Norwich bulletin., 1918-05-16
TESTIMONY IN TRIAL
 OF INDUSTRIAL WORKERS
Tells of Teaching of Sedition In Coal
 Fields of Pennsylvania.

Chicago, May 15. - Pennsylvania S fight to suppress the anti-War actiyi- ties of Industrial Workers of the World was described today by witnesses call ed substantiate the governments charges of seditious conspiracy against 112 leaders of the organization.
 Three witnesses, all officers of the law, told tales of lawIessness by mem bers of the organization and named specifically three defendants, Albert Prashner, John Baldaza and Joseph Graber, as teachers of sedition in the anthracite regions of central Pennsyl- vania.
 Counsel for the defense made futile efforts to bring into the records ad- mission that the big mining companies owned barracks occupied by the Penn sylvania state police, furnished the uniforms of it's members and also is- sued instructions to county authorit- ies relative to dispersing big labor meetings.
 Thirty Minute Word Battle.
 George F, Buss, Wilkesbarre, Pa, sheriff of Luzern County, in thirty minute word battle with George F. Vanderveer, chief counsel for the de- fense asserted "the past activities of the I. w. ". made it necessary last summer to break up their seditious meetings before they got well under way. We had seen their blowing, up of houses and other acts of violence" :" Buss told Of breaking up an l. W. W. meeting at Hilldale, on June IT, and arresting Prashner, Baldaza and Gar Der, all of whom he declared were preaching opposition to the war.
 Under cross examination he admitt- o1 hot la l,r,1 f1r breaking up the meeting, but was operating under general orders from the court.
 Tn fact, you got your information that the meeting was to be held from the United Mine Workers of America and they asked you to break up the meeting of their rivals said Wander veer.
 Brake Up l. w. w. Meeting.
 Yes it was an l. w. w. meeting. I broke it up and I'm proud of it." snapped Buss.
 Wasn't the meeting held in front of blind pig" Vanderveer asked.
 What is a blind pig? We have no such things in my part of Pennsyl- vania? ?'' the witness replied. You understand, do you not. that Pm the attorney and you the witness. and that I'm questioning you@' the attorney asked.
 Then" he continued, sPn ask if you know of what are called the Black Cossacks' in Pennsylvania ?"
 We have no such things
 Buss testified that in some districts the l. W. w. became so strong that it was necessa' >s to call the state police into service to protect United Mine Workers.
 s Urged Opposition to Government. .4-Beth Buss and Herbert Smith. ser geant of the Pennsylvania state police at Wyoming, Pa, last summer. testi- fled that Prashner, in an anti~war ad- dress at Rocky Glenn Pa. last Labor Day, urged opposition to the Govern ment's War plans and concluded: War is hell. Let those who want ! to go to he'll"
 Smith said Prashner criticized the present form of government and told | his audience that if all would become members of the 1. w. w. they would not have to do military service as the organization had taken court action tC prove the unconstitutionalitS of the selective service act. Smith sai6 | stic6ers pasted up in the district read 1 Why be a soldier? Be man. Joir 1 the l. w. W. and fight on the job fol yourself and your class" We broke up the meeting at Ol6 1 Forge on June 10 last because we knew that previous meetings of this nature had been followed by dynamit ings," Smith testified.
 Roy C. McHenry>s special agent O the department of justice. under ques tioning of Claude R. Porter, govern ment prosecutor told of infiamatorA utterances of the three defendants il and about Scranton, Pa.