nv f . t. imanrfr- r- w i ;55" ' ffatAit ) THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1902. .3 COMMISSIONERS HEAR HORE FROfl HINERS (Continued from Pngo 1.) the Ooxe colllotlest lold Unit ho hod to wot It twenty-four hours every second Hundny. QueidlmtliiK on the imvt of Hip commissioners developed tho fact that on tlio lutorvontng Sunday he hud twenty-four hours off, and thut throe men work with htm, no thai It wum fair to be Infetrril lie caught a llttln imp, at tenst' on the ImiR Sunday. An Interesting Story. Uo J, V. IIupsIc, rector or St. Clobi'M's ('hutch at JInx.luton, wnn one of tho afternoon witnesses and told an Interesting' story of conditions In the Hazleton region, lie was cross-examined by Attorney John T, Lontihun on the tieatment accorded non-union men end strike violence gencially. The wit ness contended that there was eiy llltle disorder In Ilav.lcton during the rtrlke, and what little occurred was grossly esnjrwerated In the nowspupets. Attorneys Harrow, McCarthy and .lames U I.enalum did the examining for the ndncrs' side. I'lesldcnt Mitch ell, sitting- eonvenleat to the lawyers, coached them constantly and twice, with permission of the commission, made explanations of mutters under discussion, upon which he was more competent to speak than cither the witnesses or the attorneys. Mrs. Chirk, wife of Commissioner Clark, and Mrs. George Fowler, daugh ter of ex-Superlnlendent Garret Bogerl of the Delaware, 7-,acknwanna and Western company, were among tho ladles who watched tho proceedings during the morning. An amusing Incident took place to wards the close of the afternoon ses sion. Andrew Mattl, a Slav, who Is one of the board members In the Hazleton district, was on the stand In the morn ing and told of having been engaged by a "boss" of Coxc Bros. & Co. to import in n from the old country. K was noticed by the miners' attorneys that the commission -was apparently very much Interested in this matter, and when they gol to talking It over during the noon recess came to the conclusion to give the commission some more of it. Accordingly, Mattl was recalled and led by Urstlons from Mr. narrow, lold all the details ot the Importations, In cluding how he was paid money by tho mine boss to perform this work. Tho commissioners were listening eagerly to the recital and asking quite a few Miiestlons. Suddenly Judge Gray said: "Fly the way, when did this happen?" Tlio whole assemblage, commissioners, miners' representatives and nil fairly roared with laughter when the witness answered, "Seventeen years ago." First Witness. Mattl was the first witness of the day. lie was called to the stand by .Mr. Durrow immediately upon the open ing of tlio morning session. lie wan a former miner at the Prospect colliery of Coxe Cros. Co., and holds the po sition of district vice president of tho union. He told of being discriminated against because of being prominent in the union and how he lost a good Job for the name reason. lie was earning $10 a week, lie said, and this was as high as any other man at the mine. Ho , nfwer had more than .$20 together at one time that lie could call his own, al though he worked every day he was given opportunity to work. When asked If he knew anything about operators bringing his country , men, Slavonians, here to work In the mines, lie said he, himself, had brought many of them over at the behest of the mine boss. Like the witness of the day before, Matti told that he never saw the jniine inspector in his "brenst" but once and then ho was being esco'rted by the mine boss. Commissioner Watkins asked what the purpose was of the testimony re garding the mine inspector. Mr. Dar row called on Mr. Mitchell to explain. Mr. Mitchell stated that they wanted to show that the mine inspector never goes on his rounds unless accompanied by a mine boss and because of the boss biing along the attention of the inspec tor instead of being directed is diverted from bad conditions, and besides, when the boss Is standing by the miners do not dare to make complaints. Judge Gray wanted to know if it was not neci'Ssniy to have s'omo one go about with the inspector as a guide. Attorney McCarthy explained that a good experienced miner, such an an In spector ought Jo be. dues not need a guide. He can follow the map or even find his way about by following the air current General Wilson, addressing Mr. Mc Carthy, asked If a mine bo.