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. Re: JOHN L. Lsuzs, ET AL ' ,' .. I"
"I do not believe the NLRB election held on February21, 1941 at Springfield was fair. Many men had alreadybeen signed up by UIIBT due to beotings and intimidation:
and through fear of losing their jobs. Therefore,
a free expression oi their desires., -_ -
contlnued
the elor~t,on was not
The onlv time I was personally aporosohed to join the UISW was in
i the earl wart of Jsnunrv, 1941. I was it the r.d.no_andm a 1.11!-I organY . .up to me and asked me if I muted to wear a Hi? bu said that I
did not. I50 threats were used on this occasion.
I halve csrefulltr re"/3 For 11.11} uprler-stand the five and one halfw ' pages of this st:.temen".. mi ch c'11'Tb'92'r1~5 tr*.. L1-uth to the best of my knowledgeNo throats or promises have seen made t'- 1' nduce me to f-ii re this statement.
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Re; Jom L. Leas, E AL. 1,70Pm
92. IN e r in we
jointly interviewed by Sgecia Agents/92~ - _1» 3, lgwi-~ ~ old, Illinois. Ho was cooperative ant rca _
questions. He executed the following written statemrmt.7 I _ .-1'15-'1'=. I
- J "'3p'r:Lngfield, Illinois
September 3, 1943
"I voluntarystatement whom I know-'
to be bptcial _,gon 9 o. .- ed:-aw .._£.-1 _,E;atic-.'1,
" U. S. Department of oLS't»1C¬:.
"I was '0
and
:¢___b,,,_ ?.lim1s I first joined a mine
union. This was . u 1. . .¢orke;rs of .'=J'.1C'2"i¬!Z1 that will
be 1-:fCI1Od to hereinafter as the U13»-. I worked at five minesunder the mt. before 1 started at liino 22* about -"_.'nen
I started working at nine '3' unéor the Ulii.
"I last worked at 1-iine '3' about June l, 1952. I worked.
at lline '3' from 1926 mtil I-By, 193? when tho nine went on
stri bmt "1 our 'it;r "inc '3' wont on strike I rot a job
a ut 1?itIn .u:d 1 had Ll job until boOctober, . I roturnc o amr at Ino '3 in Janurzry, 1942
and left there about Juno 1, 19¢?-.
"I signed up with U15-1 when I returned to line 'B' in
January, 1942.
"I never hold an office in any mine union.
a din-;g--r at lfinc '3. I attended several
I was employed at line '3' both before the
min: closed down and after I returned to work there in 1942. I
attended both the U2.-'.- and Progressive Iiino .;orkers of .'..m-cricameetings the latter of which will be referred to hereinafter as
H16 PHI "I was always
union mcctings while
"I took no active part in organizing the P1-1:». in September,
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"F ~ ' * ' "I think relations between Elshoff and ms.
Q ' from 1932 to 193'? were good except that ElshoffContinued would not do business with of the PEA
during that period.
I thought Elshoff would do business with anyone but dI think Blshoff tried to discreditq It appeared that Els onot accept-s a representative o he Ltincrs at Hine '3' during
this period-
C "The PE-it members appeared to bs sotisifed with their leadersin that union. I felt that I *..-as tn; L,~_;atcd fairly by-.r1d the
PIE; leaders.
"I never saw or heard of a U1-L pi zket line at Nine B from
1932 to 1937. its far as U12.-' circulation of literature is concerned I only
remember that on the day oi the first E192L.R,d. election in December, 1937
UII. men handed out lite;-ntirc be 3-TEL zzenbcrs as they walked dorm the street
to the arse;"~c._ where they wort. go;i_n;; no vote. I do remember that this
literature was to try to got the PI-2.. men to vote for the ULEI. _
"I did not recognize any of these Uh!-J men who passed out the
literature, but I think they were from ano;hcr Uh; local organization.
"I anew the following men who were wor}ci.ng at I-{inc 115' in
1937: Cudge Bumgnrner, Joe nlbnncse, nndrew Schrolevious, Dominic
Pasquale, Pete Garter, Frank eustin, Tony Plotch, John Cotton! .'J1anias,
John Sirtout, George Jacan-ray, Emory Jacaway, Charles Bohcmnon, and
James Hale-
"I did not know of the activities of these men before the
strike started in Hay, 1937, except I heard they approached PH. members
to gct them to join UZEJ. It is my recollection that this was not done
at the mine, but at the miners homes after working hours. However, on
scvcral occasions at the mine I saw some of those men call PI-L1 members
off to one side and talk to then. There were generally two or three
sympathizers together when they talked to the men. I was never
approached by the U11" men on this matter. -
"I knew Oscar Palcetti well, but he never indicated he would
rathtr sec UM" in the nine rather than the PILL. '
"George Taylor was an engineer at tine '73 at that time '
and told m strike started, that he went to several
parties at Elshoff*s office at the mine after working hours. Elshoff gave
thc parties.
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Re: Jon: L. LLFIS, El L. _ f
57¢ Mo
£ .' LE ;_ _.I'n:i 11+? V 3- "I did not know about the w e scale controversy
" _
statement in regard to this controversy.
*1 did not ettcnd the Pm. meirting on lav n,¢1§§3'§ I did not
hzir about the meeting until after that night. 1 knew the PIL. expelled
so:-;-e miners from the PM All of the miners knew of this by word of
-lrP92mi /nluzi,
"I remember that coal car-. were s'.v92r'ted on " v 1 193'? I
did not short my cars. tesausc I did mt eat the word r *"' pert of the
mne to do thieu I uorlzed £1 Box
92' P. " 3 I J. "I hClp '1 icl-:-t we 'B' for about ten days. I signed no
petitions of any kind.
"F. rlid not go to the r::_ne on ary of the days it tried to open
I wanted to Kctp away from any possible trouble.
Taking into consideration the leadership
would have rather, both then and now, be a member of
"I have road this statement consisting of
pages and have initialed each of the foregoing pages
correct to the best of my know3e:c'l.3e and belief.
S
"Jitnessed:
Special :*.§G!'!t- IF=B=I=
ngnt FIBO Io n
92
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Continued! or of any activities 01 the men named above in this
of both unions I
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ard 1* is true and
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Re: JOHN L. IETFIS, ET AL1==>!c./ 1=/10
11-¢TE1lVI HT!-I , Springfield,
residence onl 10315, was J3 y in erviewe is6 tenber "1, 1943 by Special A;ent and
had little information of s own aw e ge
e the following written state- concerning activities a mlh B. He executed
ment: .
"Springfield, Illinois
September 7, 1943
nuke the jcllowing voluntery statement
when I know to be Special Agents of
the u of on, S Department of J;stice-
princfield, Illinois;
e first he unionvie =,-r _ rice in it the V
Illinois. I Shlll refer to this u hereina e as
uFIOm q worked in different mines in the
at Ine B in September,I was born
Line
the
r'.ffield area un er the m¢- t- ed working -
znd worked there continuously until it closed on Hay 12, 1937- I
W15 on the PMA picket line a few days in 1937 and did not go back to work
when it attempted to re-open prior to November, 1939- I went back tofwork at line B in November 1939 as a member of the FHA, which I will referTto as the Progressive Mine Workers of America, and I worked there until February 6, 1941 when I quit. I have remained a member of the FHA from
1932 to the present time
e mine umi was
I was also
"I took no active pert in the formation of PEA. I attended most
of the union meetings when I was e member of UHW and the same applies
when I was c member of PEA. -
"I voluntarily joined the PUA in September, 1932 as I was tired
of the UHW leadership and I was not in favor of the reduction in the wage
scale. -
"Prior to 1932, Elshoff seemed to get along well with the UHW.
I do not think Elshoff wgs pleased with the PEA from the start in 1932, andas time went on he appeared to favor the UH? more strongly. I did not dealwith Elshoff personally and have no specific facts to support this opinion.
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Re: J01-HI 1.. LE'.'JIS, ET AL
is 7 4-="loCD
INTER" ='" "' The PLIA rank and file were satisfied with the FHA
officials. This was a good union and to my knowledge,
continued no fraud existed on the part of the officials of PEA.
" E May, 1937 several men in the mine were aggitating for UNI! at
Mine B. There were four or five of these men but I don't recall their names.
N-me of them ever contacted me. I felt that these men should be expelled
from the union and feel that the rank and file miners felt the same way. I
did not attend the PLEA meeting of May ll, 1937. I signed the PEA petition
of May 26, 1937 to show that I was a member of P21.-92. I do not recall signing
any other petition in 1937.
"On LL-=.y 12, 1937 I worked the whale day in Bo:c
I neven knew that short cars were loaded until after work t .1 evening.
do not recall why they were shorted.
"I was not fan-lliar -nth the wage scale controversy in 1937 between
Elshoff and the Phil. and had no understanding of it.
"I voted in the NLRB election of December 15, 1937. I think this
ms a fair election and presented a true picture of the feelings of the
miners in Mine B at that time.
After I nent'back to work when this mine re-opened in November,
1939, -I vs not contacted by any Ubfi-' organizers, but in 1940, Cotton Ananias
approached me in the mine and a sked me to join the IJl.'T. I declined. He
did not use any threats. Also in 1940, two UH1! members cane to my homeand asked me to join the U..f|.. One of these nan was _ I declined
Ho threats were made to me.
"I understand a member of the U137, an organizer, spent a good deal
of time at Bshoff's office and that he was friendly with him. "This was
unusuzzl for men, not on union committees to do and I felt Elshoff preferred
the U}.-11?. I am unable to state from my own lcnovrledge actual incidents show-
ing the relations between Elshoff and the UH? or the ULTFJ organizers.
"I have carefully read this statement consisting of two and one
half pages and it contains the truth to the best of my knowledge. '
s Ml
Witness 2! Cl|Fl! Mi en! !.!.I.!pti" en's! Afent I."
--228-
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T.-7f","IS, ET AL
b'7c/ 9'78
I';."o*avn=;': -FITH was interviewed at his residence in
2- . ~ a
as he was a new man
was rather limited.
i It is not believed that
case.
at which time he sta e
information relative to instant case
s not speak good English and has difficulty
;' conrehending questions pu to him relative to the facts of instant case.
he would make a good witness to testify in instant
There is being set forth below the sign" -- s .... 92p
executed at the time of this interview:
"Soot 1.. 191.3
I "'
., make the i'o11o'.".Lng voluntary statement to _
whom have idartified themselves as being
- '-dersl Errc'u of Inve;tigation. No threats or promises pccii Agents of th: : P -..-1 =~- 7
have b~en made to induce no to nekc any statement.
"I was born in-"and became a U. S.
if Ill. I started coal nining in
;g_, never held any office in any I was in Illinois... Joined the
W35
*-I formed in 1932 and I joined the FHA at th-t time. I never had any complaints.5.
" ~ to do with the forming of the 1 started work at Mine B4% to make about PEA and I felt it was a good union. I didnt have anything
in 1936 and
= everyone seemed to be satisfied with PEA. I am still working at Hine B.
'* - "I had never been asked to join the U.;I. up to the time of the
strike. Ilrenember that there was some argument about the new contract
which was to be signed by the compan; in the spring of 1937.
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1 I 43
Re: JOHN L. IEYTIS, ET AL
iT' ' '."I'I'H
COY1t1J'"11.1¬FL->70» we -
in protest against the men working that we didn't want to
work. hen I got on top I heard that the mine was on strike
and we came on home. Nobody had ever threatened me or tried
to get me to join United before the strike.
"Some time after the strike I signed some kind of a petition for
Progressive. I dont know whether I signed it at my house or when I was
at the Union hall. i remember that they tried to open the mine in Sept.
of 1937, but I didn't go out to the mine until a few days later when I sterte
on the picket line.
n1
of Décemoer
ihile I was
up. Nobody
I n1stayed on the picket line o¬? and on until about the First
1937. I was home the dag the Aarshal came with the injunction.
on the picket line I came home quite often to rest and clean
ever told me that I couldnt come house.
voted in *ho NLRB election in Dec of 1937. Te met at the union
hall and then'walkod L: the Armory in small groups. Everything was quiet
and there were no fights that 1 know of= I didn't go near the mine again
until the mine opened in Nov. of I939-
NI
was still awent to work in my old spot as soon as the mine was opened. I
member of grogressive and stayed a member until about June of
1940. I joined tho U.M.T. the some month~ I remember that sometime before
' n d the U.I.T ame to or house with another man and he
' he n ntcd e to H- didn't threaten me and acted nice said '3 m . .l c . = '
nhile he was at the house. Ehcn I saw the rest of the men were all joining
United I decided to sign up with United. I signed up because I tented to
be sure I'dhold my job & I wanted to be moth the majority. I was never
threatened or beaten up by"onyone.
I have reed over this entire statement cf four pages and wish to
state it istrue to the best of my memory.
/5/ I
fitnesses 92
Special Agents, F.B.I.
' U.S. Dept_ of Justice"
¢-..-I -. aw-339.
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RB: JOHN L. LEIIS, ET AL I
57¢ bqg
Special
his residence,
field, Illinois. He appeared willing to answer
him and furnished the following signed statement. Hesteted
'l"*n"""' ---*i{v to the facts set forth in this stentement: W1 -._ .___, _, .. _
"r'5_-wingfield , Illinois
September 5, 1913that he would
make the following voluntary statement to
who I Lmaw to be Spacial tr-':P31'1t5 oi the
-P. Ti-c;-Ir";r*.ent of Justice.
the United Mine piorkers of nmerica
he ULI I omod this union at"The first 1.3;:-2 union T! joined was
whi E1 will bx... referred to he-"cinr.i'trr as tt -f, 'the_£ine, Springfield, Illinois about
Iii Yiiwnknois. ht all c above mentioned mines I worked as a member of the Um.I started working ct Mine B in-ind at that time also worked uncler a
U-"J contract..- 92-I
"Tho 0111;; union office I have ever hold was at liine 13 when I was
elected by the fregrcssive Nine '-orkers of hnerica which will be referred
that nine mzs working under z-. ;-... 0..-. . -
"I think relations bztween lshoff and ms? prior to 1932 mreégoua.
L nization of Local #54 of the P1511 I did not take an activ»; part in C-hr, or¢;;.
in September, 1932.
"In Sept-.mbe-r, 1932 I joined the PILL and left the UH-' at Mine B
because tried to force us to accept a. lower wage scale. I know of no
dissatisfaction in the rank and filo of U15? at Mine B. prior to 1932. I
voluntarily joined the for the above mentioned reason.
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INT 1-JRVIIY .
Q CO1'1!l!"iLl£."! '
and c-:»vc.n after losing a years work aftor the
helfrovs: time =;=!1_k_ and file. miners were still satisfied i v
L. urns, ET .14.
é '2 < /@713
'.'I'IZ1 "The relations botuoen
between 1932 and 193'?lilshoff and Local #54 of F3511
were good as far as I remember-.
were satisfied with their leaders
strike started in Hay, 1513'? I
EH1»."The PIL4 rank and filo
"I know: the i':>1lo"::in3 men who were all working at Mine 9 prior to
' ' ' "'~* 193'? Joo ¢.lba.ncs ;, mxirow Schr.:lcvious,th: closing down of thot mne in .1, :Dominic kasqualo Pom Carter, Frank '-ustin, Tony Plot-:3, John Cotton! 35 3 "" Y" Jacaaa Charles ohannon ar hnani-:=.s, Bill irtout, G'.DI'@_.{u- "acme:-.y, L .._,- ~ y,
' James Halo.
"I know of no other miners 1*:h.~ -mt-._=-*1 be _+'uu 4.11 bun; Dcuau ... .=
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th< abov~.. non who mrro UILT oryanizo-1-s or 3:'IT.l:J<':-'i'.~12.I".Z-QI'S. I heard from some L» -
minors in 1936 or l!j'- shat -Saar,-s Hale 1.113 QL.5olT1g out U35. cards at the mine.
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f or UIL.
r.::1;1t: 311' .'.." nc _
guilty of those activiti-;>s.itr:
@*h@* W Bwpathizersor 2.-§['ig2L0!s were oxpolloo rota ;.;.. do not rcncu :1 the F11. .'1C<.=tin.§; held
on 31:;-' ll, 1937, holtacvmr, I may >:z".vo boon at this nesting.
"I do not rr.ncnb~:r sceing any coal cars shnrtedjat thc time of tho 'strike. I lator hoard tho cars woro buini shortod but ~L did not hear the
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RE: JOHN L. LIJJIS, ET AL
L 7 .5,» é -7 D '
1-
and he to d me he would not accept s c eck-off
would not recognize the Pn. This happened sometime
June 30, 1937.I92I7'|F921921f'I"1'.'|"
con in
sheet, indicating he
between Kay 22nd and
"I was not acquainted with the wage scale contmverly.
"I signed the P31!» petition of Hay 26, 1937. The petition was
placed on a taolo out near the mine and anyone who wanted to Sign walked up
to the taole and signed voluntarily.
"I signed another Plén p¬titi-!I'., I recall, just before the mine
attempted to rc-open in September, l9j?. I signed this petition at the FE
headquarters at 6th and "-mshington streets, Springfield, Ill. It was just
like the petition of iv-i~;.s 26, 193'? and for the some purpose, that is to show
the nine operators that PILL had a majority. I recall that this petition was
also t;~.1:en to some oi the miner's homes, who were working at other jobs at
this time and who did not hav. an ajvportunitgr to go to the P154; office in
Springfield. I do not 1em'..=:?.-..r L;-41-j_ng say they wanted to go back
to work at this time under the conditions as they existed at that time.
