The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-14
Trial of 10 Ky. Strike Leaders
Shows Clearly That Court
Is Tool of Coal Operators
Judge Van Beber and Prosecutor Smith Con-
stantly Prompted by Coal Operators Lawyer

| rested as soon as he got to Plneville)
protested at the illegal procedure
First, after struggle, they got the
right to have their own stenegrapter
in court. Then after still more strug-
gle they won the right to confer
ence off all the defendants with the
attorneys "a privilege never granted
befere).
The conference over, all returned to
the court room, tiny euhiele crowd
er with coal operators, and the agents
including operators gunner who last
Saturday told Frank Borieh and John
Harvey they needed an undertaken,
and the women vine head the Red
Cross here and vino tried Thursday
to raise a gang to lynch the miners
in Jail
Then q further struggle developed
over Tsubs right to be an attorney
in the case. The religious issue was
injected by prosecutor Smith who de-
manded of Faub whether he believed
in god. All this was finally pushed
aside. Faub affirmed that he really
was an attorney and began to act in
the case.
The prosecutor announced that the
date. of the hearing was set for Sat-
urday only to nislead the miners and
claimed that their presence might
lead to bloodshed and "ene drop of
Kentucky blood is worth more than
the Reds in all the world"
The prosecutor claimed in open
court that defense attorney Stone had
agreed TO this deception, but Stone
got up and denied it.
Then the Judge, taking his cue
from the prosecutor, confirmed the
prosecutors story.
But the fat was in the fire. Stone
stuck to his denial, and the defence
took the line that the whole proceed
ure was an attack on the union.
Finally the prosecution backed
down and the hearing date was set
fer Tuesday Jan. II.
Various interesting facts developed
in the affair Friday afternoon.
Judge Van Beber is coal oper-
alter, either now or recently owner
Of the Log Mountain Coal Co, with
mine half way between Pineville
and Riddlesboro. He knows no law
and takes all his opinions either from
the prosecutor, or from Reed Patter-
son, counsel for the biggest coal OPP
orator here.
Prosecutor Smith is young wild
eyed spouter with the same lack of
tact and much of the mannerism of
a yearling bull. Every time he gum
med up the record with something
unusually silly or atrocious, Patterson
shrewd cid war horse, would rise
in court as "the friend OF the court"
and state the law to a grateful Van
Bebef. The Judge knows no law
whatsoever.
Patterson, for instance, checked
the tendency Of the clique led by the
Red Cross women, which was ap-
plauding all Of the prosecutors Wild
est statements.
After the court adjourned, Patter-
son suddenly developed a fatheriy in
terest in Taub, offering to get him
out of jail, take him to his house,
give him a bath. Its q shame for
a clean decent young lawyer like you
to be in JAIL" was Pattersen's line
Faub refused. Patterson followed to
the Jail house, called Taub to the
grating and twice repeated his over
lures.
Taub refused again on the ground
that everybody ought to be out but
he wasn't taking individual favors
from the coal operators chief eoun-
sci.