-x who him self had been a miner, would lie so lack ing In love for his fellow man that he would intentionally expose him to dan ger by diverting tho attention of the Inspector fiom dangerous condition''. Mr. McCarthy answered In the alllrm utlve and then explained that the- mine boss is lesponslble for bad conditions and can be counted upon to hide his own derelictions. Reynolds Protests. Attorney Huynnlds, of counsel for the Independent operators, ptotested against further Intiulty concerning the Inspect ors. It Is uurcasonabU, he argued, that ,i company is not just as desirous of tin inspector doing his duty as the em ployes possibly could be, because in pio lectiug the miners ho Is also protect ing tho company's propetty. At nil events, Mr. Ueynolds said, It was not init io allow tho reputations of tlio inspect ors to be attacked when they nro not here to defend themselves. Judge Gray said that anything throw ing light on tho conditions into which the commission is Inquiring, Is relevant t-'stlmuny, lie would bo pleased, hn said, to have thu Inspectors tome before the commission nnd tell their story. in Wilkes-U Mr. Mitchell said It was not tho pur-1 .lackson Anspacli, pose of tlie miners to assail tho In spectors or the foremen. They mo vic tims of niivliontuents. The purpose Is to show that the miners do not dare to make camplnluts to the Inspectors, Attorney Ueynolds pointed out the fact thnt In every dlatilnl the mine In spector maintains nu ofliee where min ers ran wait on him. Attorney Torrey called attention to thu Gamer act still pending for tho election of mine Inspectors by the peo ple, nnd told that It was passed ut tho Instance of tho inlueis. Judge Gray ex pressed surprise to learn that the min ers fnvorul a law permitting till tho pt'oplh to elect Inspector. After fcome explanations were inadn as to tho old and new ways of electing Inspectors, the cross-examination of Mattl was proceeded with. About the only fuvther thing of Interest adduced from him was that ono of his griev ances consisted of tho company loan ing him money and keeping him in debt. "Von didn't have to take It, did you?" usked Judge Gray. The witness udmltted that ho didn't. John T. Sttunnix, of Driftoii, mi old, employe of f'oxu tiro. & Co., was thu next M'ltuess. He told that his wages ranged from J80 tor two weeks to JIB less than nothing. This last condition, It wnt explained, tesullcd from sub tractions for powder, elc, while ho. was (tilting coal which could not ho loaded within tho same two weeks that It was cut. Itathor n Homebody. He worked twenty-two yeuis for the Coxes, nnd never In that tlmo was out of Luzerne county except to take a run down to Allentown during the strike. Hu war nover able to save any money. Ho told thnt It was his Invai table ex perience that whfti he went to a boss to make a complaint ho wns told thnt If he didn't like It he could get mil. rractlcally similar testimony was given by John Parrel I, an Italian, who came from tho Alps, and who has been working for Coxe ltros. A Co. for twelve years. lie Is vice-president of tho local and Is one of the men turned out of the company houses rind refused re-omployinonl at the end of the sliike because of ids connection with the union. lie wa told It was because lie "chased men from work" that he would not be re-employed. Judgo Gray asked him If It was true he hud chased men awny from work. The witness said he hud only "udvlsed" them to stay home. Just before the strike, the witness said, ho had a good place and could earn $1.90 a day if hp worked hard. He started saving ntlo something "for a rainy day," ItMbflj, and at the begin ning of tlio Inst strike hnd amassed ?G0. Ill telling of tho extent to which dockage Is carried, he stated that' once he sent out fourteen cars nnd they were condemned. Ho had to "pick" them over and was docked 25 per cent, at that. President Crawford, of the People's C'oal company, asked the wit ness how many cars he filled from the fourteen when they were "picked" over. The witness said twelve. "Then you pent out two cars of dirt?" said Mr. Crawford. The witness did not reply. Timothy Maloney, secretary of the Oneida local, was tho next witness. He is also one of the men turned out of a company houso and refused re-employment, lie was working as a footman at the Oneida for