The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-10
MINE HOLIDAY
MAY DEVELOP
HOMAT STRIKE
Forty Kansas Mines We're Re-
ported Idle This Morning.
All Miners Quit Work at Noon
for "Pay Day."
PAY CAR BANDITS ARE F0ILED
Operators Take Precautions
Against Expected Troubles.
District II Chief in Jail, Claims
Miners VIII Walk Out.
PAY CAR BANDITS ARE FOILED

Pittsburg, Kan. April 10.-Four
thousand Kansas miners we're report
cd idle this morning, an announcem ent
from the headquarters of the coal
operators at o'clock said. About
forty mines are involved More than
10000 miners are employed in the
! district.
What is believed to have been an at
tempt to hold up men carrying the
payroll Of the Central Coal and Coke
company to several miles north OF
Pittsburg. near Edison, was foiled this
morning.
Men in a motor car carrying the
money met several men in another
car. AS the payroll car approached
the men in the other car drew on
masks. The payroll car sped past the
masked men.
Bandits Are Fooled.
It Is belyieved that the masked men
had planned to hold up the pay car
but failed because the Central officials
were using a different car than the one
They were waiting for the old car and
did not discover the change until it
was too late.
Officers here and at Girard imme-
diately we're notified and started to
the scene. The departure of the
sheriff and a deputy from Girard,
heavily armed. gave rise to a report
that there had been a sensational de-
Yelopment in the mine strike situation.
All Pay Cars Armed.
The report of the attempted hold
up near Edson was soon followed by
"a report that several men, armed and
Stpparently bent on mischief. we're
7 touring the mining field south of Pitts
burg in a motor car.
All pay cars sent out of Pittsburg
are accompanied by a secoid car and
men heavily armed are in the pay cars
and escort cars. Clerks from coal Of
fices and police officers were re
cruited to form the escorts.
It's Pay Day Today.
Today was pay day at the mines. On
a pay day the miners work only half
time. They quit at noon.
Large gatherings of miners are eX-
pected this afternoon in Pittsburg and
at various mining camps and it was
forecast this morning by observers in
mining circles that a demonstration at
the county Jail at Girard by the friends
of Alexander Howat was likely.
No Appeal Today.
Howat and three other district Of
ficiafs are in the county jail by order
cf Judge a. J. Curran of the Crawford
county district court, who yesterday
found them guilty of contempt OF
d easily accessible to large number OF
miners of Crawford county.
=. II. Gallery, attorney for the min
crs' organization and for Howat and
the other officials. said this morning
that there would be no movement to-
day to get the men out of jail on an
appeal or writ of habeas corpus.
court Is Marking Time.
Members OF the Kansas court OF
Industrial relations today await the
next move on the part of Alexander
NJ. Howat. president. and three fell
low officers of district No. "a, United
Mine Workers, locked in the Craw-
ford county Jail on contempt order
by Judge A. J. Curran, of the district
court at Pittsburg, for refusal to sp-
pear before the industrial relations
court and answer questions.
Interest in the situation was divide ed
between further conferences between
the four union leaders and their at
torney. Phil Il. Gallery, and in watch
ing for developments growing out OF
the assurances individual miners yes
terday made Howat that mo work
will be done in the mines until HoWat
is released"
Speculation revoIved around a dec
laration by Howat that the mine Off
cials do not challenge the constitu-
uonality of the law. but consider IL
mot law, but an outrage"
HoWnt Stands Pat.
Girard, Kan. April 1O.--From the
Crawford county Jail here today Alex
ander Howat. president of district "A
United Mine Workers. and his lieuten-
ants. looked TO mem bers of the union
to strike in protest for his imprison-
ment for contempt of court
Howat believes a general walkout
will force a showdown on the consti.
tutionality of the, Kansas industrial
court law And because of this belief
he decided that he would not appeal tc
the supreme court on his sentence OF
confinement until willing to recognize
the order of Judge Curran, distric
court. to testify before the industr.a
court.
The radical leader also hopes tn,
coaI miners in Iowa and Illinois will
go out in protest strike.
~ state officials look for "a genera
I&drike in Kansas. but they do not ex
pect II to last more than day or two
Howats strength with his own men /,
now UP for test.