"I do not rcuenb-rr exactly, but it is my opinion that :1 district
board rnoz:1b-r of P32. sponsored this petitio . Regarding this petition a numb
of miners came to no and asked r;-2 about this petiition and I told them that
it was meant to dct -rr.1ine if the miners still wanted to work under the P2111;
and ;i_l__so to determine if PIS. still had a mz'.jorit;. I remember that from
360 to 400 minors sign-.:d this petition.
"I helped picket nine D for about three "reeks after the strike starts .
I believe notice of the pianned opening of the nine on S :1!T.'e!!'1b:2r 27,
1937 was published in the newspapers. I went out tr.» the ni - -" ..orning.this norni So-otcnbor 27 1 '7, I was standing next to
and osc.'.a F-.I_CETTI walked up to C
"M" ~ ~ --'~ d him say he wanted fifty to go to
[_f'.lUul.k.J WI-LL/J.92-4 J» ITDJ 92:|u-.uu.work andqseid he c :0 hundred and fifty not if PHI-{:ETTI
wanted then. JLCETTI said he was not re-cognizing the P31 , but that he was
only recognizing the U351. CH.'.P_LES BQELJINOII, who was standing in this
group, said he was representing U111 and that he could furnish tohx. men to
work. Only about a dozen non did go to work. 4'-.t this time the P355
miners loft and went home.
"I do not I'.:IIlO1Jbu-I the details of the second and thirt attempts to
open Mine 3.
-233-
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and I wormedi
" ITI 'TT'1"i "ITET- "The mine re0pned on lJovumb.r 6, 1939
at a pIOuCh0d to joinI . ' . .. .
' I was n P' "
" nd i aard of no threats or violence. All of the miners had not returnedTJL. :1 ..
ta work by this time.
work under the U11"? leadership." "I prefer the P231. I would not want to
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RE: JOHN L. IE-TIS, ET AL
i 92J92 I" _ _ __92 I3-I'"LP.V - H '" 3," Special .R ;::x1 nd!92 ________ on S¬'_;Jt922J'1b'J1' 4, l'!/ a nis residence,' Q-5pringi'ield, Illinois. He willingly answered the questions pro»-
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oou cod to him, and indicated that he would be willin-* to testify to the
facts as sot forth in the1 ollowing signed statement furnished by him:
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1uof
"'"hc first mine uniScpternber LL, 1943
the following voluntary statement to
rzhom I to be Special iL_:-,ents oi
, U.S. Department of Justice.
eld, Ill. I was born on
_q 5,1 4 g-Q »*Qd es a.
on I _'}G"_11».!d t d Mine '*o a,. > ' ' ' ' 7 was the Uni = ' » = 1 ~
referred to hereinafter as the UIIJ, I;'_linois in ht this time, I was working in the Fee 0 i e #6, near 5prin;;1"ie ,
Illinois.
"I have
N71
ettcm,ct:.d to go b=;c.~; to w
to re--open. I felt thereas u member P15.» I wormed there until
.- thet date, I never went beck or
ork there although I heard the zine was trying
would be trouble there, so I did not return to
work there, even to get new tools.
"Prior to September 1932, I was working at Peabody Iiine #57, atSpringfield, Illinois. 11,115 mine shut down when the U11? ballot boxes were
stolen. I an referring t
Wage Scale reduction voteo the ballots submitted in connection with the
. I voluntarily joined the PLEA in Septzmber, 1-332
when the miners at L-eabociy Liine 545'? votecl in favor of ijil» at that local.
I felt that the P152 was a
represented the miners ingood union and that officials of Pi-LL well
that union. ~
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RE: Ln IE-ITS, ET
!=>'!c_.. Lfif!
In 1933 I started working in Mine B as a digger. I
believe in relations between Elshoff and FHA at that
continue mine were satisfactory until about hpil, 1937.
Elshoff never made any renarks to my knowledge
indicating which union, if any he favored. About April, 1937, the following
men Working at Mine B were reported to be contacting the men at their homes
and at the nine trying to "ct them to Join the UB3. They did not contactme; Andrew Schrelevious, ominie Pasquale, Pete Carter, Tony Plotch, Frank
Austin, John Ananias, John irtout, Gharles Bohannon, and James Hale.""1':~1 7'»-.-? "7 -.1.
"It was comon knonled;e in the mine that these men were UHF sympa~
thizers or organizers and were active as such in Mine B which nas a closed
shop, PEA nine. Elshoff a1n.Faleetti LCVLT made any attempt to stop these
activities to rw knonled;s. I never ex" these men distribute literature
or UH? applicntior cards. These may ue:: v,ry friendly with Elshoff and
Felcetti and I sat than in Blshoff-s office at the mine quite often before
I want down in the nine. This was beitre the mine closed down in May 1937.
At about this time, tlese men appeared to be more friendly with Elshoff
than the other miners. It is not the normal thing to see working miners
in Elsheff's office like this.
"I attended about one-half of the union meetings of both the UH? and
the Pn, when I was a miner at Mine B. I do not recall that I attended th:
PEA meeting of May ll, 1937 when some of the UM? sympathizers were expelled
but I heard about it the next day at the mine by word of mouth. I heard
Elshoff would not discharge these men, and the; were still arguing aoout
it on top when I went down into zthe mine. I heard some coal ears were
bein; shorted, but I dont know why. I did not short mine as I had little
coal at that time.
"I was not familiar with the details of the wage scale agreement. Th:
PH; Report indicated that the mincrs were to get some back pay, but I did
not know the details or hum much the Fey was to be. I felt that the UH?
sympathizers should have been expelled and believe the other PEA members
f.lt the same nay. After the mic closed in Hay, 1937, I helped picket
the nine for several weeks, but I never attempted to go back to work when
the mine attempted to open.
"I Sl;n¢d the PEA petition of Hay 26, 1937 to show that I was a member
of Rm.. I do not recall signing any other petition. As for as I know, there
Wis no fraud in the NLRB election on December 15, 1937. I do not remember
hon I got notice of the election, but I went to the Arsenal and voted
with the others and no one tried to influence me in any way. Prior to
the time I left Mine B, no one tried to influence me to join UHT. I did
not overhear any union organizers talking to other people on this subject
and I did not observe any fights over this matter. I had no additional in-
formation referring to UMH organizers or concerning the wage scale problem.
-236
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RE»; JOHN L. IE-IIS, ET AL __
?:"*'*'>.'~-"="~-"" *"TTT_ "I have carefully read and full! "~"d°Y'5'°md the
three anci one-half pagus of this statement and
it contains the truth to the best of my knowled
No threats or promises have been made to ide
me to make this statement "con Lnue 1
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iffg Re: JCHN L. I.E'.T.[S, ET AL
1970'
b70 .
was inter-
Illinois, by
s sed he did not have a
45 :1 good but would not make a good Government
ss as he is verynuch in favor of 11,115.??-
_;>rovided the following statement=
1.";
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in
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92toeptern er , 1943.
following voluntary statement
'.-P-xx I know to be Spe cial Agents of
"r-»:=-.e., threats or promises he*-'e the inve _
been made in attaining this statement and I 1:101: that what I may say may
be used in a court of law. .
~, employed at the
I was employed :1 ne
we WO11{lf1Q..u --»lf1¬3 - - in Jarch 1943. I stopped working at
because the air in the mine was bad.
_- "I started working in coal mines i
which time I became e mezzber of U.I1.1.'-'. In 1932 I ch-ynged rom ,1 0 t "
because um"; lowered the wage scale.
"Betneen- and 1932 the management of 3-iine "B" were on good
relstions with U1.'2'J.u.1T1¬
"Between 11332 and liay 12, 1937 the management of Mine "B" did
not attempt to discredit and the management did not seem to have o
hostile attitude in settling grievances.
I had a good opinion of PLEA until the first part of 1937. In
193'? Pile did not seem to me to be a democratic union as the officials
of controled the union and members did not have a voice in the operation
of the union. I considered some of tho special assessments to be too much
although I do not know onythinf ataut the financial arr<m'ements of the
92_L'1io!'1 =
I took no interest in the bombing cases.
Between 1932 end ii-y 12, 193'? UL"-T did not set up a picket line at
I-iine "B" nor did '01!-I distribute any literatum at *-line "B"__ No oneattempted to change me from to Ulii. I heard that Pm expelled Joe
' --236-
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Re: JOHN L. LFITI5, er at
Me 1=>?l>
Albanese, Andrew Schrelevious, Dominic Pasquale,
Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony Plotch, John Ananias,
John Sirtout, George Jacaway, Emory Jacaway, Charles
Bohannon and James Hale. I knew all oi the above named
men but they did not tell me they were expelled from P.*E.A. I heard some
of the officials of Plia niaice the statement that the above named men were
exp- lled because they were attempting to organize UL{.'I at Nine "B" although
I do not kno-.: whether the statement made by FHA officials was true or not.
"I did not scc any Um-.1 officials with the management of tne "B" pri~
to liay 12, 193?.
"In the Spring of 1937 the F11-L '~-ontrtact with Kine "B" expired and
a temporary agreement was made vith 3.i;_n;- "-9" so that any increase in the
wage scale would h-we b er. retroactive to
The members of Pill. thougfht they would cat
know of no trouble at Tine "B" during Easy
of 1937 the mon7.gem<.-:;r xf. 1-lino "B" scornedtar date the contract expired.
an lnr.-T9-158 in the wage scale. I
day in April. In the spring
to want a contract with P1-IA to
increase the 1.-.-age so"-.l<=_. but for some unknoum reason P151; officials would
not sign :1 contract. The 0f§§'?l"1S of Eli: made statements that the wage
scale would be increased with retroactive pay.
"About May L2, 1937 I heard FLIA was to have a meeting with the
management oi Iiine "E" about the w ge scale. Instructions were given thatday big to load coal cars shoot and the management would incrstasr
~'~- here was no sentiment on Lfny 12 193'? to strike at 1-Iine "T- the w be sea . -. I. - ~ ,
About 2:09 P.Li. Lia" 12 19 '7 Dan 3-IcGil1 called a strike at Mine "B". Thatafter:-1oon mode a speech at I-Zine "B" at which time
'= " e" . ..__. le was increased. they st_.te J won o s r unto. the no"-e SE1
"In the summer of 193'? on two occasions representatives brought
petitions to my home tobc signed, naming PITA as my hargininy agent at
Line "B". I voluntarily signed these petitions.
"I did not sign a 111.117 petition in the s umzner of 1937.
I heard that c new 1115.7 local in the sumer of 1937 .
"In Sept. 1937 I was notified by :1 representative of Pl-KA thatr Iiuine "B was to open. On the 6 ay 1-line "B" was to have opened I went to Raine
"B" to work, but 1131.. refused to work as members of 1115..- were allowed to go
into the mine I acted as a picket from time to time until an injunction "t.¬1,»;:-3; .
was obtained to prevent picketing. I was pleased an injunction was obtained
as I did not mnt to pi}CBb The only reason I pic!-ceted was br=c.use I §=.>.o--;<_i - .
thoucht I would have been expelled from 3111.1 if I did not picket. No onetoldbme I had to picket nor did anyone threaten me if I did not. I think
PLEA member-s from Mines other than Mine "B" were brought to Kine "B" to picket
-2 39"
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Re: JOHNL.LEIT.".{S,ETAL 57¢, 5,20
1rrTsHvT*"IC DH l nue"I do not know of an attempt to open Mine "B" in
Dec. 193'? or Jan. 1938.
"1 voted in the NLRB election Dec. 15, 1937 for P"..!A.
So f1!" as I know the election was fair.
-1- Q1 qnnn F __ _._s___ .1 _..92__I__ L_ ______--L, .l92_., __._-.1-_ -4» 92l'-¬-.». ID T' " .I-I "D"O -L "in LUV. LHJ9 L received notice to repnrn 101 worn uh a an
imedixtely returned to work as an entry driver. I did not see the results
- n P}of any large fires orcave-ins. In the summer of 1940 I changed from IA
to UITT as I did not think P1-Hi could do as much for me as No one asked
me t-'> join U1?-.'I:1nd I was not threatened ii I did not join UHET.
I voted in
this election a fair
"I was a _";'5.- At no time did
"I have re .i
true and correct ta tthe NLRB eltecbion id Feb. 1941 for U15-7. I consider
election.
!o me agut Joining MI-.
:-his s. .1%.=.r1:nt c;msis;:.ng of six pages and it is
he best ti rry k"1dv.=1ec-ge.
/s/ _
"Jitnessed:
Special Agent, FBI
peciil A ent, F.B.I."
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--:n: -in+.n1~1_rj_g_=1_q9§i_ at 1-lg I-.351;-_l_g|;@ in 111'! -1JTTT'--4 .i i Illinois, on September 2, 1943, by Special
and
July 15, 1943
Bee"-use of theseborn
o recall many of the happenings during thepertinent
hat he has ne arrested. The following period. He advised t. _
signed statement /'32 obtainorl i"rom_
.. n""Springfield, Ill . -
5ePt- 2, 1943n
" =1lo in ':_mtar;,r statement to
' om I know to be SpecialT ' -h .1 -J" X ' r
6.151 _
Agen s oi no ral nresu 06- ;'.v&:.T-f.gatiO11. I rake it
without fear of threat, force or pron»;-e of any kind.
"1 was born in and presentlywereside
"'5efor-e 3.932 I was working in I-ne "B" in Springfield ..
' " " I ica Union. In
was a member of the United Lane workers of nIH¬'I"
l local went over to the Progressive about 1932 almost our who e
Nine Jorkers of America, and I joined Plia at this time. I
joined to keep my job, but no force of any kind was used to
make me change. From this time until sometime in Fay 1937, I
worked in Mine "B" and was a FLU», and during these five years
' ' l eemedI thought the PH was an honest
honest to me. I cannot reme;:;92:eunion and the offioia s s
r whether during this time the
" ' ether comp-any favored U23! tried to organize in Kine "E or "rm
either U113 or Pill.
"Duri
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'92f92.Q r Qhir |.l"92l"92 q-LA-I-vb VJ. lJIl&.f Ltd-lun
hi time between 1932 and 1937 I don' forming of the PEA I took no pa rt and I have
'I"l f 1171! 1. vu
"During t s .
thing about any spies. I do not remember anything about any men
' be1'eve I attended a PMA meet- from PLEA being expelled; I don t 1
strike. All I remember is on ing the night before we went out on
one day, vhich may be Pay 12, 1937,
I was called out of the mine by one
were out and we left the mine about
II never knew why He went» out and I
h n any of the FHA men, or anyo remerrgber eari g
why we were out.
-Q41-
-92- -»<----W ~ -_- 92rat least it was in Ha}; 1937,
of the PEA men who said we
tun 0 'clock in the afternoon
cane right home. I do not
ne else, tell us
- aw 1 1- 4-.,._--»,,.-,¢92._....; ,.-.. ._._.,, _'t remember any-
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92
Re; JOHN L. LE".-IS, ET AL. é9 .Q é 7-43
"TSF¢VI?L' HIT!-1 "1 do not remember knowing anything 8.buL1b wage scale
trouble at that time. I went to very 1 er: P-,2. meetings
ontinue and because I an hard of hearing, I listened to very
"Li ttle that went on.
"From that time on I do not remember ever being asked to come
back to work at Iiizze '3" until I got a letter if Nov. of 1939. I remember
going back in Sept. 1937, when Bria had a picket line at Iiinc "1' forL.l:T.;!S-t ti-'C> nor.-thsl I was in the line about half of the time, only,
"I do not remember ever signing: any petitions at all for either
r the PI-1-. or the U154.
el-:c";io:1 in atout Dec. of 1937 when
the P-1.1,. won, and no o;.<".- threaterxed or for---:1 no in any way - and I
believe it was a fair" @'.ection- I also re-nc;.1~-or voting in an election
about a year or so '~. or the ,li'1e "31 opener in 1939 at which time UH-I
won. To one forced :r thrc:11e_:~.r1 me in o.:_~92,- may in that election, and
I think it was a fair election. -
011; about *1 wanted my youngest boy, *0
work in Mine '3' and Oscar _l cetti said he would give him onemhad to belong to a mien before hr could get the job and the PLL1
_ c: ot let him in, so he joined Uni. 8.2.-C gut in the nine. Just about
that time I noticed most oi the men were changing to J1.-in so I changed
to UH. too because I was afraid I would be out of a job if I didn't.
But no one forced or threatened no in any way to join U11? and I never
saw anyone try to organize for U~<=.1i at L-inc *3. I don't remember hear-
ing of or Seeing anyone get beat up during that time."I remember voting in an
"Then I went back to work in 1939 I do not remember having
seen the results of any big fires and 1- do not know whether or not there
had been any. I was told there had been Bone cave ins and I lost my
tools in one of them, but L never did see any of them.
"This statement, of four pages has been road to no by Agent and it is true and correct to the best of my lmorrledge.
/s/
cial agent, F731.
ozcial agent, F.B.I."
