The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-22

tina, was q contemplate crims7 A. Alb
solutely.
q. II the company cheated the men
digging coal under the ground out OF
pay for their services? A. Yes
@. And II II vas done, II ought to oe
prosecuted to tho last degree? a. we
do not disaRree on that, Mr.. Chairman
O., Did YOU company cheat? A. Not
to my knowledge
Mr.. Walsh read another letter In
which Mr.. Bowers had a that one or
two competitive companies were CHEAT
ing their miners BY false weights.
o.. Now. did you notify h authorities
that abominable crime OF robbing OF
iaborers that were digging this coal
was carried on by some OF tho coal
companies out there7 A. don't pre-
sumo ! did.
after the offence for not doing So a. IL
I am. I am IN the same class with the
Commissioners.
q. You think I am In the same class
with YOU? have called attention to II
and ask that those men be prosecuted.
Will YOU do the same and will you give
the names and get Mr.. Bowers to go out
there as a witness In prosecuting those
men? A. I don't regard II as part OF
my duties.
Q. I will ask you II Il Is . fact that
after you know these miners were be-
ing robbed by those companies you
Joined those companies and that your
father paid for tho information that
was sent broadcast throughout the coun-
try. that there was no just ground for
the claim of tho miners that they were
being robbed and wanted a check weigh
A. II Is a fact that this letter
vas written as you stated. II Is "A
fact that that letter states just what
IL does with reference to the conditions
in regard to check weighmen.
Denies All Responsibility.
@. They were cheating tho men7
A. That Is what the letter stated.
Q. That IL the truth? A. ! presume
Il In. I have no more knowledge than
you have OF the fact.
Q. What were the names OF the COM
panies? A. I rave no idea.
O. Did YOU not ask Mr.. Bowers be-
fore you Joined with these companies
who those companies were h a were
robblng those poor mem A. ] had moth
ing TO do with the officials OF the COM
pany Joining with the other companies
in any action they took.
Q. But you were a director? A Yes.
sir.
@. And your fathers personal funds
paid for sending out this information
that stated to the people OF Colorado
that the miners were making false
charges against all OF these companies?
A. II Ia easy TO make charges.
@. You have some doubt about this.
about the men being robbed. although
Bowers. the chairman of your executive
board. wrote II 10 you? A. Whatever
Mr.. Bowers says ! have every reason
To believe that he believed was true.
Beyond that | cannot deny nor confirm
it..
@. Now I want to ask YOU whether
or not the fact that yourself or Mr..
Bowers or Mr.. welborn did not call the
attention OF the authorities or publicly
d~enounce these men that were robhlng
the poor and the laborer OF his hire
was not due - 4 s)rt ): class con-
seriousness In your ml11 thai. y1G ought
to stick together 10 matter what the
offence was that the other cNmpo nics
A. Absolutely not. ! havs no Idea
what Mr.. Bowers's motivos n Coirg or
not doing that might have been. I
fancy they are the same as yours or
mine In the town where we live. Wa
might happen to know that a certain
saloon was not closing at the hour 1t
should close and we might know a num-
Der OF other things Of that kind. Would
you or ! stop to bring charges against
them or any other person that We
might know were breaking the law?
Wants Direct Answer.
To this Mr.. Walsh replied:
"If I must answer your question. II
7 owned a saloon as tho Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company does IN Colorado.
through accepting an immense rental
out of the profit. 7 would be very par
ticular In closing that saloon. and as
long AS you asked the question I want
10 ask you IL II Is your sense OF respon-
sibility as a director OF the Colorado
Fuel n Iron Company when you dis
cover that the owners Of mines stu
ated as YOU are, charged with some
crime by your working men. and you
discovered hat that crime Is being com
mltted. do you consider that you bear
a different relation to that crime than
the ordinary citizen does Hereafter.
I will direct my questions 10 you and
will Ia answers direct"
@. Is II not a fact that you had tho
power individually. you. John d. Rookie
Teller, Jr.. to veto the action OF the board
OF directors In the important matter OF
selecting a vice-president FOR the col
urado Fuel and Iron Company and a
member OF the executive committee? A.
Yes, and ! would like to state how I had
the power. Simply. II recall. that the
who was appointed TO this position
was In the employ OF my father. was
representing my father and in charge Of
that employee In his Office. That is, a
member OF his stan would not expect to
a position representing my fathers
interests which my father through me
did not think desirable that ne should
or did not want him to take or did
want him to take the time to MI.
Not an "UpiiSter."
Mr., Walsh read another 81 3owers's
letters In which he wrote:
! told your father In our first inter
view nearly twenty years ago ! would
fatty refuse to be connected with any
business enterprise where we would
be handicapped In uplifting and bene-
iitlng mankind, especially those in
our employ.
q. You took what the executive on
aid and closed your ears to every
brought out In court and
yon closed your eyes to the transcript Of
the evidence before the Coroner's jury
and you closed your eyes to the fact
given before the military court ana ,us,
sat In our ofioe In New York
and took the word OF the executive off,
GERS for It? A. | have not closed my
eyes to anything.
@. Did you e the Coroner's inquest,