The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-11

policy in labor disputes. He recounted
the miners version of the 1O-year con-
troversy in Colorado and told the COM
mittee that he began working in coal
mines when years old. He outlined
the methods by which, as he alleged
the United Mine Workers call strikes
then entered on the history of the coal
mining industry in Colorado from the
time of the strike of 1903, which was lost
by the miners.
In that strike" he said, "the opera
tors brought in gunmen-thugs who had
been guilty of almost every crime on
the calendar-to intimidate the miners.
They were successful. Some strikers were
frightened into going back to the mines.
Others were scattered Many were de-
ported. To fill the place of the strikers
the companies brought in strike breakers.
But soon these very strike breakers dis
covered they had been put into mines
where conditions were uncomfortable and
they appealed to our organization. They
wanted to join the union: to strike for
their rights. We took them in, but ad-
vised them not to strike. We realized
they could not win. An organizer took
his life in his hands when he went into
the camps. Some organizers have been
killed in southern Colorado"
Were any of the murderers tried ?" In
terrupted Representative Byrnes.
yes; they were tried by hand picked
juries," Lawson announced. 1.-The opera
tors picked the juries and also the sher-
iffs. l have seen an English-speaking
man tried for murder ana on the jury
were II Mexicans who could not speak
English
The witness told of the calling of the
strike of 1918 in which, he claimed, 81
per cent of the miners walked out with
in a week.
Strikers Frightened
'The operators had an army of from
GOO to 700 gunner in Las Animas and
Huerfano countless Lawson said. "They
had what is called the death special,
an armored automobile in which was
mounted one of their machine guns, and
which carried squad of private de-
tectives. We bought rifles to protect our
selves
Lawson told OF various disorders in
the strike zone He gave an account
of the battle at the Borbes tent colony
on October q, in which one man was
killed and two wounded.
Rode death Special
There had been some shooting in the
morning and about noon," he said 'but
in the afternoon everything was quiet.
Then a crowd of men suddenly appeared
from Trinidad some mounted and some
riding in the death special They had
two machine guns. mani named Ken
nedy came within the tent colony bearing
white flag. He said Boys, I'm a union
man. Are you good union men or scabs p
The men in the camp replied that they
were union men. We'll, you'd better look
out, because they're going to shoot you,
Kennedy said, suddenly walking back
about IS feet and hurting the white fas
on the ground. The next instant tive
machine guns opened fire on the ten,
colony. One man was shot through the
head as he was trying to get away. A
boy was hit nine times.'
did any of your men reply to the fire?'
a committeeman asked.
Il have reason to believe a few mer
got their guns, took refuge in a ditch
and fired back was the reply. 1.-THE
best evidence of this is that although
there were so guards and only "a mer
in the tent colony, the guards went bach
to Trinidad without taking a prisoner"
Lawson's testimony was uncompletet
when the session adjourned. The labo,
leader will resume the stand tomorrow.