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am: JOHN L. LEUIS, or AL Q3; I92 -. I I Q:-- 8
92
92_ gt"do INT-*3-W15-' 7-TF3 The following inv ~ F oatio was coinii bi '
' 4' Special pani and~ . . - . . J _ init springfield, I_L11.I'lOT|.5 on September , 4.943.
rviewedg
He advise e
It was noted that s rather hard of hearing, and had difficultyinlw s I Hag some of LIL, uestions and hc had to be assista-
in answerinn It s felt that he ii . ould maize a very poor
wi 1.55 ll cilia.-d
A .st;c.nts obt.".ined from him the folio-'.'im; signed statement:
Sprin-;!ie!,
Sept. '7, 1%.}
*-mz-Pe this free and voluntary ststenezzt to_
who are known to mo to be Special Agents o
0311535 have been made me to give this statement.' ué- nth
has never E
tI1e !.!.!. No
.... .. - '"1 was no 1 at came to U. 5. 3.& became" ' E came to a citizen about '-'ec;rsQ I ! ..!11 st joined U.!!.'.'.. second year
vir have been a union officer I iirst U.S. Kc it Y-.35 in I: I 116.: c = -
5T¢Z;I"t-Ud at Ilino anon. years a,-go and worked tell Mine B closed in
Spring oz 193'? Ii l 1"!-EV.-J o:~1:o-d since. I don't know what kind of e union
it was at Mine B bofor: P.1i.;.. came in as one was Same as other. When P.L{.;92.
cane in at Iline B I was for them but did not help organize. As far as I
know thinf; wont alright bt:'b92?Q '=11 Elshofi 8; P.}£.."?.. bu-fore mine closed but
later on 1-lshofi would not fire 4 man who nor»: P.II..'.. non but were for
U.If.i.'. P.IE.;,, wanted to 116.1%: those men fired but no wnldnt & thnt was
the reuson 1".-by there was :1 strike. There was no trouble about 92"'~.gE.s than
and men were satisfied than about contract and we were told we would got
bank pay. Tie P.3'!..A. non liked the P.}!..~.. union & ncvcr suspected officials
of doing-; an;-thing wrong 8; there were not any special or largo assessments.
I did not attend many muctin_;s. Both P.I!..'.. officials and men ran the
union together. I don't know if those P.H.A. an were guilty or frezned in
regard to that bombing 100:1]. U.H.T.'. men did not picket Mine B before it
91,95-3_r1 5-_ I ¢j_e_1_r1'1;. 3~c_:g.'=gl_l oi gutting OI seeing 2111;? paper. But bCf01"£-.2 U10}?
voted at one time I got thru the mail from U.!.{.'.. some literature & others
did too. No one ever asked mo to join U..1..?. First there was A men for u
U.!=£.'.J. & than they w-mt to six. I believe some were randy Schrolevious,
Freak l'L1l5t-i, Tony Plotch, Dominic Pasquale, Chas. Bohannon, ho was the
leader of them, Geo. & Emory Jaoaway. They never bothered me at all. I
-2{3.-.
,. _ _ ___,_*V__92- 7.: 9.? Y.! _ .-_, ..,$ ,1-.-1,-___ ,,.:.-1 --.7-_i,.-,_,~ --._;._;.: 3-_:__ 1;:-'-sTq} 92__¢:_;.v ;:,_rl.:-;_~,'_ a.____ 92.;92 -y,:._-:- ,2-" ._.., J _.u--I ~_ _,_'_,:.-< .'-- _. ~ '9292_ _- _ . .. -_,. _' _ ._.- I-_ _r_._7 -.A.'=;» _ ~. __' ._;,. Y
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nos JEHN L. Louis, ET 1-.1. £7 CH L70
INlERV1Ei£ '.II'I'H never heard of any parties for Elshoff or
continued! '""""- U.i.i.*..~'. I never heard P.Ei.... officials say a
thing about the wages but heard of it around
the mine & the men never complained of the wages. I went to a meeting the
nigh-t before the mine closed and they decided that they did not want to
work witl; those 1:01: who were for U.1¬.T-.-'. I believe a notice was put up out
at Hint" D about that meeting. at the netting I did not see any of the men.
I worked the day of the strike E; I did not know there was going to be B.
strike until late.-r on. The-re *~-"as no tel}; among; the ncn about a strike
or snout *,-'o_;os bot. 1;.1"1g1~@ wag t_.;_11C about not working; with these men who were
for U.I'I.".'. When Iim: B closod no one told no to load an;-' cars short &'
don't know ii they T.-15'1"; loaded short. I never went bociz to Nine B after it
clos--d E; I did not go to th. sit low: strike at all. '-ihen the Him: B re-
0* ;.<:d I 1" .c-szvud :2 letter from E.1sh>ff '."m.t I did not go buck to work as
I x-0+-ad at the ?I.L.R.B. election
a n- nrmory in ~*;.»rir._-_i"i<_ld, ..-L . one _ . ."-Ls by sccrot ballot 8; it was a
good 5; straight aloe tun. 1.1, l1§.'l J-. nc.»etin~» befor-.; we went down i; voted
&_ did not .a'_l us how to vow 8.: -2".-n said if we uonted to vote
for"TTTT".TT we shsui---2.. I vet--<l for ?.1!.;._ then. Fear the Armory some man
gave mp some paper but I throw it away. Ho one evor came to lni-. and asked
about joining over to U.!I.'..'. Edmonison sent :1 letter before the election to
me saying. I should veto for U.!f.'.. but there were no threats in it.
rod is iour ! page statement to ms a it
o the ost of my knowledge. and I have signed this of
/S/ is 1-us & correct
own free will."
Witnesses:
! I ! n wilt FIBQIQ §!...C1P- lg
St. Paul, I-iinn.
! 5 ;-.'<.12- FQBIIIPF-Cl e>
Springfield, Ill.
Sr-pt. 7, 1943"
-241-
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RE: -4 .-
A./
INlI.RVIE.. Springfield,
ino s, ervienod at his resi-cisncc by Special n_§I3I'ltS andEnglis we and under an Iy
acted as an interpreter at some points
only a. '-fair memory. He expressed his
Ilo C1-CliT.i".~d to have no criminal record-to
in the i1'l".,1"Vl'l . 2
v:i11i11§1oss to to-st ;.'
"Springfield, Ill.
September 4, 192.3
ti: following stz-.t':nont freely andand -"silo have identified'92 F P Agents .1 -=.=<.e,..i ».r-...-.u of Investigation.
*" =' ' to rttein this statement.I,
voluntarily to
themselves to
No throats or 1'>I~1r?1is-..~5 eve oven m" -r to
"I p:-esozxtlg." F Ive on_ $111-ingfiold, Ill. I an employed
. B-; at Mine
"I was born
came to the Unit;d
"1 joined the United Mine ' or?:crs in! In 1936 I joined theProgressive Liinc Workers of America when i star e to work at Mine B. I
have I1CV92..I' held an office in any union.
"On the dziy th. big strike started in 1'93? I went out to tho mine
and somebody soid there was no work so I came home. I went to the union -
moctings once in a while, but I dont re-.me:..b¢.:r going to e meeting thenight b'1fOIL. the strike. The miners struck at this time to protect them-
selves and to keep their jobs.
~ "hftU1' the mine -reopened in 1939 an Italian fellow and a Polish
follow come to :11 house. They wanted no to join the U.H..'.'. and they told
mo that ii I did not join the U.}£.'.T. I could not work at Mine B. ;,.
"As I recall I joined the U.I1."'. :;_.::in just before the electionof 1941. Om: day when I was working in the mine, a I o-1101'! 1:n0.'m as
i can-1: to r This was about two or three days after I joinc I= 1' rrabbed me bv the throat, cursed me and said that _-'1 !.!L .,,,_.-., _, _ Xh 1-: n that ! wool! not vote for U.11.92.. even though I had sigma-:31 up with -:92_s o noU_;;_~.--_ ~_-yhen 1 signed up with 3,31,; wand e. follow known asptold no that I butter sign up, or I non e on a vacation the next y.
No one else talked to no about U.l!...'.
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-.r 3..m'~;= JOHN L. 1::.'1s, so ..L L7?¢-/ 1= 7 0
11o:nv:.o:.= "I was satisfied with the P.u.1.. when
. I was working in Mine B, and I did
' ' *1 the r'm'1f.i nuod!
not want to JOIH U.H.-. after
Einu rtopcncd. Uhen I first joined the U.M.U. it was a good union, but
now the U.H.T. docs not look out for the members, nor does it protect
thcn. Tho P N,n. always looked out for their members. The P.M.A. always
did tho best it could_for the miners.
"I novor saw anyone beat up at Mine B, and I never saw any acts
Lment for the U.M.U} of favoritism by the manag
throat, I told him that I would vr"- »~_;r:.bnod mo by the
"L I hotter not..a.:§}.1
tell Falcctti, tho Slnijbrt Ht told r..2 2';
"frovious to m; joining tho U M.T. after 1939, my room was always
dirt; and the compan; did not elem. it up as it should have done. After I
did join the U.!1.T7.. "*1 compangr z:1'.:ays cloancvl up 1:1"; room.
"In the clzction $13937 I voted for the P.K.$. union bsbausc I
thought it was tho bost union. In 1941 I voted for the P.H.A. union be-
causa. I still thought it *.":;=s tho best union, even though I was at that time
. _ Hs zn.;r.o.:r of tho U..<....,
* written page"This stat-;:nont or.s1,Btin of this ano one othsr tjpa.
has boon road to ma by and I stato that it true
to tho host of my knowle go.
18/
"Uitnossos:
"Sp-I.;C..£. .-.;;r.n 5, F.B.I. '
"Springfield, Ill."
-246-
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C L L
m:= JOHN L. 12:-rxs, ET AL L7 [_/ ~
was interviewed at her home at .
Shrinniield, Illinois onmi-Special i Agents
urnished the followi ,
Springfield, Ill.
September '7, 1943.II"I'IE-RV IE1" WITH g
statement;
4-. i'92-7EIII,
informatior; to peels r~,,"en.s
known to me to be Special Agents 0. L..1. . ._ ,_.
he can - <a:r92 on a con:e:sa*.i01. and =.;oe.;n't understand questionsL 5N-s-..,o|r i of Springfieli, I.Ll. and I don't believe it
" 0 ea.-" 1-2 111.11 now."is advisanie
-*/ _
"Witnesses:
!pec1a! A;:.".t-, !,£'f,_£_.
St. iaih "iinn.
Special nigen"., 1.B.I,, !
Springfield, I11.
Sept. '7, 1943"
Agents noted that was sitting in a chair am .d wheelchair near Ln. "e was asked several questions by
ta came an a _Agents, with the permission oi F and he did not appear 0thnroughly understand them and nu u: er ttempt. was made to interrogate
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.
ace :- :1
Re: JOHN L. LE".'I[3, ET AL L 7; ~ ' Q A /LO
.ewed by Special Agents
It is noted that
. inois. Being of_ __ 9!!:irth he does not express himself well in English. He is
friendly and coomrative and it is felt, milght be use-:1 to testify to
those matters set forth in the following statement if deemed necessarjr.
The following statement was obtained from
q IllinoisSep ermer 6, 191.3
~a.~.-.= the follzwring voluntary
_ 1-. I. if -u:.n492I92 havenQ U721: 6.1. I'I.uuu1 nuns a
s 1:1 .192.= Federal Bureau Of
we e-wen made to me to induce me
I .statement to
ii entifie d ci 233
Investigation. No the-"eats or promises =1-1
to make a statement .. .L was 1:;rn
came to the United States in _-it-A became a U.;.. citizen a out .
side at Springfield, Illinois. I ° E
"I started working in the mines inpand at that time
joined the United Liine Yorkers. I have never hel any office in a union.
oined Pro essive in 1932 when the rest of the miners joined, but II J - 61 -had nothing to do with the formation of I .M.A. I started working at
line B in 1935 and at that time the union was getting along all right. . . eswiththe company. The men were well pleased with P.le.A., all grievanc
were settled right away.
"In the spring of 1937 a new contract was to be signed
but the company didn't want Progressive anymore. There was also about
fourteen men at the mine who were warking for U.H.W. I dont remember
their names very well, but I knew their faces. They never bothered me
much, but I knew what they were doing, they were trying to get P.M.A.mento join United. However, the men were all satisfied with P.l{.A. I
know that some of these men were expelled from 3.1£.A. but I didn't knot.
they were kicked out until after the strike.
"I remember after the strike I signed a petition for
Progressive. I also woted in the NLRB election som e came and got mein a car and took me to the Armor-y, The
-Z£~8-
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63
Re: JOHN L. mas, er AL 19,7 V
IIFE4VIT" TZITU The election was quiet and there was no tremble.
't an icket line. _I "as" ° Y P
on HUB . c: 1
. "When the mine opened up I got a letter teliing me to
some to work; I think this letter was Irom the Federal Covernment, AI?-er
house and told me I had I Hod been vorklr.g a while three men came to myto join mt-?t»=-"L These mennere_o1d me I had better sign o 1 wo1 so ... , 'ou1d
use my job. As I remember this was around Hay or June of 1940. I
signed up with them at that time because it was hard to get a job and 7
I didn't ';:ant_to"1ose the one I had at Mine B. I didnt want to join
United thcn, I would rather have st&ycQ W1? Progreseive, but I was
afraid not to join U.I»I."'-
"I quit Fine B aboot a .ior:~'.k'_ .4-;c ted em now worlcing at
#5, Panther Creek. I tow belong to P.H.n.
"I do not know; "11 =92+ -'1-_»=a..d the strike in 1937, other than
trouble in the ur11'cr.F, and I have.» no i:1{oro.1tion as to what caused it.
"This statement was read to me by Agent - and it is
true and eorrect *0 +11" *.e'=+. of '11; .I..;nory.
Sift"-'*-1 F.B-L,
U.S. Dept Justice
6 ' -249-
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," Irszevzef WITH
1! lllllllllllllllllllllland on Sept em
I stated thit he did not h
a good witness as he does not sneak or_ R-: J01-HT L. LETI5 E AL , U , -L
L TF1!
Illin -
record.
very well.
furnished the fo1_1ow:.ng statement:
qt m»nep ember 2, 1943.
" I, TIL, make the f'ol1o92=r7.ng volmtary
statement to 11;: 1'-hm: I kn:-~.~.' to be Special
Agents of the Federal Bureau of 1I'i'tr't5'.-'7-:-"5'-"'_DI1. Io forzze, threats, or promises
" * re 1 d I know that what I may say hive been made in c.!t.¢lni:2g t is st'.te_....r... an
:15 be used in a covert of law.
" ' mi 1ted to the U. S. in I was berm-and became a n:-aura me--1 1'.I..$iZ-:1'i of the. U. S. imp I was employed
at ;_-lne "~I~ in about 1936 and sto; »..i ...>;__i~1;; at Mine in Feb. 191.1. II
Ill. and have been employed
at this mine since . ,
"I bet:-"me a 03:21 miner inpzt which time I became .1 member of
Uri? I we then employed in =1 coa mine in Riverton,Ill. I remained a mcmbzrof T3211? until 1932 st which tine I became :1 member oi PEA, because U153
reduced the w.~.;e scale. I took no active part in the fomntion of P181.
"I h-"WC never been an officer of any union.
"'5-hile I ms employed at Ifine "B" before the strike in Eddy 1937, the
mmgqement at Kine "I" seemed to have been on good relations with PEA. At
no time did the !IJf1I1".[':¬?YTE'3I1t of Lfine B" attempt to persuade me to change
from to ULLT.
"I thought PTA was an hunest union and one which wauld do most
mad for me. PM». did mt force me to pay any unusual special assessments.
I took no interest in union activities.
"I took no interest in the bombing cases.
During the time I was employed at liine "B" prior to Hay 12, 193?,
I did not see a ULLF pa cket line at liine "B" nor did I see any UMW literxtxzre
being distributed at inc "B". Prior to the strike er. 2-Jay 12, 193"? no
one attempted to get me to change fr-an U16? to PLEA.
-250-
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:1... mm 1.. unis, ET AL
I ._ .
D~I'I'3?£VIEI! '."I'IH "I did not know of :1 wage scale controversy in the
Sprinr of 193'?-
1TE'E1-I-1"I did not attend or know of a meeting on Hay 11, 193'?
"On the morning of May 12, 193'? someone told me that five miners who
were menbers of P".-it re-re expelled because oi their activities for I.I.Li,.':'.;
that Elshoff would not discharge the men. No mention was made of an intent
to strike that day. I heart that the men expelled were Andrrw Schrelevious,
Dominic Pasquale, Tony P1otch, Ch2rlc»s Bohannon and Frank Austin. I worked
all day my 12, 193'? and upon leaving the xrdno I was told that the mine
we on strike as Elshoff would not discharge the five men expelled from PEA.
I did not load any coal cars short that day nor did I see any coal cars loaded
short thlt day.
"I do not renber ii I signed a petition in the Summer
or not. I know-: I did not sign :1 ULIFI petition.
"I did not know of the formation oi a new UH? uni-on in the Summer
or .L:J'f-
"In Sept. 1937 someone told me Mine "B" was to open, therefore,
I went to work on tm day the mine ms to hove opened. Only UH? members
went into the mine so RLA members set up a picket line. I acted as a .
picket :5 few days, but did not stwy at the mine as :1 picket but a few
days as I had work to do at hone. No one threatened me if I did not act as
a picket. I do not know why P131 stop-"ed picketing Mine "B".
"I did not know of an attempt to re-open Nine "B" in Dec. 1937 and
Jan. 1938.
"I voted in the NLRB election Dec. 15, 1937 for FHA. I thought
this election was fair and I voted at my ow free will.
"In the last part of 1939 I received a letter from Nine "B" setting
forth Iriine "B" was to open. I went to work a few dz Later. Several monthsafter I returned to nor}-zilll and is-one to my room atKine "B" and asked me to id not thrcagn me. A short time
later they returned to my room and asked me to join IILZT. I informed them ,
I did not want to join U15; and they told me they did not need me as there" I
were plenty of U111? members at Mine B. During 1940 I sew several fights.
t 1 thee u when I was not present In Feb- In Feb. 1941 someone cu my c o p .