ten years prior to the strike and earned ?9 a week. His father had to quit work In the mines three years ago on account of asthma. The witness identified a notice posted by Coxe Bros. & Co., In the latter part of last September, in which warning was given that discharge would bo the penalty on any employe who "by in timidation or moral persuasion" at tempted to induce any other employe to join or leave any society or union, or refused to work with any fellow-laborer because of his not being a member of any society or union. The notice was offered In evidence. Xenahan Takes a Hand. The witness was then cross-examined by John T. Lenahan, representing the non-union men. Mr. Lcnahan brought out the fact that employes ot the Coxe Uros. & Co. railroad had been attacked by mobs during the strike, and then asked' the witness l he did not lead these mobs on two different occasions. Tlio witness denied the allegation con tained in Mr. Lenahan's question, and further denied having participated in any strike violence. Attorney II. J. Reynolds brought from the witness an ndmlsslon that ho left his job two days before the strike was declared, anil that when he was dispossessed of the company house ho was owing four months' rent. Mr. Dar iow brought out that the notice order ing him to quit the company house con tained no demand for or mention of rent, and that it was not Infrequent for him to be in arrears. Hugh Boyle, a miner's laboifir. of Nuiemborg, employed by Coxe Bros. & Co., conoborated tlio preceding wit nesses on matters peitalning to general conditions and told, besides, that as a laborer fur a iniin-r lie was paid $1.94, while as a laborer for the company ho would be paid only $1.22. The testimony of the morning session closed with this witness. The (list witness of the afternoon was W H. Dettrey, board member or tho Hazs-lton district, who was on the stand the day before. Ho was iccalled to bo examined more pnrticulaily regarding the strike at the Com- Bro. Co. col lieries. When l':e strike at these collieties ended last week It win, agreed that the company should not re-employ men who had btcu displaced by the inlro duct Inn of machinery or those under Indictment or arrest for crime. The list of men the company put In those two excepted classes numbered iv.'j. Tho witness testllled that he carefully ex amined the list and found only eighteen who were ever under hi rest for crime, it was not until tho com pany cut the 1M down to ICfl Unit thu strike was finally ended The witness was then cross-examined by John T, l.tnahan. Mr. Lcnnhun brought nut the fact that tliPto Is n Central i.ubor union in Htueltou, with which the miners are allied; that Its 'official oignii Is the Trades Cnionlsti that tho editor of the paper have been held under $10,000 ball each for libelling Superintendent Smith ot Coxe Bros, & Co., nnd thnt at tides from Preel.intl mid Drifting abusing Superintendent Smith appeared hi this paper. He Did 5Tot Know. Tho wltne-s avetred that he did not know that there were many sti liars engaged In violence who were inn ar rested, or that twenty-tlvu of tho strik er from tho Coxo mines worn urresld Uarre, of liock Ulcu. a nreiuan ai one or the Co.vo breakers, told that ho worked twelvu hours a day and twenty-four hours at ti utruteh every other Sunday, when changing shifts. This condition prevails all through that legion, .Sometimes ho can get off for a few hours to go to church, The pay of a llreman Is $1.57 a day. A queBtlnu from Commissioner I'atker adduced tho fact "(hat the fireman has eveiy other Sunday off. The witness admitted hu favored nu olght-hour day III ivspousu to Mr, Dickson's dliec'l question. For tlio last six years the witness has been trying to pay H'OO on a home ho puiehused, He has succeeded In paying ulf about $700 of the debt, Commissioner Wutklns put questions to tho witness which brought out the fact that two other men work with him, Thu witness denied, however, that olther of these men could "spell him off." Hew J. V. HiiBsle, lector of St. Gnb rlel's Itomun Catholic church, and one of the deans of the Scranton diocese. was then called to the stand. j Ho was vxamlned'by Mr. Darrow. He told that he has spent IiIb whole life with tho exception of a few years In the trial re gions. His parish Is composed of 700 families and ninety per cent, of the men nio mine workers. Ho