Arizona republican., 1920-03-28
NAME OPERA TORS.
 AND MINERS WHO.
 WERE INDICTED
President of Mine Union Is Named Among Officials of Miners-Many Opera tors and Others Also Are Included in List of 125
LRepubIIcan A. P. Leased wirel


 INDIANAPOLIS, March 27 The operators, miners or others connected with the coal industry in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and western Pennsylvania. indicted recently by a special federal grand jury here for al legged violation of the Lever act and conspiracy sections of the federal criminal code, were made public here tonight by federal officials. The miners include International Presi- dent John Lewis, Secretary Treasurer William Green, and Chief Statistician Percy Tetlow.
 The operators named include Thomas T. Brewster of St. Louis. chairman of the operators scale com mittee; Phil H. Penna of Terre Haute, Ind, spokesman for the operators in conference in Washington just preced- F. S. Peabody of Chicago. one of the leaders among the Illinois operators.
 The indictments contain eighteen counts, all of which charge conspiracy of some kind. One count sets out ten
  federal laws.
 Among Those Indicted
 The Illinois miners indicted include Frank Harrington, president of the Jlli- nois mine workers. The Pennsylvania miners include Philip Murray.
 Among those not identified as min CTS or operators are.
 Jonas Waffle, secretary of the coal trade bureau, of Terre Haute. Ind; R VT -<@4. @E %l,<x tional Coal association, Chicago, and W. K. Field, president of the Pittsburg Coal company. Pittsburg.
 The first four counts of the indict- ment, brought under the Lever act, charge general conspiracy to limit the facilities for transporting, producing, supplying, storing and dealing in a cer- tain necessity, to wit
 .Bituminous coal by re- fusing to mine, sell or deliver coal for storage purposes, by increasing and maintaining excessive prices on coal, by calling and causing strikes among mine workers, and by closing down mines
 acheck Off System Mentioned
 Counts five to nine of the indictment contain similar charges but are based on the amendment to the Lever act passed October 22, 1919. and cover the period from the passage of the amend 1 ment until March II, 1920, the date the indictment was returned. Other l counts take up under separate heads | charges included in the general allega- tions in the early counts and the elev- | enth count cites ten overt acts These includes the strike order of October 16. i signed by President Lewis and Secre- tary Green of the United Mine Workers
 The last seven of the ten overt acts alleged include the charge that Indiana operators employed what is known as the check off, system in mines. This system is one in which the operators deduct from the miners pay the amount of dues owed the local unions and in turn pay the money to the union. "Aiways Obeyed Law," Says Lewis
 NEW YORK, March 27.-John Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America, named among the coal operators and miners indicted for alleged violation of the Lever act, declared in statement here tonight that there are no proper pr his associates. He added that he loes not fear investigation by any court of competent Jurisdiction.
 Mr. Lewis said newspaper reports of lis indictment were the first announce nent of such action he had received. put that he had understood that the ,ntire personnel of miners officials were to be named.
 'SThe miners officers have always .onformed to the law he declared. and have adhered to all it's precepts 70 far as official acts are concerned. am confident that when trial of the 'ases is held it will result in showing heir innocence