The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-03-10
Major Britton of Signal Corps De.
picts Interference With Work.
men by the Strikers
AGAIN TAKE UP MOYER CASE
Committee May Decide to Hear
Witnesses Named as Appear
ing Before Grand Jury

closed its case this morning before
Capt. Il. o. Ragsdale u. S. A., as
signed TO instruct the Michigan Ma
tional Guard He was permitted, over
objections, to testify as to the general
conduct of the troops, which he said.
after the first few days. was excellent
and he 80 reported to The war depart
ment at Washington.
Il know of no outragcs committed
by soldiers" Capt Ragsdale declared
Mai. Harry B. Britton of the signal
corps, asked permission to tell in mar
ratye form what he had seen, and his
personal experiences In the strike zone.
His story was full of detail and h.
graphically depicted the scenes thar
took place daily when strikers tried To
prevent men under military escort
from going to work. He crasted a lit
tie amusement when I've asked Ben
Goggin TO verify something, and Attor-
ncy Kerr objected to having his own
side called on in that way and to
speech making" by witnesses. He told
of an assault by Nick Novosabl on II
non union man, of Novcsabrs arrcs.
ana how eight witnesses swore to an
alibi for him.
4 "Mr. McAvery'' being called by
Hilton. Counsel Rees said that il was
understood that the names Of wit
nesses u be called here would be fur
nished To him, but that McAvcry's
names was not among these given.
"That makes no difference" said
Hilton. I'VE didn't get the names of
the miiitia's witnesses"
McAvery said he had been working
for Mr.. Rces in the copper country
getting atfidavits about assaults and
parading. He said he wasn't very
successful The committee said that
the witness could not lie used to make
an attack on Mr. Rees.
Testifies for Federation.
The most spectacular witness before
the committee this morning was a
young man. who gave his name as
Henry Batter and his residence rs
Brooklyn. He said that the under
standing among mine guards is that
il there is enough disturbance it is
not necessary To create any, hut IL
there should not bc trouble they must
create some I'm order to keep their
Jobs ana make them last longer.
.f,,f.. e Il
who go from one state to another to
break Il strike" asked Judge Taylor
Very little"
Then YOU don't think much Of
Yourself"
"Oh. was doing it more for a study
than anything else. wanted the cX-
pcrience."
The witness had already testified
that he had been working for Asher
and other similar agencies for seven
years. He alleged that the Asher men
Leaf up strikers and irsuted them To
arouse resentment and provoke up
risings. The witness did not believe
that the Asher men who were drunk
and disorderly and arrested for such
conduct We're dismissed, but Mr.. Rees
asked him about some individual cases
and he admitted that some of the men
named were discharged.
Battcr's photograph, armed and In
uniform, taken in Chicago two weeks
ago. was placed in evidence. He quit
the copper country month ago.
The Meyer Deportation.
Toward the close of the morning ses-
sion, Ernest ]. Nichols of Grand Rap
ids, who went under the name OF Me-
Dowell In the copper country. testiiicd
that he had been employed to work up
evidence on Meyers deportation. lie
had afidavits OF witnesses who appear
ed before the grand jury. and not
wthstanding that the jury returned no
true bills" he was asked to give tn"
witnesses names. He named Andrew
HOLSTER, bridge policeman: Archie
Hall and wife of Ripley; Elmer john
son n baggageman of the copper
Range railway; Albert Newman ana
Ben +. Johnson of Grand Rapids; Har-
ry Reed and Edward Narcotic and
wife.
Evidence which the Houghton couh-
" grand jury heard regarding the de-
portation of Meyer. may he made pun
nc before the committee. After admit
Ting the list of witnesses before the
grand jury the committee said 1t would
uecide later whether 10 hear state
ments by these persons The eviden'e
went In over the protest of counsel for
The operators
somebody committed high hand