Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-03
OPERATORS BEGIN
THEIR TESTIMONY.
COPPER STRIKE PROBERS NOW
HEARING EMPLOYERS SIDE;
INJUNCTION ISSUED

Houghton, Mich, March flames
McNaughton general manager Of the
Calumet & Hecla Mining Co., was ex'
pected to be the first witness for the
operators today at the resumption of
the hearings before the congressional
committee which is investigating the
copper miners strike
Allen F. Rees, chief counsel for the
operators, said he hoped the oper-
ators would be able to conclude their
case this week.
The congressman resumed the hear
ings in Houghton today at the request
of the operators. Previous hearings
were held at Hancock.
Meyer is Criticised.
In his opening statement for the
miners operators Attorney Rees told
the congressional investigation COM
mfttee, he believed that if Charles H.
Meyer had joined hands with citizens
in recognizing the distress of sufferers
Of the Calumet disaster the strike
would have been settled that day.
Referring to the deportation of the
president of the Western Federation
of Miners after his refusal to permit
the victims to accept outside aid,
Rees said
"Moyer was mighty lucky that moth.
ing more serious happened to him.
AS Bishop Williams of the Episcopal
church remarked when he heard OF
the affair: IT was evidence Of the
greatest restraint ever known to me.
For feeling ran very strong that night
and Meyer was fortunate that he had
men Of such restraint to deal WITH"
Rees said that If the investigations
were judicial. proceedings would rest
because of 1.-The lack of any evidence
tending to show anything illegal in
our conduct"
Reviewing the important points of
the strike, Rees said
Aliens Sowed Seed.
ALLEN agitators and organizers
came into the copper district in 1907
and began sowing the seed of dis
content among our employees. They
succeeded in doing so among a GER
tain number Of them by making "a lot
of promises impossible of fulfilment. |
IT was known for more than a year
that the strike was inevitable in order
to carry out the plans of the Western
Federation Of Miners to obtain recog- |
milton Of their union which would
mean the total wrecking of our author
ity for we could not continue to opor-
ate the mines under the conditions
that would be imposed by the fedora
ton"
Rees said that there were three
days of riotous acts and assaults at
the start OF the strike before Cover. !
nor Ferris sent the national guard to
preserve order. No disorder occurred !
after that, he said, until the mines |
started to operate under the protec-
ton Of the militia. Trains bearing
were shotup and stoned
and automobiles containing deputies
were treated likewise. The attorney
said that a considerable number of |
made by strikers were Of
things occurring during the week be-
thinning December 7, when Daily and
the James boys were murdered in their
beds at Painesdale.
1T was very tense week." he said,
for the community was thoroughly
aroused by this cold blooded crime
following on their other lawless acts
If the strikers"
OntOnagOn, M1cn., Marcn IA tenn
oorary Injunction was granted today
IN application of six copper mining
operating in Ontonagon
county, restraining striking mine
workers from interfering with non
lnion men from picketing and from
folding threatening parades. Mass
nine Is the only one in operation in
he county at present. Others will re-
ume in few days, it was reported.
Since work in Mass was started about
en- days ago, the strikers are alleged
O have made several threatening
against the workmen
HE injunction is similar to the one
n force in Houghton and Keweenah
ounties.