The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-21
Colorado Preacher Denounces
Sending Gunner Into Strike
Region by Mining Company
]. D. ROCKEFELLER, JR.,
READS STATEMENT
Declares Had Nothing to Do
With Sending Strike Leader
Lawson to Penitentiary With
life Sentence

Washington, May 20.-John ID.
Rockefeller. Jr. today sat in the
room where the Commission on
Industrial Reiations Is holding Its
hearings and heard himself de-
nouncs.d by Presbyte
preacher from Sunrise. Wy0.,
rs n man who ought to be
executed for treason. IL he and his
associates i'm control of the Colo
RADIO Fuel and Iron Company were
guilty of hiring men to make war
against the Colorado miners.
Il preached to my people at the
time of the murder of women and
children at Ludlow" said the Rev.
Daniel s. McCorkie, that If Rookie
Teller or any other officer of the Colo
RADIO company be proved guilty after
trial of sending armed anarchists
against miners they should re execut-
ed far treason. II Mr., Rockefeller.
Mr.. Wellborn and other officials OF the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company.
high or low. are guilty of levying war
they should die for their reasons.
Rockefeller Reads Statement.
Later Mr.. Rockefeller was called to
the witness stand. He read a pre-
pared statement explaining end ampli-
flying his testimony before the COM
mission In New York last January.
specifying the efforts he and his as
sociates had made to settle the Colo
RADIO strike through mediation, deny
ing the charge that his company had
made an excuse of the strike 10 raise
the retail price of coal in Denver. as
sorting that he and his associates had
had nothing to do with the prusecu~
tion OF John r. Lawson. the strike
leader sentenced To life Imprisonment,
declaring that in dealing with the
Colorado strike situation he had done
only what seemed TO him right and
wise. and denying that any evidence
had been produced that altered his
previous statement TO the com mission
that he had not attempted 10 dictate
policy for dealing with the strike.
After the reading of this statement
Mr.. Rockefeller was subjected TO a
broa dside of questions from Chairman
Walsh who has contended that Mr..
Rockefeller knew all the details OF II e
strike situation.
Walsh After MaGnste.
The chairman has been under fire
fer pubic criticism and stricsaras
passed on Mr.. Rockefeller and his as
sociates "A tne Colorado company. and
today he csade the most of his OPP
portunity In 81 effort TO embarrass
Mr.. Rockefeller or force him to ad-
missions that things had been done
in Colorado that should not have been
done.
Chairman Walsh seized on the trial
and conviction Of Lawson. the strike
leader, and MIR. Rockefelier's state
ment that he and the company had
nothing TO do with the prosecution.
Walsh asked series of questions In
an effort TO get Mr. Rockefeller 10 say
what he would do In the event that 1t
was shown, as has been testified be-
fore the commission. that Lawson was
convicted on testimony furnished in
part by detectives employed by the
Colorado company to act as spies
among the strikers. and convicted by q
jury on which man sat who had an
exclusive contract to sell his wares
to the Colorado company stores
What would you do II that turns