The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-03-23
ALL LABOR MUSTERS
BEHIND THREE MINERS

IOrLS TO Tree Cnre6 nOneSJf anu pro-
gressive miners, Sam Bonita, Steve
MENDOZA and Adam Moleski who were
without cause indicted for murder on
March 10 by the grand jury of Lu-
zerne county, Pennsylvania. They are
charged with the fatal shooting of
Organizer Frank Agati at the dis
trict office of the miners union on
Feb. 16.
Begin Murder.
A few days after the election of
the local officers opposed to the in
dividual contract system, Thomas Lii
lis, a progressive miner opposed to
the contractors and the Cappelini ma
chine, was shot and killed from am
bush. Threats were made to Alex
Campbell, whose house had already
been dynamited and who has since
been murdered, and other progress
siye leaders that they would meet the
fate of Lillis if they did not desist
in their fight against Cappelini and
the contractors. Lillis was killed by
hired gunner from New Jersey who
escaped, and it was known that Or
ganizer Frank Agati had visited them
in Pittston at their boarding house
the night before they murdered
Iillis.
On Feb. 16, Bonita, the president
of his local, and MENDOZA and Moleski
of the grievance committee came to
Wilkes-Barre at the invitation of dis
trict officials to confer with them in
an attempt to get the No. 6 colliery
of the Pennsylvania Coal Company
opened, which had been shut down
since the election of the new officers.
Organizer Agait. well armed and
known as the best pistol shot in the
region, assaulted Bonita in the first
minute of the conference, striking
him in the face and pulling out his
pistol, Shooting then began, Agati
firing at Bonita and Bonita, in self
defense at Agati.
Returns to Face Issue.
Bonita. MENDOZA and Moleski then
left the office. Moleski voluntarily
went to the district attorney two hours
later and told. the entire story Of the
fight. MENDOZA was arrested almost
Immediately. Bonita who had sue
cessfully made his escape, returned
twenty-four hours later and gave
himself up, willing to stand trial and
desiring to have his name cleared.
Two days later, Sam Grecio, pro-
gressive official of Local 1903 was
shot three times thru the head in
Pittston by hired assassins who es-
capped. Grecio is still in critical con-
dition.
The following week on Feb. 28
Alexander Campbell, the outstanding
leader of the Pittston progressives
checkweighman of the colliery, and
his friend, Peter Reilly, secretary OF
Local Union 1903, were murdered by
automatic shotguns, over twenty. .3e
calibre slugs being found in each body
Thus were taken away two of the
most effective fighters against the
contractors and the corruption of the
district and international union off
Gals, as they were returning from
visiting their friends Bonita, Mendola
and Moleski in prison where they had
gone to make plans for their de-
tense.
Police Partial
No arrests have been made for the
murders of Lillis, Campbell and Reilly
and the attempted murder Of Grecio
all of whom were honest, progressive
union men. Yet the entire force OF
the state is now aiding the contractor
operator corrupt union official group
in railroading three men to the cleo
trio chair, because one of them de-
Tended himself against the murderous
attack Of Agati. who was both an orr
ganizer, a special contractor and
known as the personal bodyguard'
Of Cappelini. To show how prejudiced
the state is, Moleski was at first re-
leased under bail as material wit
ness, but a few days later at the
preliminary hearing, when he consis-
tently held to his testimony that
Agati had attacked Bonita first, he
was also charged with murder and
committed without bail to the Luz
zerne County Jail.
Free our brothers Bonita. MENDOZA
and Moleski. Send all assistance pos
sibIc to the National Bonita Moleski-
MENDOZA Defense Committee, Room
5l3, Coal Exchange Bldg- Wilkes
Barre. Pa.