Is frequent ly at the homes of miners and knows their conditions und mode ot living. Tho Fourth legislative rllstrlu.1, of which Jlnzellon Is a part, contains 3,000 tolnl ntalnluerr, one half of them adult men. Kvety member of his congregn llon look the total abstinence pledge the first Sunday of tho strike. Drinking was at his minimum ntnong his people during the strike, and he only saw llvu drunken men In Huzeltoti during the five months the strike wa on. Conditions among the mlnorc of the Hnzelton region, he said, were truly de plorable. They are baiely able to exl.tt. He had been In other place!" where he saw conditions, which, ho thought, were deplorable, but no place he had ever been could compare with Hazelton In this respect, Can't Be Called Homes. The homes can not properly be called homes. They ure habitations. The miners, he said, arc frugal, conserva tive men, reasonable In their demands and that they ure u God-fearing peo ple Is attested by the fact that In tho city of Hazelton there nro eight Bo man Catholic, churches, to say nothing of the churches of other faiths, all of them are crowded every Sunday. He has found that In sickness the miner Is scarcely able to pay for at tendance and medicine and a death means u long-standing debt. One fru gal German miner told the witness that he wns six years paying off a debt of $i)00 contracted for n funeral. The witness told, Incidentally, that G. U. Mnrkle & Co. maintain a burial fund for their employes. He commended thu company for this very humune action. Because of the poor wages received by the head of the household it Is Im possible to keep the families together. Girls leave home as soon as they are able to work, some of them going to other places to live ns servants, and ninny of them going Into the silk mills nnd other like Industries. The boys go Into the breaker us boon ns they are able to toddle out of the house. The average age at which miners' children leave school, the witness said, is a little over eleven years. During the last strike there was great privation among the miners, but ho knew of not a single instance where a striker wanted to return to work until the union decreed he should return. Out of fifty or sixty men ot whom he made inquiries, he found only three who had money saved. One ma.de It In Scot land, another made It in Australia, and the third inherited it. He examined the list of taxables in the city of Hnzleton and found that out of 1.723 persons on the list there were only eighty miners assessed as owners of homes. Seventy per cent, of the population of Hazleton, he said. Is made up ot miners and their depend ents. There was no considerable feeling or excitement in Haslefon during tho strike, the witness asserted. It was, on the contrary, remarkably quiet. Ho had protested as a citizen, In a letter to tlio public, against tho stories sent out re garding disorder In his city. The news paper reports were grossuy exagger ated. One morning he read an account of a man being attacked by strikers on the streets of Hazleton. Alongside of It was a story to tlio effect that the chief of police declared there were fewer ar rests and less drunkenness in .Hazleton during that month than in any month of the preceding year. Considered Conservative. He did not know any of the mino workers' olllcials personally except Dis trict President Duffy and he consldeied him a very conservative man. The sending of the mllltaiy to Hazle ton, the witness declared, was wholly uncalled for. Their ai rival was a big surprise to the people of the town. There had been no call for them by the citizens and absolutely no occasion for their coming. On cross-examination, Mr. Lenahnn related a series of strike disorders, which occurred in and about Hazleton, including the dynamiting' of the home of a non-union man; an attack on a car conveying non-union men thinugb Hazleton, and the mobbing of the crew of a railroad train on the Coxe Bios. & Co. road at Drifton, and asked the wit ness if he had heard of these things. The witness hail heard of some ot them through the newspapers. Some of the reports he knew were exaggerated. Others he knew something about, but was ready to believe the newspaper reports of them were exaggerated. The witness admitted he know that Sheriff Jacobs, of Luzerne counts', re sides In Hazleton and that It was ho who called out the