19.51 I saw holding the do-or of a small building while someone
was booting name inside the building. On the same morning
-251-
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£! ._»:;.F;'!.-:-=%1**?~:,.i»e"-'=.t Re: JOHN L. LEITIS, ET AL jg
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I '1=-=WI I st: . 5Jr e uv- memb¬I5 beating F a mm namedI quit work the ay as I was afriad /1
cantirmcd wzwu q en. Sometime in the last pert of 191.0. the wash hause at Mine nB and tried to pick a 11g W1 1 at which time
stzted that ell the persons in t e was "Juse ad to sign up m rs 4
Dec. léth or they would loose their job.
"I nlweys went in and out Mine B in 191.0 and 1941 with three or
faur PEA members to keep from being beat by U113.
"When I returned to Mine "B" in the last pZJ'1'.- of 1939 I did not
notice the results of a fire or any large cave-ins.
did not seem
id not take the PIJA After I returned to Kine E-" in 1-;
to be in favor of either or ULIW, but the mine
dues from my pay.
uQn Feb. 21, 191.1 I vrted at the ntns electinn. qa mmman and the Mine "B" boo]-ceeger told me I could not 1:-ate as I r-uit me "B",but the government man at the poles allowed me to vote even th0ugh_and the baol-teefgr objected. So fer as I know this election was fair.
nI an new a member Of P1--IA working at the I did
n-at want to became a member of U311 as I did not wan 0 to change
f1-ma PEA to UIM.
"I have had this statement cnnsisting of six pages read to me
and it is true and true to the best of my knowledge.
/s/ _
Fitnessed: _
Special Agent - F.B.I.
Specizl Agent, F.B.I."
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aC K4
RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ALg?C/
IITE. RVIE~r NITH e followi investigation was conducted by 5pecia1 Agents
an at Springfield, Ill- ii H =1 lnois, on ep ember , .
' A ants at about 7:00 p.m. went to the residence o£', 3Pringfie1d, Illinois, and identified mse vee an
explains o inn urpose of their mission. He advised that he did not
know anything about the matter. He was then asked if he would wish to answer
some questions and he was told that if he did not know the answers he shouldso advise. said voluntarily that he would answer the questions. He
also said he never had been arrested.
Q:-tnswered a portion of the questions as will be
the stetemen , and when questioned whether or not he had gone
at any time while the men of the were there on a sit down
he did not know anything about the strike, and that he should
at all in the first pluse. He was then asked ii he had been contacted by any-reflected in
out to Mine "B"
strike, he said
not have talked
one in regard to this investigation, and he denied being contacted. He was
then told that he need not answer any further questions and that Agents would
depart .
Before leaving he was requested to read over the statanent which
he had furnished up to that time. He did o, and when he came to the part
of the statement where he said that he should not have talked he laughed and
said he did not think Agents would write that part down. He was told that
Agents wrote down just what he had said and he was asked if what was written
down was not all true just as he had said it. He told agents it was written
down just like he had said and that it was true. lifter finishing reading the
st tement he again told Agents it was just what he had said and that it was
all true. He was asked ii he would tell Agents who had contacted him and
told him not to talk about this investigation. This he refused to do; how-
ever, at this time he did not deny that he had been contacted.
The following unsigned statement was obtained from-
give this statement.Lpringfiel ,
Sept. 8, 1945.
ve this free and voluntary statement to
who have identified themselves as being
the No force or threats have been used to
"1 was bor'n I smut lline B as a Can-
pany man E: have been t ere s nce ep . . irst joined U.H.N. when I
-253*
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as; Jess L. reams, er AL 92 q Q rW 7
was 15 st Illinois & I
been et Jefferson Hine
with P.M.A. there. Up
I I T "YlTH
IIIIIIIIIIIIIII .
we
never have been an officer. I had
before going to Hine B & had been
till Mine B closed I never heard of
eny trouble between PEA & ELSHOFF. No one tried to make me turn over to
U.HJ?. before Mine
of P=M=L= there et
men got e1ong"rith
I don't know if P.M.£. men or officialsline B before it clos
P.M.A. men sent to jail all I know is whet I sew in the papers & I don't knowB closed & I never heard of anyone wanting to get rid
ed in 195?. As for as I know P.M.B.
P.M.A. officials. I went very seldun to PLH.A. meetings.
ran the union then. In regard to
if they were guilty or not. I don't know s thing ebout money affairs of
P.M.A. & I dont think they took out any more than any other union did. I
don't know if P.M.a. officials made repo
they stole any or not.
B & I never sew U.M.I.rte of the money & I don't know if
Before Kine B closed I never sew U.M.W. ioket Mine P
give out literature & no one asked me to join over to
.E.T. I never heard of any parties between ELSHEFF & U..5. It makes no
difference to me which union I belonged to just es long as I got the union
scnle & that is ell I mo interested in. I don't recell of P.HeL. working
without e contract at Etna B before it closed in 1937 e I never heard or
knew of anyone talking or complaining ib
don't remember if I wont to a meeting the
es I very seldom went to any meetings &
not at Kine B when it closed in 1957 as
I heard about it being closed from otherout the wages Q money *@.id thmm... I
night before line B closed or not
I also em.hnrd of hearing. I was
I was sick for e few days before but
men. I never heard or knot of any
men being expelled from P.M.L. During summer of 1937 I never signed any
petitions for P.MnA. or U.M;£. & just stayed home. I never heard of any
men fro Mine B going to work at the Jef
dont know why Hine B was closed down.
B going to reopen in fell of 1937. But
strike at ell. I got s job on P;I.A. kferson Mine. I never heard & still
I don't know if I heard about line
_ ' out during sit down 1 did not go
I don't know when that Ins. I
dont know nothing about nnything about the strike & I shouldn't have talked
at all in the first place. I ain't going
me not to say e thing e I just dont went
whet I have said is the truth but I don
trouble or lose my job. I just feel that
ng92"92r'ih:rP'lF»Tf_ 111:1. tkbbl. .-.-I.-..-I ->-1
Sept. 8, 1943
In
affirmed that
11: to ..,-;em==.
s Special Agent F.B.I.
i Special Agent, F.B.I.to say enything more. Nobody told
to say anymore about it. I guess
t know. I don't want to get in
in my bones & that is ell.
the information here n was correc en rue an as e o d
E5-1'0!
, St. Poul, Hinn.
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92-92 9' ,C ,0
RE: JOHN L. LEJIS, ET AL. b
IIWERVIET WITH Illinois, UB8 inter-; _ viewed at his home pecial Agents QK and n S tember .it , 313 ,_ _,_, -he ____,,____ gedvisod he die not nave e 01'i.E1ifLi4 Tiiru-0 ne LU -wie .......-s an Pad npek Emglish well. He would mike a £8-it witness» _
{'u1'niehed the following signed statement;
_. 111..iv -
7 $eptember 5, 194:5.
+ 111, make the followingm1 hm Ivoluntary state
know to oe Special ngeza B-E69-11 oT"I"nv'e's£'i'get1on, no
* r 1'O::.iseB have been me-do in obtaining this statementforce, three-..e o p
and I know that what I my say may be used in B. court of lew-
Ia'nnewe:n=
and have"I was born in
played by
been in its e
" *" 1 " bee?-me e member of Lal et which tine I wasABDUL J.mining coal in the! ate of I was a um; rrcm time to timeuntil about I was not mi- - c in 1932» In 1935 I started to worlv
for Jefferson 0 Mine, Springfield, Ill. and I joined em during 1956-
Tn H»-» rst Bert of 1936 1 obtained a job mining 008-1 with Mine ">1" and
§ w=l;e§n;1oye§ Be hline "B" until 12, 1es'r.
f
d at Mine "B" the management "During the time I was emplcye
emed to have been on good relations with PEA. The management did eenot seem to discredit Pi-Le and the management was not hostile in set-»tling grievances. There were not any strikes or oloee=dm.e when I _
was employed at Kine "B".
operated for its members, , "I thought Hm was a good union being
I took no activeno unusual epeoiel assessments were nude against me.
pert in union affairs.
"I took no interest in the bombing oeeee
During the time I was employed at Mine B I did not eeeany 111111 pickets nor did I see any G1-ET literature being distributed at
the mine »
, -255-
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RE: JOHN 1.. Leos, E1 AL-
J4?-92 4 -192I 6/ / r.'-/ 15: /up
IIITERVILW JITB "Sometime in npril 1931 mm mm: asked mp
if I was satisfied with the my things were
con inueo going Ht Mine "Bun I told him I was 86-til-I
fied and he said no more. Ho one attempted
to convert me ti-an Hm to IE1. A short time before Hey 12, 1957 sane of
the men at Mine "B" inform-ad me that h.~T1HEv'T SCHP.E1EV'I0'U$, DQJINIC
PsSQU.=d.E, PETE CARTEE, FRAZIK AUSTIN, TJN1 PLOTCH, JOIQI SIRTUU1, E-IQIY
J.-.64 Eeii and C1-i.P.LES BOH.**J*I}FC."*I were attempting to get t-hm to ohonge .f1'@ =
I-em to ow. I saw the above named men talking to different miners,
but they never talked to me. So far es I know the above named men did
not threaten anyone p1";i,QI' to May 12, 1937. I do not remember if the
ebr-70 named men were expelled from FLU; prior to May 12., 193? for their
aotivity or not -
"During: the time I was employed at Mine "B" I did not see
any offieuls of UMJ.
"I do not know of o wage scale controversy in the spring of.
1937.
"I do not remember attending a meeting oi Elia on may 11,
1957. I do not know if I received notice of such n meetinge
"On the morning of May 12, 193'! I went to work as usual. That
day scmeone told me to load the cool curs short, which I did. I was
not told the rooson the curs should have been loaded short. Ch the
afternoon of Hay 12, 193'? I was told to leave the mine as there was e.
strike. I was not told the reason for the strike and I do not know T
the reoson- I:did not lcnow of a growing sentiment to strike that day-
"I remember signing a Hm petition in the Summer of 193'? to
have act as my bargaining agent: The petition was "brought to my
home by a representative of HM to be sigmd. I vo1untari_ty signed the
n.-_-J--8+-K an _yuvnuavgu .
"I did not Sign o. UM.=' petition in the summer of 1937, nor do
I remember signing any other petition»
"I know of the formation of e. new UMW local in the summer of
1957» I do not remember if I was asked to join or note
"In Sept. 1937 I received notice acme way that Mine "B" was
to open so I went to iiine *3 to picket Ls I heard "B" was opening
under MT. I acted cs o voluntary picket from time to time for about
two months. I was not present when the pickets were enjoined frcm pick»;-.~
cting,-' and it made no difference to me if Pi-in was enjoined from piclceting
or 1-.ot.. '->oI;; "E" miners acted pickets there '.-we no violence;
-256-
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RE: JOHN L. LHIIS, ET AL-
!; PK Iv 2 c, ¢ 25
I1¬""E?.'v'IE¬ WITH "I do not remember Mine "B" opening in Deo-
t I did receive a letter 195? or Jam 1988. bu continued! eometim iii 193'? frat: H92EiI inviting me to join
' ' t d to work at Kine "B" I Ind UMW and if I wan e
oin UTA-T. I paid no attention to the letter-
I voted. in the l~1=L,Ii,;3! eleetion Doe. 15, 1957 for BEA. So
ne voted as they pleased-toj
"I lost all interest in Mine "B" after I received employment I
and can furnish no at'n.form@ . ,1 eni to H-';aE Hate» W I1 .
¬~'_'q'I perfer HQ» over ULTJ as I do not like JOHN L. I-EWIIS nd
the way 1?!-his ope:-e-ted as Ur.-SI is not operated for its members, where-
as, Puié. isbpereted fer 1175 mumvunaufar as I l::*.ow'the election was fair and everyo-
"I have read this statement Oonsisting of five pages and it is
" t f knowledge I true and oorreet to t..a bes 0 my
"Witnessed:-
, Special Agent - F_-B-1.
Special gent, F-13-I.'
-G 57..
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.-,.__ '_f._j_~!':*' ' -'19292 J 92wr1-;YvIE~ 1IIT=1i.-_ __ ii
; *1?I Y _
92 _ 1 tr =15. veRE: JOIN L. LEJIS, ET ALJ '1 - -C, ba7I:
was interviewed at his '
, which is
by Speeial
stated he did [email protected]»tlQ.i r .1 o feats of instant ease. P seems to be an
in1;;.l.li;§ ;nt individual, but st.-ted he had never pai any attention to union
affairs and eonsequentl" cotld furnish no irmfonaation of value to this ease-.It is not believed that would make a gcod witness for the reason hisinfOI'f.kl1T.lOTz is rather 13.1.11. e . At the time oi this interview ,exe-
outed the following signed s -"~ .-
"Sent. 6, 19L}
_ Illinois
1-cs the. follo92.i:".g 1" luntiry statement to_
of when have identified themselves as being
1.5:
h..v92.- been rode to indoec nu to make at stz;te:*1ent.
njj was born in end cane to the U. S. in- I became e 13.5. ci lzvl a L.-. ;:e:;rs .2 o. I started mining coal whenI x.-es at boy and joined the U.}f. .. in about E -
"I believe I was working at I-Kine B in 1932 when the state went
Pro 51-'.--ssivc and at thmt tine I joined 11.51.... I have never attended many
union oestings & have nwer held an office in the union. I never used to gm
to matings been-use I l:i_ved quite s ways from the union hall.
I didn't have anything to do with the start of Pitt & just joined because
the 1::;jority did. I felt that the Flt. was a good union and most of the
officers seemed to bu good 1.-zen.
nov;r went to new meetings I don*t know anything about
about W?.L;92;S,i1'1 the spring of 1937. I had heard that some
men who 92"-ere in the Progressives were really working for U.Ii.'.-'. I don't
know the names of any of the men though."Since I
any discussions
"On the day of the strike in liay of 193'? I was working as e dig_-,"erin box I didn't know the mine was to go on strike, and that day I went
about Ln job as usual. As I recall it we were called out of the mine a
little before quitting tinr.-. I came out of the mine and it was then that
I found out tint the nine was on strike. I heard after the strike that some
of the men had loaded their ears short, but I don't know win they did it.
Itll I know is that I did my job as usual that dag; and had no idea the mine
was going on strike.
O0
-2 58-Tedonl BU.I=..¢.U oi Investigation. No threats or promise 5
E J -if!-. .1-.1?-#5,. . .> -:,
£.:F
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FE: JOHI-1 L. IIJIS; ET AL .
b'7c/ 1,715 1
III15P.VJ35.'I -.IITH_ "I remember that e couple of weeks after
continued! "1'-'"' I the strike, I signed some kind of a
petition f orProgressive. I don't recall
vslierc I signed Uh, petition & I don't remember what the purpose of the petition
was. I r<_».nemb~;r that after I heard our men were on a picket line at the mine
_-_. t'..._.L..__.L-.__ ._~l" '92|"92"§7"|1.11 D5? v_:1.:.u-:1 1.2.1. J-.7J|' I
three or four days at first and then I wont out
the marshal came with an injunction and made us
"I rt.-member the R116 election in Doc. of
election 5; as f.~.r es I'm concerned there wasn'tI sent out to the nine and smyed on picket duty ior
lot.-r and stayed thcrc until
stop the picket line.
1937. I voted at that
e bit of trouble at that
tine. Thor- nnsnt any fighting and n:>boi;, threatened me at any tine.
I didn't go out to the nine until after the min: opened up in Hovemb-"-=r of
1939. I don't recall what month I '.:c~.nt back to
in the Pr-ogrcs.-ivos for some time aft..r.work, but know that I stayed
"Ls I recall it Bohannon cane out to mr house with a nan by the nameof- The;-,' asked no to join the U15." and were nice about it all the time
. Th n - r t . - . T t11<_=;,-' were here. e-* told .2 th-" cs of the men were 2"ir92g united so _
signed a m¬:I..bE2I'5hi}J card at that time. I was never threatened by anyone and
I w;».s never forced to join any union. Chen I wont bncl: to work at the
mine my box w.2sn*t open & I don't think it has boon worked since.
"I worked at Mine B until about at which time I changed
over to Peabody #9.
Since I was always ¢. nan to mind my own business, I dont have amr
definite information as to what caused the strike in 1937- All I Enos
is that thur were some men at the mine who were working for unit'd and the
r-.st of the men didn't like it. I on not in position to prove e thing
though.
"Tho above state.-r.1cnt of four pages has been read to no by-_& I wish to stitc it is true to the best of ngr memory."
/E/ -
"'..'itncs$cs
_____ ! "Special n_o-nts, FBI_ 3 11 s. Dept. of Justice
_ -2 59-
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JOHN t. LE'?T£S,_ er it
J=='7r.'./ 5/[D
was interviewed at his
_ eeeieeeee inand
:.as born in
lllinoi-;.
during the period
tool-: little interest in activities at Mine "B" and did not return to
work there after the strike in 1937. He would be of little value as a
witness. He advised he had no criminal records
The following signed sta";e:;1ent was obtained from _
1'9
U
-..'92 "
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. ;w >.."Spring£ield', lllinoi
Sept. 5, 1946,
"1, i
the following volzmtary s1 ;l
whom I know to be Special Agents -ofI make it without fear of threat, force or promise of any kind.
"I was born and came to the U.S.w.-~ in about _ where I hsd cc-me in 111- I became
92a u.s. C d, 111itizen in Spring .e .
"I first started working in coal mines in gingand in I joined the United Mine Workers of America. onwhile mng 1 remained with mm until 1932. I started
working in Liine pringfield, 111., in about -
"The 1932 I joined the Progressive Mine Workers of AmericaUnion in Springfield, because I did not like the national and stateleaders of I_Ii.=I¥'I because I did not think they were treating us honestly.
In 1932 they stole a ballot box in an -election in Springeld, andthis is one example of their dishonesty. I took no active part in theorganization of the PILL. local in Springfield, Ill., in 1932, and I
have never held an office in any union.
