Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-25
Morrow, President Of Pitts.
burgh Company, Acts as
Probers' Guide Today.
UNION MEN CHARGE
OFFICERS "ATROCITIES"
Sergeant of Operators Forces
Bushes When He Cannot Define
Scope of His Duty.
BY BEN McKELWAY.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, February 25.-
J. D. A. Morrow, president Of the Pitts
burgh Coal Co., which took the lead In
breaking away from organized mine
union labor and since the later part OF
1925 has been operating its mines with
non-union labor, is plotting the investi-
eating subcommittee Of the Senate In
terstate commerce committee today on
tour of mine properties designed to
give the Senators the operators side OF
this business of mining coal.
Morrow was appointed general d.
rector of the Federal fuel distribution
administration by President Wilson In
1918, and previously had served as as
sistant secretary of the Federal Trade
Commission. After the trip today the
Senators plan to rest here tomorrow.
and perhaps wind up their investiga-
tions with a visit to the coal fields
around Indiana, Pa, returning to WASH
ington Tuesday morning.
After having devoted their first day,
Thursday. to first-hand inspection OF
living conditions among the striking
union miners quartered in fiimsy bar
racks erected after their eviction from
company-owned houses. the Senator's
gave over most Of their time yesterday
to taking testimony from union miners
and company police.
Store Is Scene Of Hearing.
The store OF Mrs. Mary Kauchick,
located at Moon Run. few miles out
of Pittsburgh, where the Pennsylvania
Coal Co. operates a mine, was the scene
Of a prolonged hearing yesterday where
pickets. constables and the wives of
strikers told stories of atrocities which
they blamed on the members OF Penn
sylyania's S famous coal and iron" police
force. Introducing himself as peace
full picket" who for two years has been
picketing the highway which runs in
front of Mrs. Kauchick's establishment.
James Dinsdale, weather beaten
miner. described many and numerous
clashes with the company police, and
introduced as exhibits "A" and "B" two
young striking miners. one OF whom
wore a scar on his forehead. which he
said came from a policeman's black
jack. while the other said he had two
bullet wounds in his leg. inflicted two
years ago by a company policeman. He
wore the same trousers, now two years
Vtd. W SttOW tAAC NOAAiilttEG AiCAib(Ao -
what bullet does to trouser legs.
Dinsdale. voluble witness indeed.
said that riots. shootings, unprovoked
assault. profanity and attacks on
women could be traced to strikebreak-
ers and the company police, who left
the company's mine property, not far
away. TO come upon the public high
way and arrest peaceful citizens and
to stop and search private automobiles.
He said he had been arrested SO many
times himself that whenever he saw
a company policeman he walked up
and surrendered. without asking to
hear the charge or see the warrant.
He has been convicted only once.
however. for disorderly conduct.
Constable Says He Was Driven OF.
Further brutal treatment by COM
pany police was alleged by Constable
Thomas Drexel. who said he was the
duly elected constable OF the town of
Moon Run. He said that whenever
he went on the mine companys prop
erty TO serve q warrant. make an ar
rest or investigate disturbance. he
was driven off by the company police.
His wife also took the Stand by crowd
Ing through the circle OF newspaper
men and photographers surrounding
the Senators. and told story OF how
company police entered her home.
broke a staircase and caused. by their
the subsequent death Of
her aged father. Mrs. Kauchick also
enumerated stories Of violence by the
police.
A little while later. In the Office OF
the coal company at Moon Run. Sergt.
M. M. Akers of the coal and iron police
became SO tangled In his description OF
his lawful duties and the extent Of his
jurisdiction that he blushed crimson
and perspired freely while Senator
Wagner OF New York tried to get him
TO explain where his authority begins
and where 1t ends.
Sergt Akers, who said he had never
heard OF constable being arrested
for coming on mine property. rs al
legged by Constable Drexel. said he re-
ceived his commission as policeman
from the State, but received his salary.
his revolver and blackjack. his uniform
and his board and keep from the Pitts
burgh Coal Co. He said further that
he made his reports TO and received his
orders from the coal company. that he
believed his authority allowed him to
make an arrest anywhere In the county.
and that II he suspected MI automobile
was stolen, or perhaps contained stolen
company property. he could stop and
search 1t on the public highways. lie
denied there was any violence III con-
nection with police methods IN break
ing up picketing, and said the police
never interfered with picketers unless
they became disorderiy and trespassed
on company property. He later said he
thought his Jurisdiction extended To the
four counties where his employers
owned mines, and that he could arrest
anybody anywhere within the counties
Tor any crime,
Company "Kec0mmrhds" Deputies.
Later In the day, at the Valley Camp
Coal Co.'S mine. pafnassts. IA. The
committee learned from u deputy sheriff
that the coal company recommends
to the sheriff Of Westmoreland County
the appointmcnt Of certain deputies.
who guard company property. The
company pays the sheriff $7.b0 day
Der DEPUTY and the sheriff pays the
deputtes Sb a day. Members OF the
committee spent some time In trying To
track down the remaining 90. but
could not do 80 beyond concluding that
IL went to the sheriff,
The deputy sheriff, u. NJ krpple.
said the company paid his board ana
lodging, furnished his weapons anu
and uniform. and he never
troubled strikers uniess they "hoileren
at ktrikebreakefs" and then he troubled
them only In nice way"
Less than week ago there was an
explosion IN the kinloch Mine at Par
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