Hoops, but denied all knowledge of the alleged ruct that it was after a night of tumult (n and around Hazleton, with mobs menacing miners and woikmeii at Hazlu and Poster, that the sheriff made tlio requi sition on the governor. Commb-sloner Chirk asked if condi tions changed after the troops arrived. Father Hassle answered that thu same peace and quiet continued, and the people ntul soldleis were tlio best ot friends. In conclusion, Father Husslo ex piessed the opinion thnt lack of In telligence and want of enmity on tho part of the mine bosses, who have the Immediate direction of the work of the men, are responsible mainly for the ills of which the miners complnin. John Price, a check docking boss nt No. 0 breaker of the Susquehanna Coal company, Nantlcoke, testified that pi lor to tlie time tut- miners put on a check welghman the dockage was from eight to ten per cent. Just befnie the last strike the dockage wns i educed to one nnd one-half per cent. Check Docking' Boss. The witness further told that at tho close of the last strike the company dis charged tho check docking boss at No, 7 breaker of the Susquehanna company, When a committee asked tho superin tendent why tho check docking buss was dispensed with, hn answuted that he did not juoposu to put lilin on until, a decision had been tendered by the commission, W. H. Wright, of West Sorauion, who was a clerk at the Hyde Park colliery of the Delaware, i,nckiiwuuua and Western company, told of his being discharged because ho refused to be hwoiii In us u coal und Iron policeman. Major Warren got him to admit on cross-examination that he quit his job as clerk when usked to bo uworu in as an oillcev to help protect the com pany's property, and that when the strike was over and he applied for ic lustatemeut hu found another man had taken his place. . William Martin, who for fifteen years was an engineer at the Sloan colliery of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Wefitern coinimnv. told thnt- lie ir..ni ,.,, .. ........ ,...t v, . ...... .... .....i VM( stike June 1, and when thu strike was over tuo company reinseii to reinstate him. Adjourning time came U-J, Major War ren was about to cross-examine him, Settlement talk was running vat her, ! I Everything for Wc Have Lots and Lots of Things to Make It a Most Merry .... TREE ORNAMENTS This department is running over with the best assortment of Glass nnd Tinsel Ornaments you over saw; come and see. Olass Ornaments, 2c to 10c. Glass Beads, string, 4c to 10c. Tinsel Ornaments, 10c dozen. Othors, 4c nnd 10c each. Tinsel, by the yard, lc up. Our 4c Toy Department is lust running1 over with good things. We will only mention a, few. Stuffed Cats, Dogs, Dolls, Story Books, Games, Noah's Ark, Jack in tlio Box. Trumpets, Flutes and all kinds of Iron. Toys and Games. I 10c In this Department, the Games, etc., are larger and more durable also) larger assortment. Games of lotto, Old Maid, Peter Coddle, India, Kris Kringle, etc. Automobiles, Trains of Cars, and nil kinds of Iron, Tin and Wooden Toys. Xmas Candies, all sizes, per box, 10c. Nut Pick Sets, nickle plated; each set in box cracker has self opening spring. 19c Set. Leather Wrist Bags, leather lined; 24c to 49c, worth 35c to 70c Ladles' Gloves and Mittens; big value. 10c Pair. There's Going to Be a Sensation When we start selling dollar Steel Bead Bngs, I mule of chamois skin, regular size and not inferior in any way, watch for them. The price 59c Handkerchiefs Are always good Xmas presents. Everybody can use them. Our assortment is one that we feel proud to say cannot be equaled in this city. 4c, 10c and 24c 10 XTRA STAflPS FREE On Friday, Saturday or" Monday, every customer purchasing goods to the amount of (50) fifty cents or more, will be en titled to (10) ten extra stamps free above those obtained with purchase. Bring this coupon. THIBUNK TUHIUXK Holiday Ribbons All the best in quality and color, Taffeta, Moire, Satin Taf feta, etc. At our price means a big saving for vou. 5c, 10c, 14c, 19c and 24c yard SECOND FLOOR Go-Carts nnd Doll Carriages in abundance, to suit all pocket books. 24c Up. We have more Dolls and lower prices than any store in town. 4c to $5.00 Special Jointed Doll, sleeps, curly hair, stands about 20 inches high; worth. $2.00. During this Sale, $1.19. Black Boards, to hang, others to stand. 