"During the time from 1932 when PEA was organized until the
strike in Hay of 1937, I never noticed any attempts by an? company menor officials to favor either U'!f£*'.' or PM and no one ever tried to discr
the PILA that I can remember. No attempts were made to get us to join
s
~
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1M 92 an "nu-,___ _ aw..w' _. -n - 4. £1 I .92- I '0 ,_..,,
C" V
JOHN 1.. LEWIS, 1:2 AL
b7¢-/ 1,; 73
INTERVIEW TITH "I remember also during this time there
were some bombing cases but I took no interest
con inueo in then other than reading about them in the
' paper and I know, or knew, very little
about them, and not enough to judge whether the trials were fair or not.
"During thisttime between 1932 and 3937 I considered the PEA
union to be an honest union. I thought the Pha officials were honest and
-r .14.: ....4- L.-:...L. +92.-.,. 11"? I + A '1 oio uuu think uuc ran was a T&C6o nor ul I *1k there sere any
unusual assessments_
I never attended any P2; meet.ngs while I was working inIzline "B" because I lived and it was too far to Bo. I did
not, therefore, attend a PEA nee ing on Lay ll, 1937, the night before
the strike.
"On May l2, 1937, I went to work in Hine "B" as usual.
Then I went down in the mine some one said we were to load our oars
short that day, and so I did not load mine as full as other days. I
noticed that all the other cars were loaded short. Shortl#y'after
that noon, someone told us we were to come out and so I came out. I
knew we were going out on strike but I did not know why. I had not
heard anything about some PEA men being expelled frm the local for
working for UKW. I remember some men, OLE of whom was Frank Austin,
quit the FHA to join UET, but I never~heard of any trouble over the
company's refusal to fire sons men who had been expelled from PEA. I
knew there was some contract trouble over the wage scale. But several
weeks after we went on strike I heard the reaon was because the company
wanted us to join UK" and would not sign with PEA. This is the only
reason I have ever heard for the strike.
The next time I went back to Kine "B" was about May 15,
1931K to get some wwages. The only time I ever went back to Mine "B"
wa5 in Sept. of 1937. The company then tried to reopen the mine but
only? about 5 or 6 men went down and Pha set up a picket line. I was
in the picket line a few days and then went home because I didn't like
_picketing and I didn't went to work where they were having trouble.
"Later in
No on at any time tried to get me to join UM? while I
was at Mine "B". After the strike starte in Hay; 1937, I may have
signed a FHA petition, but I cannot remember definitely. I know I
never signed a UHF petition.
.251.
--__,-.;,_.._,.. ._._-,_ _?.._ - o. - . _ . _,,...-- _-_»-_,_ V.-_,__| _ _:__ _ Q- ,.._:,,. {f__,,,l .q_,. .._q_..,, ,.,,.. ,__ ._, I, _ _ __
3' Q:
.64
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ILTEHUIUW FITH I do not knew anything about a UMW lbcal
being formed in Springfie1d,in 1937.! CO!'}ll1'lLi.¬!
- "I was in the picket line at
Kine "B" in Sept. 1937 only a few days and do not know why it was taken
off. I do not know of any happenings after Sept. of 1937 et Mine =3
except that I voted in an election held by the Rational Labor Relations
Board in Dec. of 193'? when PIEA beat T.7I;J- I was not forced or threatened
in any way to vote in that election and I believe it was a fair election-A01! qrdU11N Lu
"T-his statement of five pa-ge': hes been read to me and it ia
ture and correct to the best of my }921c"...'Le= ige.
' s;.;_+1.3<:!
apccial 'gent, F B I
- HW» Fe»
,- - J,:.1'_..._i-- -~>-u "-
.-31 ..
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RE: JOHN L; LEKJIS, ET AL.
L71!
Rho resides at
pr-ingfield, Illinois
home by Special Agentswas very cooper-zfcive and it is belie make a goo W1 ness inasmuch as he
appeared to have s. good kno'.-:ledg,e of some gs;-tnent Saots in this case, is
native born are speaks English well. He has n-I known criminal record.
The following signed statement was obtained from W8.
and-
"Springfield, Ill. '
September 7, 1945.
I, E1 ? the *°11<="""
ins statement We writ Slmel Agent °=°
the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No tlneats or promises have been made
to cause me to make tin , statement.
ul wzis born My present address isI s ar .- 92-.'c;n_i~zg, in he Dawson Mine in mjoining' ' J». J- ; - - l" " - Bad A § I t e itc one -worker. of hIBOI'.lC< at that tme I started at e in- but was discharged early in Q I returned to Mine B in Q as adigger. I still belonged to e .is time. Betwoen- and 2 the
TTLJ. and tho Mine B offici.o.1s got along fine.
"The Progressive I.-Kine workers of merica was formed to get away
from John L. Lewis, the dictator". I attended a meeting at Re-servor Park
in Springfield where the new union was discussed but I took no active part
in its organization. I never hold an office in PEA or U1-.L'JA,. I joined HM
along with all the other miners at Iiine B. The new Progressive union got
along swell with I-r. Elshofi. I liked the PLEA because it was formed on
democratic principles, and T liked the union officials. I attended about
1/3 of the an meetings. The FHA didn't have as many special assessments
as LHLA. 1
"During the month or two before the strike in Hay of 1937 about
e dozen men were "spies" or "organizers" by the HM members who were work-
ing outPlotch, Dominic Pasquale, Joe hlbaneso, Jimmy Hale, Charles Bohatmon, Bill
Sitrout, Pete "Garter, John cotton! ixnenies, Emory Jacaway, and hr-ry
McDonald. Those non were PLEA but they were trying to organize for IIHTIA.
It was gossip at the mine that Charles Bohannon held a cord in Ulfl while
he was working at Mine B under I understood um s. few of tho above
men were discharged but never attended any meeting at which these men were
discharged or suspended. -
0
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REQ JQHN L. LEIIS, ET AL. L9'7 C;/ JL>!£Q
" ' I am not able to recall anything about aIl¢TER'".'I.':§ QITHwage scale controversy at Hine "B" in
can 1nue th spring Of 1937.
' "I have no knowledge of any meeting before the strike in which
a strike was discussed.
"Ibo morning of the strike I heard the men talking, while going
down in the mantrip, about the Mine B co. not firing the "spies" who hadbeen suspended by-PEA, The men talked about going on strike until Mine B
' t the d'smissa1 of the discharged the suspended men. I also learned abou 1
"spies" from a notice on the Bulletin Board at Mine B. On the day of the
strike I came out on at noon bczcusi the ceiling was cra;king and fall~
ing in my room in Box I was loafing *1 top waiting for my ride home
when about 2:15 I saw run out :1 the Co. office and go to the
Engine Room whore he to stop blasting coal as the
mine was on strike. I then and he told me that he
was calling a strike ?>cause the Co, fire the suspended men.
El- f flatli re°usad to fire the men and didn't even said that onc_ ..; 1 .
want to talk about it. As soon as my dad came up out of the mine we drove
home.
"I remember signing a petition for PEA. It was brought to myhomo by_ I also believe that I signed another Pea petition
later.
These alleged spies formed a new UHIA local in the sumer of
1937 Charles Bohannon & Tony Plotch were officers in this new uion.
" th house Charles Bohennon, Joe Albonese, and "Cotton Ananias came to e
to see me and asked me to go to work. I said no because I knew I have to
join UHIA to work with them. _
One day I read in the paper that Nine B would resume work and
I took my lunch pail and wont out. hhen we got there Oscar Falcetti came
out of the office with about a dozen men. Mostly the "spies" mentioned
above. Felcetti ran t bell ersonall to lower the first men in the
told us not to say anything &CREC 0not start any rou o. urne to Oscar Falcetti and gave him
a good cussing and said, oo w a you've-done . I remember that Cotton
- Faloetti tOld Ananias got scared and ran into the office
' ' no but hathat Uhi had promised him 50 men to open the mi
failed. I went back hue.
"Shortly afterwards some miner came to see me and asked me to go
t up to Hine 3 and picket to protect m job. at first we pioketed for abou
d J cksonville Road for about a week. later I went back week out on the ol a
and stayed on the Mine B property and stayed off and on until we were put
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RE: JQHN L. LE-.113, ET LL» L K
7 °" bio
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off by an injunction.
was that FHA was being put
could cone in and go to work. After I left
the mine this time I didnt go back againn-¢.n-nnv-n'1 .l92awucaan u" INTERVIEIJ IJITH
out so that LNJR :7 CODvlL!!!!
I-E .
at any of " eeen
H75:
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-t I voted in the HI..RB emotion which the Progressives won, by a,-"if large majority. From the time of this electloi Ii the mines reopened I when I I I I
"':'-.he1'h1 I returre to the mire in ."t'~3-l%9 I still belonged to the
Progressives and I pair .n.y dues to then. z..f':.cr we returned to work the
& A _H+&z-- n-_ p@: @IT1.T.".'I.. stole tools, beat up members, our f."_: 3*.3.I'92.-Eu g,uttiu,5 GJLUGDQJ-vw
Faloetti hired U}.-VII. men vho were lnvestigsted for loyalty. o ogre% decks - all to get PM-_ men to change over to T1151... During this period Oscar' ' ~ N Pr ssives MU at ell we:-~ hired. v .,I get boat up right at the Office door -» L _ "!N"llll !l!!!lP .~ by Charles Bohennon. ,0 interfered was that the UHTII. men A: /'- -d to be oer ing gun: and the P134. men weren't allowed to go I / were suppose ryarmed. I heard that "Cudge" Etnngaruzx beet up
5 1.-:c_s beat up in the wash house. I understood the a e ow y e n .
- beat him up. Host of the meg who were beet up were old or week
h sioally. I heard that was the one who beat up
"Ho one threatened me, beat me, or stole my tools. No one ever
ne me at the mine to get me to join L'}§£¬A. About this time? _ _.J epproec' d " ' ' -" -.,.;-Q comc ove:- from coking for 1*. Eees e d. said that R" e umgarn had told him that if I come over cs-an onwould Sign up with Ui£..A. I told him I would who definitely got the I
::_ job, but I "see onlv doing it because I felt sorrg; for I didt sign and then wouldn't take the job. I wa nd plenty I
5" mod but there was no ng I could do about it.
"Shortly after that the mas held the second election and 1 voted
.' If I had e. free and voluntary choice I would prefer the Progressive
V was supposed to get $5.00 a day fororganizing ou a £41119 = uring the trouble. l ////
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o__' - Ln E AL. i19"! L 5'70
mrsevmv wrrn w Springfield, Illinois,ff !~92 -_*' was interviewed II: uu¬ aprlngfield ffice bi Special
.._'.E; rt _ Jo? , s 3 -»"1een'< on September 6, 1943, at which time the following state-. ~. ment. was secured. reviewed the statement on September 7, 19/+3,
£9 signed sane, and . is ed a supplemental statement also set out below.
In addition to the information set ovt in the signed statements
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92_ 92 -qrmentioned that one~ N attacked U115 men, saw hind
92 '»92_ others of his group of strongarm men on the propejr of Minew3-o was one of the PIIA miners
money to CHARLES
Qlilnl
- 5 .
' ffllinois
1913 "Springfield,
September 6 ,
"I, make the 1'-_-'LL~.?r '_ng voluntary statement
to whom J kno. to be a Special Agent of the Federal
Bur as o nvestigo. Eon. No force, threats, promises or duress
have been made .
"I presentl reside at
I am employed as
Sprin gf i el d ,
co mines at age o a years.
Workers of America and continued membership in that union mtil
about 1932,Springfield, Illinois.
ined the Ihited Mine
I went to work for the Mine B Coal Company in about -
In 1932, along with the general movement, I gave up nor membership
with the United Mine Workers of slnerica and became a member of the
Progressive Line '-Jorkers of America. The }rogzessive }-ne Horkers
of America was organized on September 1, 1.932. I continued to work
at lfine 'B' up to May 12, 1937. During the period from 1932 to.
1937, to my recollection, there was little or no trouble between the
employees and the employer.
"I was present at the meeting of the Progressive Pine Workers
of America on the right of may ll, 193'? when several members of our
union were expelled. These individuals were expelled because of
their actiYities for United liine Workers of America while holding |
membership in our union. as a matter of fact I was aware of the
fact that something probably was wrong
terested in the ULM prior to May llth,
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because of the fact that it
gettig to their feet on theBOHANI-GI and
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Re: JOHN L. LE-T15, ET AL.
Z» ><:., J/744
' ts I votedIWTERV .6 WITH floor of union meetings and causing argumen .
for their expulsion on the night of Hey llth.
_ ontinued
§ . _ "Cm the morning of Lay 12, 193'? I went to work at 1-ne 'B' as
usual and went down into the mine at about 7:30 Adi. as was nay usual
custom. when I went down into the mine that morning I knew that the PEA
Pit Committee had requested the Mine '3' Gonpanj; to discharge the miners
who had been expelled from Plat the night beior<.. I also knew that there
had been a disagreement between the Pit Committee, our local mion presi-
dent, and the coal company. When I went to work that morning loading
coal I loaded short cars oi coal ttir-oumrut the day because of the fact
that I was dissatisfied with the cos. c.mj.;.1:'~y. I was especially dis-
satisfied with the compaiy because i. her not immediately discharged
the men who were expelled from PMA. It '-:13 my u__-Jerstandixig that under
our contract and ¬Xt=3I.S}.uDS with the coal r:::?.j3ar:y* that the company was
required to discharge members who had been expelled. I was called out
of the nine approximat;-..y L-L8 hour before quitting time by officials of my
union. Thereafter I was of course not employed at 1-line '8' as that mine
was shut down.
"I recall having signed several petitions for the PIJA after
the mine was shut dorm. I never signed any petition for any other group,
Upon one occasion during the summer oi 193'? I recall having met one
at the Victorian Tavern on oth and Jefferson Streets in
pring ie . told me that RAY EDLJHIAISQJ wanted to see me. I
replied t t I did not want to see EDLEIIJIESGQ. I identifyas a miner who I last knew to be working at Peabody Coal Company,
,,lL"l¬ #57 at Springfield.
"At the time of the National Labor Relations Board election
held at the Armory in Spriz.gi'ield on December 15, 193'? to determine
the bargaining agent for Mine '3', I assisted in the election in the
following way. During the hours that the election booths were open I
stood by the ballot box and watched the voters put their ballots in the
t ll havin handled any of the ballots before thov were box. I canno reca gplaced in the boxes. I recall during this election that Q
1 I lo ' = of voters from a list. I a so reca 1 on-:35 assigned the duty of seeing to it that voters
left the election hall by a different exit than the door through
which they entered. I do not recall any 111.21? men working at the election.
I recal that a National Labor Relations Board Field Examiner by thename oh with another examiner, were in attendance all during
the election and the counting of the ballots. ~
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Re: JCX-IN L. LEWIS, ET BL. , _
INTEP-.VIETv' WITH "After the election was over the ballot boxes
...,_..,-. ....1....1.,..-1 Q...-1"U1 C LIILUUAUQ 3381.1.4-I-11-3 I-to-¢"l1 n4-on -Q-u--v-tn»-I --|-H» 1-. -92 Jr A1-I upU-lib lll-I-J-l-U03 UHU Ull G. uelud-V. OF 1_nue!!|- I, along with the examiners and other PLEA men, sorted
the ballots into three piles, namely those in favor of FHA, those in
favor of UM» and those who were not in favor of any union. Thereafter
we all assisted in counting the ballots and each man recounted all the
ballots in '_=rd.er to check to see that the count was -correct.
"I wish to here state that to my lownledge there was no fraud
or dishonest count on the part oi anyone in connection with the election.
"I recall that during the =i?":.-oz CH.-rRLE.S B'JHa!INQ'.J came into
the election hall and handed an enveb _p~2 to Field Iixaminer I
do not know what W15 in the envelope-
"In about September 1 I bC"'1J
ql recall having had several-.
'= »*' - . 7 _ 1 - 'tt union
rnthe Line 'o' 03.1 Company 3..lO'1g vr :1 ct mr com: eemen, our
president and other district ofi icia_'I_s. These meetings conco ed de-
mands for retroactive wages due after April 1, 1937; concerned attempts
to negotiate a contract with Mine 'B' and concerned at-tempts to be e the ._1_r
mine r'e0pened,and worked by members of P15". I wish to state that allof our negotiations, whether with C-1-RI-I H. I-EJ..SI-IOFF, r'
OSCAR FaLC-EITI, were of no avail. Their answers to our eman were
either evasive or they would put us off, or would say that the times
were bad, there was no market for coal, and that they could buy coal
chea r than o rate their 0'."n mine. On one occasion, I, along with
; r- 1B: . 1. cnt to Line for t ur so
o negotiation. we sat 4'1-I h.aI.'CIl, FRLIIK iUJSIIH,
trim:-.zi:;g the mules hoofs. I 1-chew these men to be members of UI,f.'.
1-ie asked F.~.LCn'TfTI why they were working and he said that they were not
vorking; that the mine company was giving tho old mules to these men.
I have been she-m a photostatic copy of an affidavit made before
r:otsr_y Public, signed and sworn to on January 18,I555 BYhis affi - .. ma -rs. nis o s a e T
at this time I can recall the conversation concerning the old mules
appearing in paragraph 2 on page 2. The statement there is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. However I cannot
recall at this time other matters contained in this affidavit. I have
initialed the back of the third page of the photostat exhibited tome, along with Special agent 5, on this date.
A-
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Re: J63? L. 1.5-i, ET .*-ls
197; I/PD
1m"5pv11=;_. 1..'1T}{ "I recall that some five or six weeks before Mine '3'
reopened in 1937 as an open shop that the conmd.ttee1uen
ontinued and officials of PM, including myself, attempted to
negotiate a contract with om H. ELSHOFF but that all he would talk
about was opening the mine on an open shop basis.
