The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-27
JOHN ". DAVIS
ACTED AGAINST
". VA. MINERS
Demo Nominee Helped
jail Organizers
BY MAX sHAcHTMAN

SOnn W. OdNtS, pT6SluSHLldl
candidate of the democratic
party, did not defend Mother"
Jones and other organizers for
the United Mine Workers of
America when they were on
trial for contempt of court, hav-
ing violated an Injunction which
attempted to prevent the I'M
ionization of West Virginia
miners.
Not only did John w. Davis
not defend the miners unions
representatives, but he was in
strumental in the sentencing to
jail of Thomas Haggerty, Tho
mas Burke, Bernard Rice, Will
liam Morgan, Edward Mckay,
and the prosecution of Mary
Mother" Jones!
These facts, directly contradicting
the inspired statements of Democratic
spokesman, were brought to light here
by the discovery of file Of official
papers of the United States court for
the Northern District of West vir-
ginia.
In July, 1902, the Clarksburg Fuel
Company, powerful corporation own
ing scores of mines in West Virginia,
was granted an injunction by Judge
]. ]. Jackson of the circuit federal
bench. restraining Haggerty, Burke,
Rice, Morgan, Mckay, Mother Jones,
and others from interfering with the
employees or property of the company
This injunction was an attempt to pre-
vent the organizers of the mine work
ers' union from mingling with the
miners near Fairmont and Morgan.
town in order to get them into the
weak union.
The counsel for the coal operators
included A. w. Davis, of the firm of
Davis and Davis.
Davis Does His Stuff.
The suit against the organizers was
brought in the name Of the trustee
for the bondholders of the Clarksburg
Fuel Co., the Guarantee Trust Com
pany. John w. Davis. together with
his papa, John J. Davis, were the at
torneys for the railroad which is now
a part of the Baltimore G Ohio sys-
tenn, called short line,p running be-
tween Martinsville and Clarksburg.
This road hauled practically nothing
but coal and was controlled by the
coal mine owners. II Is this gang that
retained the Davises, father and sou,
together with other members of the
firm, to institute the injunction pro
ceeding against the union.
When the U. M. w. of A. organizers
were arrested for violating the vicious
injunction, it was not John w. Davis
that appeared to defend them, as the
inspired story goes, but V. B. Archer,
John J. Conf, Charles d. Johnson
Henry M. Russell and A. G. Fickeisen.
Appearing on the court orders against
the unionists, however, was the name
of the firm of Davis & Davis.
servls TO Coal Operators.
When the men were sentenced, and
the case appealed from Judge Jack
sons court 10 that Of judge Nathan
Goff Of Clarksburg, w. Va, Golf up.
held the decision of his confrere and
ordered the Imprisonment Of the de-
PENDANTS. Here, John w. Davis per.
sonally appeared on the behalf of the
Ciarksburg Fuel Co., run by the Guar
antee Trust Co., in which ]. p. Nor
gan interests are now heavily con-
cerned, His life of service to capital,
and to the House Of Morgan began at
an early date.
John W. Davis, who now claims that
he was instrumental in keeping Moth
err" Jones and Eugene Debs out of
prison, was the man who appeared
against the old mine workers organ
izer and did all in his power TO keep
the coal diggers from organizing to
better their conditions of life, TO in
crease their wages and shorten their
hours Of labor.
In Black and White.
The proof OF these statements can
be found in THE Federal Reporter"
which gives opinions rendered by Am
erican judges on important cases. All
the facts Of this famous case are con.
tanned in volume 116, on page $40, I'M
der the head Of: United States ex. rel.
Guarantee Trust Co. OF New York,
trustee, against Thomas Haggerty,
Mother" Jones and others. John w.
Davis, A. B. Fleming, w. s. Meredith,
u. +. Hartley and Reese Blizzard, dis
trict attorney, are given as counsel
for the prosecution.
The lawyers previously mentioned
are given as counsel for the defense.