10c to $1.98. Story Books, small and large; also regular books for boys,, 10c to S1.00. Rubber Toys, Balls, etc., 24c. Magis Lanterns, from 24c to 5.00. Hobby Horses, 49c, 98c and $1.24. Ping Pong, the latest game, 24c Up. See our line of Iron Toys; they please the little folks. Basement Specials WHITE CUP AND SAUCER. Fancy Shape, best white por celaine; worth 10c. Friday, Cup and Saucer, 5c DECORATED BARGAINS In Bakers' Platters, One-quart Jugs, Nappies, Plates, Cups and Saucers, in flue 3-color decora tions and gold-lined. Worth 19c each. Friday, 10c. DECORATED CUSPIDOR Gold-lined edge, large tize; worth 40c. Fiiday, 25c. RED LIGHT LAMP With globe, complete, good size; worth 40c. Friday, 24c. DECORATED LAMP GLOBES Separate, 8-incli size; worth 49c. Friday, 29c. ALARM CLOCKS Good time-keeper ' and sure to wake you up; worth 89c. Friday, 59c. See our assortment of LAMPS. We have the largest assortment nt tho lowest prices. Look at tho display we now have on Fancy Xmas Glassware in Wine Sets, Water Sets, Berry Sets, Cream Sets, etc. We Give tw J k r A We Give I zz. The New 4c Store sz, Stamps 310 Lackawanna Avenue. Stamps ' I fll jW wmmmmmmm l I V mm THIS IS THE AXE That cuts the fancy pi loo out oC Hl' monds. Kor moio definite information call ut my parlor and "nxe mn." und at tlie name tlmo sen the frou nnd inteiest ius exhibit uf diamond cutiiiiu. Dia monds in ths rotiKh as woll ns KineruUls. Opal. und other pi colons stones. Tho biitK.dns for this week nro: Gunts' 7-Kt. ltlns S'"0 3',-ICt. IthiB :.-.o 1',2-Kt. Hint; it, L'-Kt. Hin,' 1.YI 1-Kt. Kim,' SO Ludles' Hoop lllutr. llvu dliiinond.s, i'4-Kt ;-, Cluster Kins', ten diamonds und rubv. W UyPH.v Mm?, 1 dlumond und two uihiex '.'I Tiltany Itlnif. i-Kt in Tilluny Hint,-, 'i-ICt 2.-, Tiirany hihk, a-iu-ict io Tilluny Hint.'. 'j-IU p.' Kar Scnns, 3i-Kt 40 Kur Si'iev.'f, "i-Kl r. i:ar Drop-, l-lvt 70 Kur Dions l's-Kt II.", f.iullfh' iirunch, "i-il r Ladles' Jiroiic'li, :! diamonds, l'j-Kt,.,, ro fa'liuimock. Scurf Pin, small diamond., "1 Diamonds re-cut, polished und hu pioved. Satisfaction Riven, or "your monny hack without ai'fiumuul " WALTER W, WINTON'S DIAMOND PARLOR C07 Mc.us llullilliiR, Now Yin It of tire. Nassau street: Dia mond f'uttliii; Kaetory, I3J1 Atlaullo Ave nue. Ilrooklyn. N, Y and !'.! and i.1 l.oo. Jci.'-eruclit, Amsturdiiiii, Holland. IiIkIi last nlfe'ht. Attorney MiicYpukIi emphatically declaied to u number of nriwtmuiieriiu'ii that the ucRotliitloiiH uro Mill on and that thoiv Is something: do liifr. .Mr. Mitchell, Mr, MucVeagh, Mr. WJIIeiw, Mr. Punow, Mr. Muiphy and a number of other representatives ot the two principal partie-H went up stalls In Hip elevator about the sumo time last nlg-lit, hut none of them would admit tltpy hail j meethif,'. Mr. MuoVeag-li ciuho down stairs and .sent tome tele grams and soon afterwards some of tho others L'umu down in ones or twos. Pioceedings in Book Form, It'-'i'OKiilsilnK the widespread Interest tol.en ull over tho country lu thu tes timony ami argument before tho An thracite .strlho Commission, The Trib une will pi hit In convenient book form tho reports appearing lu Its columns from duy to day, and will offer a limit ed edition of copies for sale at $1 each. The volume will consist of several hun dred puget, eight by eleven inches, nnd will appear us soon us the eonuulsjlnn er.s lender their decision. Tho daily reports In The Trillium miss nothing- 0f essential Interest and are the fullest and most accurate leports printed lu any newspaper. Orders should bo sent to Tin Tilbune now it a the edltloo Is llublu to be exhausted. 1 m I..... See the Cut Man. Effective and attractive half-tones and lino cuts lor card, advertising' or any other purpose, can bo becured at Tlie Tribune olllce. We do work that Is unexcelled, do It promptly and at lowest rates. A trial ordsr will con vince you I What's in a name? "Rock tan" and "Chesterfield" stand for good leather, honest workmanship and sensible lasts. ' ' ' If you should be out buying shoes to day or tomorrow or in fact any time, re member these two names. We write about them in this paper to get your attention. We believe you will be honest with your self and with us. Give them a trial. Just prove all we have said about these better shoes for men. Rocktan, - $3.50 a Pair Chesterfield, $3.00 a Pair SAMTER BROTHERS, Complete Outfitters. i i ii UK ..il t !( ' t'l fH 't l VvH A-,