"on the Saturday oefore the mine whiz".-le blew November 6, 1939 !.,
LIE 51815,, attorney for the Mine 'B' Coal Company, came to the offices
:- 92|I92l_92 Du am;-U r>!1r~;¢- A e +h-1+ +11-2 rn-inn whiqtln wrnri hlm-: nh the MondavDi one I131 a-nu G92~.1v4.-new 11., lf'Jl-92'.Q92-5 -a.....- ..........- --.-.-.a--=_.-.; ........... -...__- -__ -__- _.._-._..,
m:>rni:.g, November 6th, and that all en-ployees who did not appear within
two days would lose their right to a 5:-*1.
"I reported for work that Hmdejr morning and was given my old
*1 <1: +. t kundergr und 1 no go o wor o
for about a week. I assisted in getting»; the men placed and in making
up the waiting list of those men rho had no place to work when the mine
first opened. The names of the men 1;-ho had no place to work were put
in a hat, drawn from the hat, and placed on a waiting list in the order '
drawn. --hen I went down to my place in the mine as a coal loader I found
it in substantially the same condition as when I left it almst two
and one-half years before. I was able to load coal the first day I
was at work. ' 'job back.
"U'lJ1_"_iTlg about the first part of July 1940, after the mine was
in about normal operating capacity and after all men had been placed,
tn" U12: began to organize on the Mine 'B' ro rty Ch July 8, 1940,after JOE ..La,nes£, Toni PLOTCH, oa.RLEs Bosmmln and
others had openly solicited Mine 'B' cmp 0;,-"ees on ndne property, request-
ing them to join U15", I to ether with other members of the Mine Com-mittee, including protested to 0SCaR
FLLCETTI. We pointed out that the privilege oi ing organizational
work on mine property had been denied to PM men. L
_meq_£entioned above were doing organizational nor}: b-ecau_s_e__
saw t@e ¢tmny pointed
out to F..LCEITI UM; men with application books on property. He
told me, 'Im Just working here. I can It do anything about it,-I .
"Except for 2 few mule drivers and other miscellaneous ULEI
men who were hired earlier, the company, after July 1940, began the prac-
~ t A b ht t ' e 'B' J." or anizers. I have tics emilog new men roug o Min by U1 1 g
seen ring at least eight or ten prospective employees to
the 022168 o§"'F'EC. n1"TI.. Fi.LCE1"I'I would ask them for their mining papers
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and social security cards. He would then gi-V6 <-hem
check numbers and jobs. At one time I knew the names
of many of these individuals and made records oi these !O1'1!1D1l¬!!
names, which I turned over to the officers of the district. However I do
not have the records at this time and cannot recall the name of such em
ployees. During this same period of time I know of one Pronressive whohad a card who was signed up at this time. This was t We also
51511861 up one young boy who did not have a card, but whose father was a
P¢ ' e. This was the so oi' rogressiv _ _ _ n"*
"Many of the Progressives "whose names I cannot at this time recall
made applications for jobs in the o;£i:'.ce of Hine 'B' during this time
but were turned down, at one time there was a group of rrogressive miners
from Taylorville who came up every morning ard applied for jobs but were
always turned down.
About June 28, l94£was employed at Mine 113' as
an air n'i=':h"1. At this tire {tire 1*" also employed another air man, Pre-vious to this time Mine er had only employed one air ma.n.¬air man at the t was e;.1p]_oyed, continued to o e wor
of the air man. d not take over the regular duties of an
air man but instea wen rough the mine from room to room and placeto place. Air men usually do not go from room to room. gas
Without doubt doing organizational work, although he never d ap-
proach me. .
n July 1 19:10 'ust as I was coming out of the wash houseon the mine property a UMJ organizer, came up and struck
me in the mouth with s is . he a result of this blow it was neces-
sary for a comp-any doctor to take a stitch in nw upper lip. After this
blow I wish to state that rid 1 went across the tracks and offoi company property, where I gave a beating. Fiid not come
hack to the mine for some time and never did actua 3; wor here. Ihad reported this incident to FALCEITI. I do not know w
at that time did not return to work. I do know, however, a alater date gdid return to the mine property and was involved in
physical vio enc against PMS. men just prior to the election in
February 1941.
Upon more than one oeeasion Tihi our mien was has-Bag mete
ings on the second and fourth Fridays of every month at our meeting hall .
on Sixth and -Iashington Streets, men whom I recoglized to be members of
UM". would congregate in front of our hall. Sometimes these {I£.!'nT men would
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Re: JOB? L. LE-HIS, ET AL.
Jr: ?c/ Je 7 0
1}:TBRv131i '.'F_[TI~I just stand in front of the meeting hall and watch
who went in and out of the hall. Other times they
on mue would talk to men entering and leaving. I1 one
occasion, I believe it was an July 31, l9&O, I saw . sta.nding
in front of our meeting all with an open kni_fe.in his . that
occasion the City Police came and took the loai;-'.e awa from The
police were called on the complaint of was arrested
' ' . * C Ibut the trial postponed from time to time. r_.1a y no BOHJ NM
came to me and said he would pay the costs of this case if the matter
could be dropped. He did pay the costs and the matter was dropped. "
On another occasion it we. r.ec';.¢.sary for me'to drive PEA
members home from the meetings, and C.{nP_'1f-S BOILWIJKIJ, in his car, fol-
lowed me. This was in the wintertime and the car windows were frosty
so that I could not see the identities of the other men in BOHANHt1*I's
car. However I do Know that there were three other men in the car.
He persisted in fo]J.:~r'_ng me a.-in the police finally assisted me in tak-
ing these miners home. This car followed hr: around the city hall square
several times unti who was in front of the meetinghall, saw what was happening, gave re the signal to continue on and
then called the police,
-
"Frequently on the morning after one of our P113 meetings
the I11.-Fri organizers who had been in front of the meeting hall the night
before would approach PIP members and attempt to have them join the
UH" union. Jhen these men mold not join numerous incidents would
occur where dirt was thrown in the Plla miners I cars or their check
numbers would be taken off of their cars. I cannot recall at this
time the names of the PM.='~. men who lost check weight tags or had dirt
thrown inside their cars. I do , however, recall. that on two days
just shortly before the election in 191.1 there were forty or more cases
of check weight tags missing from PL}. employ-ees' cars. I do know that
at this same time on two occasions my check numbers were removed from
my cars and I've never received any pay for the loss of those cars.
"1 Wish to here state that some of the UH members who did
appear in front of our meetin hall included TGQY PLOTCH, CHARLESBOP-»~w.ihad a working place in Mine I51 very nearto mine. On about august , 1.0 came to me and complainedthat had been to his room an called him a son-of--a-bitch.I to ,hat since that was all that had happened, hest mmediate I ought to go bac to work and forget about it. Llmo i lyreturned and told me that- had hit him in the muth. =
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He: JOHN L. LEJIS, CT aL.
L 7 ~=-» hm
' rs HITH was not obviously bruised. However I
took from his work place to the parting
bontinued and told boss, to see that he
Tot to the bottom, to put him on the motor, and see Superintendent OSCAR
F.J.CE1TI and tell him what happened. The next morning I called this
' ' "' * " t'on at which time he promised to see to itmatter to 'hL.Uo'i'1l s atten 1 ,
that nothir.g more would hep en to after FALCEI"1'I's promise
' re did ha en to notmg mo pp
"I wish to state that on more than one occasion I talked with
OSCAR FALCEITI, 1-Zine '3' Superintenden"-, officially, as a member of the
PISA Pit COrm:ittee and requested F.1_T.i'EJ'.-TI to permit me and my committee
the privilege of conducting organi:at:Yone"_1 activity on Mine '3' property.
I was particularly interested in this and repeamedlly pressed the péint
with FALCETTI because of the organizational ettivity which the UTJT men were
engaging in. On each 1-crrasion FALCETTI told me that the P15 would not
be allowed to conduct any organizational work at Mine 'B'. This occurred
during 19/.0.
"The injunction issued b_; the United States District Court pro- '
nibited PLEA from engaging in any activity at the mine. _ However, upon
no occasion did FALCETTI base his refusal to allow us the right of or-
ganizational work upon the basis of the .£e':.eral injunction.
"I have been shown a photostatic copy of an affidavit subscribed- ' 0 on the 12th da* of September 191.0 b. This affidavit pertains o a co er-en
held on July 12, 18th, 23rd and 29th between representatives of PMA
and Iine H1 Coal Company when protests were mde by our group about
the intimidation and coercive acts of W" organizers. At this time
hr. ELSHOFF denied knowledge of such acts and said it was against the
policy of the coal company to permit such activities or any activities
tending to further the interests of any organization on the property of
the Zine *BI Coal Company; This affidavit is true and correct to the
best of my knowledge and belief. In connection with this I wish to urther
state that upon one of my meetings with CARL H. ELSHOFF I told him that
he ought to go over to the mine and find out what was going on. I made
this remark to him after he had denied kr.owir.g of any of the organiza-
tio-.a1 work on Mine B property. I have initialed, along with Agentthe back of this photostat and it is dated September 6,
1.81.! OT1 tne92__ _1_DECK.
"I wish to state that agenqas exhibited to me a transcript
of testimonv which I furn: shed on February _l, 1943 O0 51180181 AS6111-of the internal Revenue dureau. I have re-read
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Re: JOHN L. LEMIS, ET AL.
.2774» L73
this Statement at this time and wish to here state
that the information contained therein is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.IU92TTEHVIE'rI WIT H
Contin ue d !
~ e initialed page 10 of this statement, along with Special Agent
, on September 6, 1943.
to the affidavit of H
sworn to on Angus , ore
National Labor Relations Board. This -
A,.L t states that - OFF said_ I don't thin}: there ever sill
be a contract -signed at this mire and I might even default the payroll
I have been shown a photostatic cop;-, cf this affidavit by Special AgentF He and I have initialed it under date of September 6, l9l+3H
n aooi ion to the information contained in this affidavit I wish to say
that this meeting with Cal. ELSHOFF took place at Ifine 'B' when the
Progressive Committee was attempting to negotiate a contract and disposeof grievance cases. E I-it Committee would always talk to
£LSrl0FF whenever we cor inc him and this was one of those occasions.
I wish to state that before a hearing of the National Labor Relations
Board I testified as appears in the instant mentioned affidavit. There
after the next day CARL spoke to me personally at the nine and
let me know in no uncertain terms that he did not like nnr testimony or
the day before, before the National Labor Relations Board.
"Special Agent m has exhibited to me a photostatic
affidavit subscri e an sworn to on August 8, 1940 before
Field Fa Labor Relations Board, and signed
This affidavit substan-
ven ement relative to the dif-
ficulty of frogressives securing employment during 1940 at Mine 1B'.
This affidavit is true and correct and I have placed my initials alongwith those of Agent on the photo-static copy, and have dated the same
September 6, 1943.
"In either December 195.0 or January 1941, one day when four otherd H ' ' anmminers m 1 were going to work in nor car and my wife was driving, unanmib
BOHAN-146*! came along in his car, tooted the horn, and then attempted to
side-swipe the car we were in. However he was not successful and went
on dorm the road.
-273*
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Re: JOHJ L. LEWIS, E1 AL. .
C/ 7 b 7!
]NTE.P.VI£.l AITH "About January 2'7, 1941 I went to FALCI-IITI's office
to take up some grievance cases with him, and while I
Qn Lnue was in the office several men came in complaining that
their tools had been stolen. In the meantime a shot firer',_
_to;d :.e mv tools and tools had been stolen so I
- t th 5" - bout th I was t ld the boss cu ere 0 see a em. onot to go cown in the mine by who I knew to be a
st arm man for UH. and he sai a 1.5 was a warning.rong- r,
"The day after my tools were stolen I decided I wanted to go
i to the mine and see. for myself what "lp aened to tools I entered
r r 1*" Y" r Ye" *:~.:1'1 anI1 . I l J 1.: _ . ¢the wash room and was ha .g'..; .1; 12* 1' ; dseveral others walked *.1_ to andca e me a _son-o a-bitch
and told me I conrin it work there any He then struck at me, but
I got away from all of them. 1 was dressed only in my underwear and
was bare-footed but I ran out of the wash house and into the yard.
The ground was COV¬:.".:L.i with 1:-'2 at this tine. I met FALCHTI in the
yard and told him u;-at nad happens-1. He took me into his office
am? told. the Sheriff to talfe ac ever to the wash house to get my
clothes. Under the oheriff s protection I changed my clothes, but
this protection was then unnecessary," because the group had already
broken up.
The next day I came back to the mine and some of the men were
complaining that their clothes had beencut up, so the Sheriff and I went
into the wash house. I looked at nay clothes and my shoes and everything
1-ere. cut into ribbons. These clothes were all gathered u " taken tothe States attomegs office. That same morning I saw
ard asked him about my tools and he said they were all gone. o
him I had two kegs of p0"-YC1E:I down in the nine, which I had to purchase
wsslf, and for him to look after them for me. The two kegs oi powder
were found in my box in the mine and the company paid me for them.
"Between the time my clothes were cut up and the National
Labor Relations Board Election, I went back and forth to the mine each day,-and not. entering the nine as a coal loader.
- en e Ha ion wabor e a ions Board election determined the U154 to
be the sole bargaining agent, I walked out of the job and have never
worked at Mine H-*' since. It was my desire to maintain my membership "
in Pm rather than to become affiliated with U1!-I. it never attempted to
obtain UIIJ membership and instead sought employment in a Progressive mine.
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at Re: JOHN 1.. LE-JIS, BI AL.
é 1 - nC, 0
1:?7 C. A 20 I11ZTi|1-!VTIE,'.-1 1£1T.i _ "I have read the above statement consisting of
fifteen pages I understand the mearing of all words
Lontinued! and phrases used therein and wish to state that to the
best, of my knowledge this statement is true and correct.
"witnessed;
/5/_
" /s I
"I".
gpe oial agentsTP'¬Ceral dureau
of Investigat ion .
"Springfield, Illinois
September '7, 1943
"I , make the following supplemental vo1u1-
tary statement to who I know to be a special Agent of the
Federal Bureau of IF.'v'estigation. This supplementary statement is made
by re in view of the fact that while reading my fifteen page statement,
dated at Springfield, Illinois on_ W.
ing additional pertinent information which I desire to furnish.September 6, 1913, I recall the follo
"Sometime in January 194.1 and before the ivthmm
me in the close quarters between th=; swinging doors at t c. er. rance
to the wash house. He asked me what -1- go: him fired for and made a
*pass* at me. I ducked and hit him. Thereaft-er the a group oiLYLE" thu s athered in the zine office alorw with !heriif's de uties. b.-it that time Spoke up and said, 'You big brute. I came out
to get you and the s what I*m going to do. A Deputy Sheriff warned
him he was making threats and the matter was dropped at that! time.
"Sometime during the month of January and between the Othand 17th of that month, 191.1, csmtss soam1:o~r,q
_ superiqgqent OSCAR F , c ELSHOFF and I camot recawhether or not_as present, met in the mine office.
1-: t tn» --.-is =1 gr tn" " <1 spo e up o c. a ova. me: ione
local Utfif union had received word
January 1'7, 1941 was the deadline
with Ulff, and that any miners who
be met on the lane leading to thecup on is morning an sai
from the International Union that
for the men in Mine B to sign up
had not signed up by that time would
mine. They would be allovfed to go to
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Re: JUH L. LEHIS, ET AL. ii; :!<:" .is 7D
INT Eiw ' work at the mine if they could get through the lane' without having their caboose shot oif'. He also
_ontinued! said that it could be that there might be another
Herrin massacre. 1JLS1{0FF spoke up and said that he did not care to have
ar.;rthir.g of that kind go on on the mine proper-y, and said he would be
there the morning of the 17th to see that n.thi:.g like that happened. I
was at 111116 B on the :.1OI1':1!1g of January 1'/ti: and nothing of the nature"Ll.d¬:3b£-:I1i.'d mg took place. However, I did notice that ELSHOFF
W. tot or. *ht e n operty that morning. 92 dc; I v I -
"I have road the above st:- ';.r-no-1:. consistizzg of two pages. I
understand the meaning of all words and ;~1r:=ses used therein and wish to
~ ~t e ' d cor-recstate thit to the bes-K of my knowledge this statement is true an
/W _____
"witnessed:
/S/i_
p¢.ClI1 igonts, lLu¬I8.1 Bmeau o
Investigation, Springfield, Illinois I
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.'-92k
»' -|.?. Re: JOEL L, LEWIS, ET BL. s ,
E rm Illinois, mm 9""was join 3; in e a s resi ence on - -
Fa TQHQ H1: Ghnr--1.21 onr1+I: n- -'F
-' 92 Sent-ember . . - - .._92 ~_ - -» ~~ --I -:1 ??? i Was cooperative, answered a ques 10 sked, an s a. e e
remained and worked as a _92/ eft Mine "B" as he feared being injured if he
zrber of PEA. He executed the following statement: HIE
_ ! - Q Illinois
ep em r 6, 1943
" statement to and , whom I knee ts Mr Special Agents 0! gas Eederal B mation, U. 5.
;. Department of Justice.
