their pay checks.
 why didn't you prosecute the com pany and stop this illegal practice?' asked a member of the committee.
 Most of these cases were in Las Ainmas and Huerfane counties. Brake said. Its hard to explain these mat ters to you gentlemen, but anybody Who lives in Colorado knows that you can't prosecute anybody in those counties. fuTlnpTilOIe, Idil say NithOHN ASNA VI contradiction, that there's nothing harder in this state than to get any body prosecuted for anything. It's very l seldom you can convict anybody in Huerfane county, if he's got any l friends. the deputy labor commission CT continued. Jeff Farr. the sheriff. selects the iuries and they are picked to convict or acquit just as the case may be-
 How does Sheriff Farr get elected he asked
 'Td hate to say but I have my sus-
 Do SovpnN