Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-16
JUDGE DAYTON PAINTED :
AS LABOR UNION ENEMY
His Alleged Prejudices Gone Into by
Witnesses Before Congressional
Subcommittee.
JUDICIAL CONDUCT AFFECTED
Officials and Members of Mine
Workers Who Figured in West
Virginia Strike, and Contempt
Cases Growing Out Of II, Testify.

WHEELING W. VA, February ID
fcdcral Judge Aston q. Daytoms al
legged prejudice against labor unions.
was gone into to-day by witnesses be-
lore the congressional subcommittee
investigating charges against the jur-
list. Ills alleged connection with the
Federal Carbon Company also was mem
| toned
officials and members of the United
Mine Workers of America. who figured
IN the strike at Golfers. w. Va. and
me contempt cases growing out of il.
said that in their opinion Judge Day
ton was prcjudced against labor
unions. and that his prejudice in
huenced his judicial conduct.
FANNIE Scllins. of ST. Louis, testified
10 her arrest on contempt charge.
she was sentenced 10 six months in the
Paramount Jail
MAX Schaefer, reporter for a Wheel
ing labor paper. told The committee he
lnouSht the contempt trials were
"farces." He declared Judge DAYTON
once threatened to remove y. NJ Bel
cher as attorney for miners. and APP
point another counsel in his place. Bel
! cher told the committee the statement
was true.
sheriff y. T. Sweeney. OF Ohio County.
secretary OF the Acme Carbon Com
pany from 1905 to 1910 testified that
Judge Dayton owned 600 shares in it.
SPEAKS DENOGATORY
or NINE WORKERS.
Direct testimony that Judge DAYTON.
OF the Northern District OF West vir-
cinia. had spoken derogatory OF the
/ United Mine Workers Of America, was
presented here to-day to the congress
sional committee investigating charges
against Judge Dayton. The committee
| came from ParkersburT. whore testi-
mony was taken last week.
James Oates. United Mine Workers
organizer. testified he had heard Judge
Dayton make the statement that tho
United Mine Workers as an associ,tion
was a criminal conspiracy. and its Of
hcers ought TO tie in Jail Oates said
Joe lioblott. IL foreign miner. unable to
speak English had been arrusted nj
Golfers. and the next day "railroalcd
TO Jail for six months on n charge of
contempt OF Judge Dayton's court"
Inc prisoner. Oates said. had been de-
MED an attorney and AN Interpreter
oates declared that while the COL
iers contempt cases were being tried
he heard Judge Dayton say:
IF had John L. Whit" here T would
give him twelve months in jail" White.
president Of the United Mine Workers
was at that time. said Oates, charged
with contempt, hut had not been ar
rested.
Deputy United States marshals. Oates
SAID. had torn down tents occupied nv
the striking miners on order OF Judge
Dayton'S court
FREQUENTLY SHOWS
ANGER AND PREJUDICE
Oates further declared miners cited
Tor contempt were compelled to 10 TO
Philirpi. w. Va, at their own cx-
pcnsc before they finally were SON
fenced by Judge Dayton. Judge Dav-
ton, he said. had shown anger and
prejudice during the proceedings, and
frequently had said he would no, per-
NIT the United Mine Workers 10 exist
within his jurisdiction
Van tlttner. president Of District
NO. .. United Mine Workers. testified
mat during the contempt hearings no
miners except the one on trial were
allowed in the court room He said
judge Dayton had rcbuked the mine
workers officials for wearing good
clothes and living at the expense of
inc miners. He said he had been SEN
fenced ny Judge Dayton To serve sixty
DAYS. AS matter Of general princi-
PIE. ana that Judge Dayton had ac-
GuS"d him OF being an aacn, of Tho
ono ana PENNSYLVANIA coal operators
| VINO were trying TO DESTROY the coal
industry Of West Virginia He tes,I-
! hcd That court records in the mine
cases did not show Judge Dayton's re-
! marks, he having, ordered them strick
| en- out
| Judge Dayton, Bittner continued dis
played violent emotion during the col
! ilers contempt cases. and would strike
| me bench with his first and throw
! books around
! Frank i.edvinka. another organizer
gave testimony along the lines fol-
| lowed by Rittner