" Illinois. I was
I am presently '5, born' employe , Illinois a. I first ined e mire on a Illinois a digger
,5 This was at the under the United
_ Liine liorkers of as Uiif. I never
in four or five mines held an office in any mine union. I worked
in the -S rin field, Illinois area as a member of the {HEM between# Inc- 1 we to work in Mine B, 5pringfield,, inois and worke continuously there until the mine closed on
_ Hay 12, 1937. I went back to work at Mine B in November, 193'?
basis I worked as a when it began operating on an open shop .
member of the Progressive Mine norkcrs of America, referred to- hereinafter as the Pile, when I returned to mine B in November' * = '1 be t January 1941, rrhenu -W 1939- I continued to Jerk there mti a u ,
I quit.
"As I have stated, I joined the Ul1'.I in -and continued
to be a member of that mion until 1932- In September, 1932,
:_ I voluntarily joined the P114. when the operator at Mine E signed
- a contract with the I Joined with the rest of the miners 92
of my own free will. I I-ave continued to be a member of the PHILI
<..
7;. l_V._._
J mtil the present tine. .
mi "I feel that the PEA is a good union. The Pli officials' ' f t' and the members of that mion have gotten along in a satis ac ory
' ' n*s officials have handled the "*7 manner, and l feel that this mic
" ti rt in the formation mien matters properly. I took no ac ve pa
L of PISA. , -.-r -' 1;' 7|-.§.,,_:',;._,
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L 7 C/ 4b *?I!
B92ToRVInU H H "Lnasmuch as I do not live in Springfield
. I attended very few union meetings and do not
ton inue t ' an ' ' , 'axe active part in union affairs Prior
to 1932, as far as I know, Elshoff maintained cordial relations with UHW.
The relations between Elshoff and Pn from September, 1932 to April, 1937
YTETE also satisfactory to the best of my knowledge. During this period,
neither Llshoff or Falcetti gave any indication they preferred one union
over the other.
"From Septenbcr,.l932 to April, 1937 I do not recall that any
Uh. literature was distributed at the ngnc or that there was any UHH
picket line at the mine Juring this "CTlUi however, in the Baring of
1937 there were some PW: members who WcT3 egoitating at the mine against
the Pm». Phase men are ramed as follows; Joe dlhantse, Jchn Cotton,
or n3l&S, John Eirtouc, Andrew Schrelcvisus, J;minic Pasquale, George
Jacauay, Emory Jacaaay, Pete Carter, Frank Atsain, Charles Bchanncn,
James Hale, Tony Plotcn.
"a snort time before the nine closed in IE3, 1937, I attended
a P"A meeting at the PIA wnitn hall in Springfield and as I recall,
Charles Bohannon, James Hale, Cotton lnanias and Dominic Pasquale and
several others were expelled from the PLL as they were charged with
disloyalty to the PK4, but I don't recall the exact charges. I at-
tended the FLA meeting on the night of Haj ll, 1937. I learned Of
1. 92_..- _D11-.15_....__ _-___ __ _-__-_'| _.r- __._l L .. I92 _'_.n : -an ._h~ -2»- .-.1 1-.» '.mee_T,i:.g Dy uuru U1. uuuiu at the t.|..ur.:- at tub-.l.:| 1::cuLi_u5 5u1.1G =-1ui=- PH:-s
members were expelled but I do not recall the identity of the men or the
charges.
r
" Ln
Pith
with
that
back
take
nine
to fourteen of these men and asked Elshoff to dscharge them as they were"gt this time I heard that the above mentioned group of men were
contacting miners working at Mine 3 and trying tc get them to join the
UH-. "HOJGVcT, they did not contact me.
"Regarding the wage scale controversy, I an not fully familiar
the
Flt.
the
PQY
anydetails of it, but as I recall, Elshoff Claimed his contract
did not contain a retroactive clause. The PH officials stated
contract did contain such a clause and I was cxpscting some
which I have never received. To my knowledge, Ilshoff did not
action to stop the activities of the Intiorganizcrs at the
prior to its closing in Kay 1937. The PM. expelled about twelve
t
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Re: J01-N L. LEJIS, ET Illa
"On my 12, 1937, I worked with Andrew
Schrelevious and since he was one oi the men
expelled from PM , I knew that Elshoff had not
won paid any attention to the Phi request to dis-11*YTR°.VILli WIT H
charge him and the othcrs. I never saw any cars loaded short and knew
nothing about it. hhen I saw that Sch:-elsvious was working, I loaded one
car, then quit working and left the mine.
"I recall signing a Pill petition in the summer of 1937 511*» I
co not recall what it was about. 1 worked in the Pm. picket line at
Tine B for fiftysix days and nights.
"I went to the mine all three tines it Z.bt0:.';pt.Qd to re-open. I
do not recall ho-r I received notice it res going to re-open. The only miners
Decor Falcettiwould let go down into the rtine to work were UH-1 members and
since they did not have enough U3?" men, the mine never opened. These U1-ti
members were men who her i'or:.n.irl§' zmrkct. there and whose names are men-
tioned in this statement sot forth above.
"In iiovernber, 1939 when the mine 0pGIzOd, I started work again in
Kine 3. From that time on, the U1-3' had organizers in the mine. Sometime
in 191.0, Charles Bohannon contacted in the nine several tires and asked
me to join the U15-.||, but -L refused. Later, he contacted me and said he
lip-2-C&0d me to join the IE5-4 later after the rest of the men signed up. I
house one morning and Charles Bohannon,
--ere sitting on a bench together. I walko in ron o m
called me =1 Son-of-a-bitch and throw a lighted cigarette in my face. I
know he did this because I would not sign up with the U1-Iii. I had no other
kind of trouble with him, other than this union trouble. I reported this
to Fslcetti and he ignored it. I went down in the mine in the same cage
with Bohannon and as I ot off the cage, Bohannon said he was going to
soften up my hood. I still refused to join the UH" and told him nothingdoing. AL miner none<_*:'o.s in the cage at this time-, and
heard this conversation. On another occasion, while I was in the washhouse Q phonetic!, a U1-in member who was not even "orking at
Ijinc B sea. , l<.uL 's one thine, these men will not be here very" long.
I said I might be in the mine for some time. I knew he was trying to
start trouble, and I report-ed it to Falcet Folcetti got
an rho were
- :1. cmcnt, and
you have been looking said in front of Talfor trou e for a long time and you it.' Falcetti mode {
no comment and refused to take any action thereafter, in the told him he would have to keep expecting. Later on, I was in the wash 92
Later
first part of January 1941, Charles and beet up in the wash house. was on outside
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_ " of the wash house holding the door Shut so
do. so11i.'i1;-..HV~.¢' .1 TH could not get out. it 1] or
con inue :1 -. went to Féllcetti with the PM". Pit
Committee to ask for protection and he refused to take any action. The
' h 1 missing and then I went next day I "ent in the mine and found my s eveto room. - had been a P1-in member, but me been threatened
into Jclfillg Uli-., a_ ufir having been approached four or five times tojoin the Uu. old me to leave his room as the ULU were out to get
no and hz. said no Jlzd been told not to associate with and PIS. members. I.c:;t. into room and he rg.r.'e no to understand he did not
1 . - room. _*,t this timc, I felt I would be injured if want me 8 -
I stayed it mine, so I " 't.
"1 voted 1;. the 1-mes election 0.1 December 35-, 1937 and thought it
was fair in every I+.SpC-;Ct. I voted in tin; sc':n11d ETLRE election in February
19-il and felt the elect ior. was fair, but the ."L|:;I] had been made to sign up
with UH" before tn- election.
"I want to add that I was further threitoned by the UIII in January,
1941 because $01.16 of the 125: men cut up my working clothes and slxocs during
the night. They were cut up so badly 1 could not wear them. The soles in
' " ="1 ther P1-. members had the shoss were cut from the upper part. Sever.» 0 .
' ' he some time. We regorted this to the PR1 District tneir clothes out up at t -
Otfice ind 1-titer to the States nttorne-y's office in the County Building,
En -6_r,-4"-1 A11-I T"'ll-iv-92r92-Re|_J1.u..L..6a..n.<..4.92.-l, ,|,..|..a.J-.uu.4..:.
"I made two affidavits at the P1-In District office in connection
with the tactics of the Us-L-1 0r[';f1.1£i.Zn'.r5. One oi these affidavits concerned
' - I do not recall what the other t threat mentioned above.
was 1.15%.
ct Favored the UL?" but I never heard "I knm'.»' Elshoff and F_-.lce 1 _ .
thtn say so, and I knew this bccaus- tho UH: organizers mentioned in
this stzltcment were seen by in the Company office oi Iiihe B during
the Spring of 193'? while I was at the mine. This was unnusual, because
ordinary miners do not hang around the Company office.
"I have earefull;-* road the folly mderstsnd the five and one
contains the truth to the best oi half pages of this statement which
e ~ t r romises of any kind have been made to induce my k1'1o":1edgc. No threa s u p
me to make this statement.
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t B 70 _
IIr1ERVI1=I?.' J? 11'};
ha
inve2, 1945. It should be acted
operative since
upon request furnished 92 s92 Progressive Miners of America,
la in ht course
}
, red that he was
United Sta -ver this convictior may materially affect his citizenshipstatus. In the eve-nt_is catlmi as a witness, he will be Very
cooperative. Po is inttlligcnt and ;r2s?nts a pleasant appearance, He will
be able to testify as ta the facts set out in the Following signed statement.':.t-is some original notes arr} rr92>.-mnrcnds. upon which to base his
rcco actions.
Springfie1d,'Illincic
September 2, 1943which he
tes. Howe
, make the following voluntary statement toc. f the Federal Bureau of
____|-ZZHUSpecial Agents
Investigation.
I am
Illino
t , IllinoisI-l_
have n 3
when I started working in the coal mines. I continued regularly in my
employment as a coal mincr at Nine at S tin field under Hr. ELSHDFF'smanagement until The reason
for my discharge a a ime was given y v F ETT as engaging inuiiii activities on the mine rty and which he said, had taken place on
HG bigu uu uuuia. 1;-1--zuu us. an A that time Zof Egcrica This local had some difficulties with the International under
t t Y 12 which was undor a semiprovisional JOHN L. LEWIS and Dis ric Jo. , ' »
government. Our local union because of these difficulties was retaining all
the dues collected within the local itself. At that time we had some
difficulties with CARL ELSHOFF because he was holding up a certain amount
of dues that were being deducted from the pay of the miners and would nut turnPY°PE ' -
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET A1,
57¢. 67¢; '
it over to the Financial Secretary of the local. I was no VB amen tholrho tried to straighten tiii ietter out with 1'7". stssorr. Qand because I was active in a oca st
he International, my case never handled
aggressively on my behalf by the United Iine Workers Board Member.
"On my 1. 19=*>B It
was during this period thit 1Il the miter; went out on strikejending
negotiations with the Scale Committee for the contract, the old contnct
having expired on March 51, 1332, and it was at this time that JOE L. LEWIS
wanted to institute e new wigs scale, which was considerably lower than the
old contract scale. Tnis new wage scale was presented for B referendnm vote
of the miners of the State of Illinois sometime in July, 1932. This
referendum resulted in the rejection of the wage scale. It is my uder
standing that JOHN L. LEWIS was then called in by District No. 12 officials.
There was e second referendum, which was around August 10. During the
course of the voting of tho second referendum; it was apparent that the
proposed wage scale would again be defeated. However, before the results
could be tabulated, the ballots were stolon allegedly by LEWIS and his
followers. LEWIS then declared an emergency and signed the contract with
the operators. This led to a revolt of the miners in Illinois, which was
at that time practically 100%.
1
"There were s series of meetings at Springfield, Taylorville,
Gillespie, Benld and at cther places in the District, which finally resulted
in the convention at Gillespie and the formation of the Progressive Miners
of America on September 6, 1932. During that time I was active with the -
movement to form the Progressive Miners of America.1/
"It was in September, 1932, that Local #54 was organized at OJ
Hinc "B", which was Progressive. A vote was taken from the employees
this mine to see whether they would be United Mine Workers or Progrossiv
Miners. Only one men voted to go United Mine orkers. All the rest oiapproximately 450 employees voted to go Progressive. ' {f
"Sometime in September, 1932, I had a conversation with CARL
£lSBDFF, owner of Mine "B". I was meeting with ELSHOFF, ccmpani by
someone else from the Progressive Miners, an official whose name I can't
recall at present, trying to negotiate with him relative to o contract.
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Re: JOHN L. LBTFIS, ET AL
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IFTERVI£* CITE i9_lg92 on inued
Y on our negotiations bed been completed, CARL ELSHDFF said to me, - M, do you think when this mine opens up it will open under the 92
egress es? I said, "I sure do." ELSHDFF said, For your information, .will not work Progressive. I think that of ' " _""" ,
is, et
_ _ _ __.. 1.- .......-.-: _:-.... -._. -U. -1.-.'.pI'eEUI1tly .l"U'§-LdJ..J-J5 LLBFLGAG;
"About the middle of October, i£32, we obtained the contract from
ELSHOFF and the mine opened work 5 of America
cyeos outside of the
members of the Progressive Miners of America to work at that mine. During
this period, the relationship bttuaen the management of the_mine and the
Progressive Miners of America appeared to be good. The mine operated
regularly and all grievances were settled in accordance with established
procedure.egreemcn 0, Wliiur
During 1935 and 1936 I, along with other loyal Progressives, begantto take note of the activities of certain men who were members of our union 92
Local 54 at Mine "B". Those men were: DOMINIC PASQALE, CHARLES BOWLING '
GREEN BOHANYOE, JOE ALBAEESE, elies Sen Gctelono, PETE CARTER, AEDREH L
SKRCLEVICUS,.HUE$ HALE, EMtRY JACAHAY, GEORGE JACAWAY, JOB SIRTOUT, JOB
ARAHIAS, A. J. PLOTCH and FRANK AUSTIH->
"The attitude of these men first became noticed in regular meetings 92
of Local 54 because of their disruptive and antagonistic tactics.
"Their activity among the men at Mine B , however, became very
noticeable in the Spring of 1937. The contract which the Progressive Miners
of America had with ELSHOFF as en independent mine operator expired on
March 31, 1957. A supplemental agreement was signed extending that contract
until negotiations could be completed with the Ststewide Scale Committee
by the representatives of the Progressives. Lt this time these men started
an agitation, saying that the management would never recognize the retro-
e t ted. These men namely: active features of any new wage scale hat was scoop ,
CARTER, SKRELEVICUS, PASQUALE, PLOTCH, AUSTIN, AHARIAS end others, had elleisliis of nger which they said were given to them bizzihich stated thet EILSHDFTF would not recognize 0-
activs features of the contract. They stated that this yellow paper had
0
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Re: JOHN L. LETIS, ET AL
ITTl"RVIL". T THi lav eH IHUCG. is '! 5
been drawn up by gander instructions of EILSHOFF. At this time, definite
proof was obtaine es a lishing the association of these men with the
United Liine Workers and five of them were expelled sometime previous to
May 12, 1937, namely: PETE CARTER, ANDRE?-T SKRELEVICUS, DOLEIHIC PASQUIALE,
JOE ALEAKSSE end FRAHK AUSTIN. I was active, along with other mexnbers of
Local Union~%54, in bringing the charges against these five men which resulted
in their expulsion from the Progressive !E _r.ers of America. In accordance
with the policy of such matters, it was referred to the Pit Committee, who
was to take it up with the Management relazive to the discharge of these
five members in accordance with the accepted practice under the closed shop
contract with the compcny.
I did not actively take part in the demands which were made of the
Hanagemcnt on the morning of hay 12, 1937. I did report to work and I knew
those men who reported to work also. In feet, I saw FRANK AUSTIN and PETE
CARTER. I told FRAKK AUSTIN that he had been expelled from tho organization
and that he had no business out there. I also mot PETE CARTER and asked him
what he was doing there, I asked him if he knew he had been expelled and he
said, "Yes." He said he had to eat and was going to work there until he Ina
laid off. I worked that day and loaded ct least two short oars. It was my
understanding that this was done generally over the mine as the miners did
not want to strike but felt if they would slow down the production some
they could persuade the Management to come to their terms and discharge these
five men without strike. About an hour before quitting time, the oompan
stopped hoisting coal. I went to the top and fornd that there had been a
I am not in position to say whether - had called a strike or
- ~ F had shut off production.disaireement between the operator, CARL ELSHDFF, and the Board Member.
L
"The mine did not work any more after Bey 12 for sometime. Picket:
remained at the scene of the mine on tho oil road about 0. quarter of a mile
from the mine until the early part of June, 1937. This was done in order
to make sure that United Mine Workers did not import strike breakers to tskoour jobs. It was during this period that I, personally, saw
when I know to be a United Kine ?¬or1:ors investigator and gun mm, rive
that vicinity with at least five other cars full of men, whom we identified
by license numbers as indi-ridunls from the Kincaid area where the Peabody
Mine operated under contract with the United Mine Workers.
1-284.
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
Irissvm; WITH A 7 L
97¢:92!!!":.!l1'1_i'l."ul
"A petition was circulated by the Progressive Miners of America
of Locel 54 during the latter part of May, 193?, at which time some 412
sigrstures were obtained. This was done because we felt there was going to
be an attempt to throw this mine over to United Mine Workers and we wanted
to he ready to prove to the National Labor Relations Board that all employees
at that mine wished to belong to the Progressive Minors of America.
"hlthough I was aware, through the press, that e contract had been
signed between ELSHOFF and the nitod Kine orkers on or about August 20,
1957, I did not take any part in tho negotiations that went on between the
Progressive Miners of Luerica ind ELSHJFF at that time.
"On or seeds September 2s, 1957, 1 received word on-it the mine
was going to open. I went out to see if any other members of our organize-
tion had been notified to report for work. They had not. In spite of this,
' ' ' the morning of about 400 Progressive Miners reported for work on'- t 'th the grouo cf men fmong whom were- _§§gt§mber 2?. I was E£2u2n wi - , _
' who were talking; to OSCAR 1='mm1T'r1.
uPOTlDtC on oi -ine . res the spokesman for the Progressives.
