New Britain herald., 1919-09-25
said 340,OO0 had joined the

ateG, he said 34o,0o0 had joined the strike.
 I've compiled the vote, and autho- rlTcd d committee to approach Judge Gary and get d confCrencc,' he said. We went to Judge Gary's office and he sent out word asking to be eH- GU; cd from aEpcrsOnal interview but saying we could submit our proposals in writing. We did so and got a let rcr from him saying that he did not consider us to be representatives of the men,"
 If Judge Gary had consented to this conference would this strike have been called? ?" asked Senator Kenyon.
 "No,' Fitzpatrick replied.
 "lf Judge Cary consents now, will the strike go on?"
 cS, they are going on now in my opinion until they get justice."
 At that time had the presidents industrial conference been called?"
 No, 1t had not"
 ''Wero interested in having you tell us why you could not postpone Chairman Kenyon.
 "Thc date had been set" Fitzpat- rick said.
 Delay Was Impossible.
 ''If we had waited we would have been shot to pieces"
 ''What do you mean by that?" asked Senator Smith, democrat, Georgia.
 All kinds of intimidation, through the business men," Fitzpatrick said "Through the bosses. Men given the choice of tearing up theri union cards or quitting their jobs. Shot like Fan nie Selins, one of our organizers at Breckenridge, Pa.'
 Pressed for an explanation. Fitz- patrick introduced a photograph of a dead woman.
 She spoke at one of our meet ings," he said. "When the gunmen shot an old man, she tried to protect some children with her skirts; then the order was given: Kill this one, too,' and they shot her"
 A news dispatch from Pittsburgh on August 26 reported the killing of Mrs. Sellins but said she was an or ganizer for the United Mine Workers and was killed in a labor riot near the plant of the Allegheny Coal and Coke Oo., near Breckenridge. Pa. It did not appear that she was con- Cerned in organization for the steel strike.
 Says Woman Was Murdered
 Pointing his finger at various mem bers of the comnittee and waving a phot )gGaph, Fitzpatrick said a picket a man 60 years of age-was shot down lin cold blood. Several chil- dren, he said, were attra cted by the firing. This woman,' he continued, "came around the corner of the alley n, ,1,i men appeared. She was afraid the children would be shot She reached down and pulled up her skirts and pulleI them around the children in a corner. Immediately, the gunmen fire and killed her"
 ,'Who were these sunmen? ?" asked Chairman Kenyon.
 ''Thoy were employees of the com panN-hired to terrorizc the com munidies." Fitzpatrick answered. "The deputy sheriffs and gunmcn are act ing all together"
 'What you mean to say,' said Sen ator Walsh, democrat, Massa chusetts, lis that directly or indirectly these men were employed or directed by the steel corporation ?"
 "Ycs, they are mill guards" Fitz- patrick replied.
 "Public officials?'' asked Senator Walsh.
 F"They are sworn in as deputy sher- ifs" the witness explained. We don't know Wht re their pay comes from"
 Tt is a fact that this shooting oc- cured in connection with a coal strike and before the steel trouble, isn't it?" asked Senator Phipps, re- publican, Colorado.
 But she was shot to put the fear into our people, Fitzpatrick suid.