Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-01-21
Former Head of Unite J.
Min. Workers Among
Those Pleading Guilty.
ENDS MINING DISPUTE
Action Of Labor Champions in Plead.
ing Guilty at Fort Smith, and Acuui.
sitiGn OF Mines by Union Ends
Prairie Creek Trouble.

Fort Smith, Jan. 2o.-5cven de-
PENDANTS in the Prairie Creek coal
mine conspiracy cases pleaued guilty
here today when their cases were
called in the federal court.
Among those who entered the plea
were Peter r. Stewart of McAlester,
[ former president of the United Nine
Workers of America, District u, ana
Fred w. Holt, OF McAlester, former
secretary Of the district union,
The others were James B. Nc
Namara, former member OF the city
council of Hartford. Ark; James
| Standard, former constable OF
Hartford township, and Clint Burrls,
Sandy Robinson and John Manick
miners. All were charged with con-
spiraoy against the government.
They will be sentenced this after
noon.
The government entered nol'e
presses in the cases of w. w. Rob-
rets, former manager of a telephone
company, at Mansfield, Ark, and u
other defendants. The case of John
Edwards, merchant of Hartford
Ark, was also nolle pressed.
The action of the defendants who
entered pleas of guilty and thai OF
the government came as a surprise.
Three hundred witnesses had been
summoned and it was expected the
trial would last several weeks.
Ends Labor Trouble.
Tnday's action probably brings to
an end the trouble between capital
and labor in the Praire Creek dis
trict. 1t began last April when the
Bache- Denman Goa company en-
Geavored to operate its No. 4 mine
at Prairie Creek on al open shop
basis. A crowd of men on that date,
after holding mass meeting, march
ed to the mine, assaulted the guards,
drove Off employees and pulled the
fires from beneath the boilers.
I The company then secured an in
junction before Federal Judge You
mans, prohibiting interference with
The mines operations. Later the court
appointed Franklin Bache receiver
for the company.
On July II, last, three of the com.
pany's surface plants at Prairie
Creek were destroyed. On the night
following, a mine near Hartford
partly was wrecked and on the fol-
lowing Monday, a coal mining plant
at Arkoal was destroyed. On July IL
battle Of several hours was fought
at No. mine, Prairie Creek. i'll
which it is alleged two mine guards
were killed.
The men involved in today's pro-
oeedings were indicted by grand
jury last November, shortly after
federal troops were hurried here to
enforce the orders OF the United
States court All but Roberts were
charged with conspiracy against the
government. Roberts was indicted
for intimidating a witness.
1t was said in the courtroom to-
day that surrenders would be made
tomorrow by John Champion, Will
liam Reed, Dave Branch and Oscar
Layton, miners, charged with taking
prisoners from Federal marshals i'll
the coal fields during the trouble.
These men were indicted in Novem-
Der, bit had never been unprecedented.
Co.Operative Mines.
An alias warrant was issued for
James Crossiey, the alleged author
Of a threatening letter which Judge
Frank A. Nouma.ns received while
the excitement incident to the con-
troversy was greatest.
Control of the BacheDenman
mines passed yesterday by purchase
to the district union of the United
Mine Workers of America, The
union will operate the mines for the
present on cooperative basis.