He told FALCETTI that he had his men out there to go to work that morning,
' t ld the minors that he had a all Progressive Hiners, and OSCAR FALCETTI o
contract with the United Mine Yorkers and he said that the mine would on
employ United Mine Workers.
" t s at about this time ttit I "id otters of Local 54 hoard that I we . ..
strike breakers were going to be imported fron Southern Illinois by United
f our men stayed out at the Mine $orkers to operate the mines. There ore,
k ur obs From time mine on e 24-hour shift to see that no strike breakers too c J .
to time we notified the Mhnngement that we were willing to go to work
and that it was not e strike against the company. This situation lasted
up until November 23, 1937 when the company obtained an injunction in '
Federal Court which enjoined us from coming on to the property.
H September.During the early part of/1937, after charges of unfair labor
92~ - =-- '-~+*- M-sins: the Mine "s" oosi Gosipeniy practice had been filed cy cu. crb_ni._c--_ -5 -
' Illinois before Mr. LEONARD BAJDRK, Regionll a hearing was hold in Chicago, ,
Director of the Notional nbor Relations Board din this meeting
were: representing
the Progressive Miners of America. L MUNDSON was there representing
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
39 '7 C--* ,
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District H0. 12 of the Qnited Mine Workers of America, of which he 1! the
Provisional President. '
"During the meeting, _ who was our spokesmen, produced
the petitions signed by the Progressive Miners definitely establishing the
desire of the employees of Mine " " tobe10ng to the Progressive Miners ofAmerica. snmmosos was asked who show his petition in that
hearing end he told him he would present his petition at the proper time.
Sgt _s__i§ter date c1=L93L;1s ' 1v A 1.015
on the doy;§hgt_ths_hs;;ijg_w1s hold in Chicego_before_@4:=1_ _q_ eydid notmhove9vgr_tng3;:pr twéHty¥f1ve"em5s"signed to a petition 5ht*"~
when EDLUNDSOIE came bnok h§h?6E?¬6tH1 E1TtB'Yh¬*"Uned Nine
Workers Building and signed 11 lot of names on the petition ¬.~m£the1r left
hand and right hand in any way they cculd change their writing. He said
they signed 350 names on there altogether. I, personally, never sew an
petition circulated by the United Mine Yorkers and none was ever produced
in any of the proceedings which followed that I know of,
"I was not at the mine in December of 193? when an attempt was made
to open it just prior to tho labor board election. Tho labor board election
was hold on December 15, 1957, at which time the Progressives won the
election by en overwhelming majority by vote of 404 for the Progressives
and 25 for the United llinc Tforlcers. There was nothing that I saw that was
unfair concerning this election.
"A meeting was held st tho Psogressives Hell on the day of the
election of various mentors of Local 54. _
"On January 4, 1955, after the labor boa-rd had certified the
Progressives as bargaining agency for Mine B I started to go out to
the mine but on being told by some of the members coming back that the
mine was closed down I returned home-
"On January 1, 1958, I became a member of the Pit Committee for -
Local 54. It was the duty of this committee to take up grievances with A
the ansgoment of Mine B. '
- 286
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Re: JOB]? L. LE-TIS, ET LL
A '7 Q../
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c on_ 1 nue
"On or about January 18, 1938, I went out with the Pit Committee
to talk about opening the mine. We talked to OSCAR FALCETTI about opening
the mine and he said that ELSHOFF wasn't there at the time and there was
no use of him talking about it. Upon our visit to the mine we found
that some of the men from the United Mine Workers of America were workingthere: FRABTK AUSTI21, creates BOFJ-.TT192-O1! en:i They were bringing
mules out of the mine and trimming the hoofs . e mu es. We took it up
with the Superintendent, hir. FALCETTI. Io said there were no wages involved
and he was paying these men by giving them some old mules. Tic again went
out to the mine on or about February 16 in B-I3. effort to locate and talk to
CARL ELSHOFF. He was not there on that date. However, we served a. writtennotice on em';nding retro-active wages due from April 1, 195?
for each day e or of Locrl Union 54 worked; that when any men are
employed at said Mine B , the company should employ members of Local
Union 54, Progressive hfiners of America, whovare in the compenyis employ
on May 12, 193?.
"Tie again returned to tho mino on February 21, at which time we
OSCAR FALCETTI
was also there. ELSHOFF, after ree irg our -1 s we ioh were handed toqon February 16, said, "1111 right. He was then asked to sign the
rooeip . ELSHOFF said, I will see my attorney on the matter. Hr.
ELSHOFP was also asked to sign the Progressive Einers of America contract.
Ho said the mine had shut down.
In the late summer of 1938 I had still another conference with
ELSEOFF in company with the Pit Committee regarding the opening of the mine.
At that time ELSHOFF refused to open the mine saying that the weather
would not permit it. In December, 1938, my term es o. member of the Pit
Cor-Jmitt 2e 2::-pi:-ed s-.115 I had no further contact with the iangement of this
mime. '
' -281-
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/ RB: JOHN L. IEFTS, ET AL
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cantinue J
"After the mine opened again I applied for employment on or
about September 19 or 20, 1940, at which fir; OQLAR FALCETTI told me that
he would not hire me back. I told him I had n right to m job becacse
I worked there when it Closed down May 12, 1937. RALCETTI said he Just
-'-P---'"L ;-..tti*1'; nrrgi-ody r!-.
'?his statement, which consiatc 07 eight pages, which I have
road and initialed, recites the experience; and conversation I have had
no :1 -Q11-|v921nI|r1..-. Ftp 92-7'§v92;.1 rt, nf92f!1 ".r92r'|1'92!'-11'9211' D 92ri HQ H 1'P_C92.!929292|;}F hf 'DY't'92G'1'RR1I'ua I-.-.L L_,,|..l'.J.L/J'L..92a u; .n_.|.Lu.v 1. 92l92divvJ- 92192./Lntv-4~¢¢J v~..492-I --nu 92-u .l..u-cu; wa -'4... Q.92IcJ. .------V
Miners sf America. To the best of my knowledge anc ability, this statement
is true.
'ITNESSES:
Special Agent
F. B. I.
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Ra: Jon:-2 1.. urns, 1:1 AL 19 "1 Q»
97$
92T"'7 "'?~' ""' ' I Upon definite inquiry, dviaed that his civil rights had no red to him since
~"*~"~"'> I his release from the federal institution as a result
11-. should also be noted that took92_
a dei reierririg charges against some of the U.."..,1 ,""§§1'es who
were susnendeci and expelled from Local 54, Progressive Mine '."¥o1-kers of E
America, some before Hay 12, 1937, and some afterwards. L
,.... -.-.1»...-2 4-.-. 4".......-1 -L r, . -:-..r.-...~....-.+-: l92d92 L... Le..-.n-:| nnmcu uu 1 Lu .u...-.u .-1. .92.Lu. ux ma. v_|.uu. nu unvw!ul|'!$@ !uI"1E1!S and did
an e. tlve s age.
er men may he~" = more "o x-nation cularl
who accord
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F EIIERIL IIIIEIII OF IIVESTIGITIIIII
F01?! DELETED PQGE INFORMATION SHEET
s location in the le. One or more of the following statements, where __._.4.§'.:'_...._ Pageh-3? withheld entirely at thi
indicated, explain this deletion.
with no segregable Deleted under exemptionlsl b? ¢/ .__._Q_3__D 7 e ___
material available for release to you.E23
with no reference to you or the subject of your request. El Information pertained only to a third party
' to third party. Your name is listed in the title only. E] Information pertained only a
Documentls! originating with the following govemment agencyesl . .___.___________ _ . ___ _
. . . We . was/were forwarded to them for direct response to you.Cl
.-._.__-_ Page-<5! referred for consultation to the following government agenc-yliesl; _.__._______i._._._._....._._
A as the information originated with them. You will
be advleediozfzanailability noon. 1l!i5;,.iK;l'lKt!|l.Vlil'!VlE! material to the FBI.
__._._._.._. Pagelsl withheld for the following reason sl:
[:1 For your information: _ _ _ , , _
iii The following number is to be used for reference regarding these pages:- L2..C ,e_._A L0 .-+ - - ._._ 7} i e,::_
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DELETED PAGE S!
NO DUPLICATION FEE
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i>, L I192TE.P.VIE~" '" H j P1-was -'3 92 by Special AgentsA, -ii
I 92I11, ' 92 1 O 3 u.
t eriods relative to this investigation. However, he was all the pertinen p
very cooperative during the interview. He has no known criminal record.
submitted the following signed statement:
"3orin5field, I11__
September 7, 1943 '. ' ~ _ .-» ,-r
>-.','_-._92 .,_-,__,,-_ ._> _»_._ _. __ U_H___ _ .;-. .--.1.-.'.|-.. ...*. .
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22- Jo!-or L. LE-T18, ET AL
bqu P719
I 92|ITii
He is ears old and is a native born citizen.
It is not bel
'~c a e was not employed at B during
the foil cm-
ing voluntary who ere
Special Agents of the F or promisesof any kind have been made to get me to make a statement and I do so knowing
it may be used in a court of law.
I M hm
"I first
|IBn !the Jo
I have never held an office in any union.at Kine
got me
I quit working at 1-line "3" about the lat of April 1937 and went
I that to Rockford, 111., to work. Just before I left, remember Q
read a copy of the temporary agreement he had Signed with the mine o 1C1 .
A6 I recall there was some dissatisfaction among the men about some beck pay
and that is why the agreement was read to us in the yard one morning.
I had no difficulty in settling grievances and I thought PJJ.
was O.K. I seldom attended any 'E.M.A. meetings.
Kine "B" was working only 2 or 3 days e week when I quit. I did
not work in the mines then until Oct. 1958 when I started working at Jefferson
line. I joined U.lll.1'. at that time because U.M.'L'. had the contract for bar-
gaining rights at Jefferson Mine. I worked at Jefferson line until it want
bankrupt and closed down in January 1939.
";1'hi1e working st Jefferson I was required to kick in ¢10_ each pay
5-296-
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RE: JOHN L. LE-T18, E1 AL
qi?i;~;;-@_v1E&1' ITH
continuedW C/MIA-.t -92_;-_ --r E J
"'1 _-,"-'-.,. -.- -., - -._ .1 .~ .-'>.|4..:. .-..-.92-,*»..922' 1- ..L-Io -._192s.|..- 1-:1-'31?--..=.i.A.--V:------1
I
and I also failed to get my last two checks. Ls I
understood it the reason for the $10 kick in was _
that Hr. ssmrssror had borrowed $155,000 from the
F..F.C. to open the mine and the miners were required
to pay back $35,000 of this amount and the $10 each pay which we paid in was
to pay off this loan. -"-"hen I gave $10, I was given e receipt which was sup-posed to be an interest for that amount in the Indiana Coal Lands Trust but
to the present time I have received nothing for the amount of money I paid
in for this sohane. My father was working at Jefferson lline et this time and
he also paid in 5510 each pay.
I began working as _til line
hen Mine "B" opened up at thz.t'§é"i!.'f_fTiT"T§r went to
to work as a. trip rider. At this time she mine opened
and I was still a member of U.1.*92'. from Jefferson Fine
on an open shop basis I did not pay any dues to U.M. 1'."B" opened in Nov. 1939
work as boss and I went
on an open shop basis
but since the mine was
"I did not see anyone beet up while I was working at Hine "B".
"I voted in the lI.L.R..B. election in Feb. 1941, and I voted for
Ueih"-.= because I thought the mrjority would vote that way and no force or
threats of any kind were made to get me to vote one way or the other. About
Ilia-.rch 1941, or the first pay rafter the check off system went into effect I
quit working at Mine "B". I quit because U-M. . eheoked off back dues on me
which I did not think I should pay. I learned that there was nothing I Gould
do to get this money, paid for back dues, returned to me, so I quit working
in mines altogether.
1 he had thi 5 prge st tanent reed to me by _and CV6 " S - E.
it is true and correct to the nest of my knowledge.
/vi
"WI N
5 ecial hgent - F.B.I.
special Agent, F.B.I."'
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Re: JOHN L. 1.s;;1s, ET 1-.1. !9 76/
7- 7 b 1.15
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I§J I192.'TERVIE'.'5 one who resides atw _ pring io , inois was intorviewed ome y
; Special Agents and'92." ':o.s born but became an American c1 izen 1-
3 nois o It is not be-
" se 0 5 1Q _ izetion at .-pringfie , ,
*5 lieved that he would make a good wi tness be sou ack of knowledge
about unions md Mine "E"? and his inability to speak English. He admitted
no criminal record and furnished the iollowi*92g signed statement:
"Springfield, Ill.
September 4, 1943.
"I, , do V0]-'I't,L1"';. 1*. "ive the following signedl statement to c of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. cc re; s or promises vs oer; nude to cause me to make
this statement.
I was born in and came to -hmeriee. in -
' ' 1C , s on My I was naturalized in Spry _. .U"OJ. ,present address is Springfield, Illinois.
"I first started working in the mines in*in Illinois, join-
in the United kline "G-orlcers of hmerico. I have works at Iiine '3" since' FIB! Between - and 1932 the ui"..1. got c$-OI'1g fine with the Mine
o 1 isle.
"I h d othin to do with tho formation of the new Progressive E. 11 v g
Mine Tsorkers of Lmerica end dont know how or why they organized. However,- n n' ed the Progressives b*ce.uso everyone else at Mine B . did. Sc farI 301.11 0
as I know the Progressives got along eke with Er. Elshoff-. The nu. Union
d the dues were was just the same as mien! both settled my grievences eke an
about the same.
I hardly over attended union meetings for either union, and never
held an office for either UHJA or PEA. I just worked and minded my own
business and know vory little about the Mine B troubles»
I think the strike in Hey of 1937 was caused by the Progressives
suspending some men and the Co. wouldn't fire them. The men who were sus-
le Jandrcrnded as best I can remember were Joe Llboneso, Dominic Pasqua ,P?
Schrelevious. I don't ow wh these men were suspended. The first I knew
of the strike was when celled everybody out. I don't know any-
thing about coal being"loa o s ort" that day.
"I don't remember signing any petitions for either HM or ULFI»
1- 298 -l
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92
RB: JQHN 1. L:IS, ET AL. Z9
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'r1'-"W-1:nr1.".?*'" "T .-HA.-'+ +¢=1 = um:-In !'92Q'P+. in +.hn Sat Dnjqg 31;;-ilgo it M1115L-y.-|&92 J>~'| L 92AL~J-Ii U 92Il-492'~u4 ll-l|$92lJ-A Pl B 304 VIP" "1' V Y B! because I didn't like it. thile I was out there I
continued never saw any trouble or anyone from IIHJA try IO OPBTI
the mine.
"I voted in the first N.L.R.B. election and thought that it was
fair 5: square. The Progressives won this election. I don't Imow anything
about any ettempts to reopen the mine after this election.
"During the time Line "B" was out on strike 1 worked. shout a year
on '..h'., until I got a letter from Hr. Elshoff to come back to 'v.'ork. T-ihen
I wont back to L-lino "B" in 1939 it v-es und-or an "open shop" agreement, but
1 still b1O}1g8d to the P1.-;A. I changed back to tho ULI.iA because I saw that's
whet the majority were doing. I dcn"L core which Union I belong to just so
I work. I changed to UIJHA of my own free will and nobody threatened me or
best me up. After the TJLLJA got s majority 2. sec-o;,:i election was held and the
I31-17.1 won. I voted for U;.'.'-I. at this election because I was already e. member.
"It makes no C.=§'fr~IG!1CC to me which mien I belong to.
nThc above statements were read to me b The state-
monts consisting of two and three-quarters pages 5 are rue and I do
hereby sign my name.
B!
Ritnessed: "
Special 1.g311t, FBI.
, Special Lgent, FBI. n
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Re: JOHN L. LE-JIS, ET st. C, '
bio
111 rm» {spring- field, ois, was Join y in erviewe a s resi-
dence or e tember 7, 191.3 by Special Ag8nt5 and _
is who a ren e glcnowle e of Pea Y de
the matter under inqniry. He executed the following signed statement.
"-'%prJ'r.gfield, Illinois
September 7, 191+?»
the following voluntary statement
whom I know to be Special
.-t-igation, U. S- Departmentmake
of
Justice.
"I was born : r.r.ter~2d the Ihited
itates about era. took out my first papers at Springfield,
Illinois about I am not a citizen at the present time.
of
was"The first mine union I joined was the United I-gine workers
.-.merica which will be referred to hereinafter as the UMJ. Thisat the Peabody 1'11-.e #6 at Springfield, Ill. about _
"I worked at four mines under the ULI? after I left Peabody #6
and before I started to work at Iiine 3 1-.n -
"I liked the UH-1 and I liked to work mdor the Progressive
Mine liurker of .r92.1'D¬I'iC3 which will be referred to hereinafter
as Pm... I Foined the Pit. voluntarily in 1932 and as soon as Mine B
went on strike in Lia!, 193'? I got another job. I did not help picket
Liine B. I returned to work at Iine B. in November, 1939__
"I returned to Mine B as a Pll. member and two months later I
voluntarily joined the UM-1. I went to the U15? Pit Committee and
asked them for a membership card. I was never contacted by a mien
organizer or threatened in any way.
"I did not help organize Pi-Lt in 1932. I never held an office
in a mine union. I can not road or Write. I did not attend many
Phi. or UM meetings.
"I did not mow any miners at Mine B who night have been organizers
£01 I- L10
"I never lmew that anyone was beaten up at the mine.
. - 300 _ ,
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