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!§_5'fIQII__ 1' WITH-- -__~-=_=;=g__-_ .. _' " .This man neither
sh, - '- -'=92'--- nig,n_his name. B
professes to rmemtes little or nothing of wants in the pr-at years; &_was interviewed by Special .bg6n92il
expresses himself poorly and should not be considered as 11 witness; Tho
following statement was secured; 1-on-d to him; and acknowledged by hi! mil-rkl
August 28, 19415
8 pr ingfie ld , I11
"1. make the fella-=-dag, voluniz-9-ry statement
both of when lave identified themselves
to me Agflt of the Pods:-nl_Burceu of Invostigticns Io _
throats or premises have been made to mo to induce me to mv-lco A
Btu tcments 7
hm-==nd we to *1»
am n I1 o1 izen of the U 0 and presently reside at
I can not road nor write hglish. I joined tho Usll-ii.
I eemzet rqnomber the 2.1.-201; years 13 have worked at
Mine B_,j,'or about 4 years and em new employed at Mine he I was working
Ji Hi».-.»e B in 1951 when they had n strike, but I eenw 11210! why the mine
was shut downs I have never held my office in any union and have
nwer been interested in any of their eotivitios. I oermot rend nor write
my o"-m nine and do not recall over signing any petitions. I have no
information ebout may union activities at the hill!-50' ' $1.0
numb
Hi: r1:-rks
Above robe to him and admitted truce ' é 7
"Titnessed: _ - 6 D QSp0oir:le.gonts, F-301. 0
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7. . .
_;,Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, er 11.
14 Q13
. . F
on August 25, 1943 at his home at
T1T'inn'i.¢:_ +.¢=1.=n>1.m=- up.. ~-' ""' "" 735the alwa signed hls name as
ocia curl y r, Nwnbez" __ carried his name
whlcl" 1s incorrec . :'- s also been known as
He was mg 33 _
presently _ Heentered 0911;-t, 1
d, Uri 1
51-1'in=H on H Certicate Kumoer '~ was the name ofsp/I _
or illegal possession of liquor, paid $100 fine.
He is very cooperative, is willing to testify, and will make al
good witness. '
The following signed statement was obtained from
"5prgi'ield, Illiois
ll -on -___92__ 2 __w the follo"-ring voluntary statement to 1* whom I know to be Sge-cial Agents of the
Fe'é?eTi u of E??sti' of my own free will, with no force or
dress used, and with no promises made me.
_ - _. Pf _r_ _- ."I ea_f1@1d- 1"111~@1s- and,,,,_ ,.92,,,92.._1 ___,, ,_ A '7'»? , ' ' 3-"w"-;"-41 w '1-1... .. 1- _,-_ _ 1 .1q___'_'-I-1.: '_|]_LlJ_d'.L 1".-IT; I '~_-_=:§~~- __ _ -- ',-4:.-,:§,.'@'T':"a§§-=;__;" I"'j-_ '1' 1 W35 D0111 U1 g?! i - ii." - KN- ' ' ' ' *3 """ - ' L V :.,_.»- V came o the -.1111 ed States anand K nature 128d citizen in "J-;:_."_
_ I joined the '-ihited Lne Eforkers at ;,I.-1:Ln June of The Iéine there was a c1o§¬'E"§'h§;;' m¬Wwanted to wor. _ came to Springfield in got a. job in tin
Nines here I was still a m mber of the Unite e Jorkers E1-cept fora shogt v1sit____%:=.ck t-1 _ I worked _%._¥hA%>_a1 m§._nes around égrihgfield
11-. Ii;1V.L!l.g rw r_no0 20-;fr'-_t---_:;¢'e' 1.1 ';w " 1-5-om ' whenthe 131-;s""'H @m, un-ti I d i1%§'*g-work ue Liinecept onewinter in a small country I-fine, ut just did odd jobs. In I becam
employed at Mine B, and joined the P 1. A. I had not paid y uee to the
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M 1* " '- ' ' '1! F ii?-,3 "-*2; *7 ..' ,9 .1 , J _. ._ __,w . A, . _ . A ' L! "" ' " "__,'-_' _, _' _ r _-.~-92 '
P.
}.~;: -';oeso3;,
a a ¢iz§§ we '
mrnaviz-Jw wnz-1; gas. to join the P u Ai, and I am 11.
continued! o on my own accord no I could work there.
"When the P
didn 't take any part
oe-cc-.use I think Le?-is
an o" Lexis nanted.L92. _Ellegave them a re-.~ e'*l. A new contract was to be made,l| .| I _'l 1! 1 ___U A was organized, In-ugft working in the Hines, so
in A the organization. I sympathized with the P L,
to have a lower wage. -ne miners nan a rezerencun,
and rejected the loner wage scale, but even so, Lewis went ahead and signed
the contract. I sympathiced with the men organizing the P ll A because of
this action by Lewis, and the miners got a raw deal.
"I joined tho P MA in April oi! and bocarze a member of
LOC11 3, I think that was the number. month or two after I joined, there
was a meeting for election of local Aficers, which I at;ended. Inlhy of
193'? there was some trouble at the ltine, but the-ro was no trouble between
working and that tins. 1he,Ia:i_ne was not closed down at
by a strike. or by the Management.4_',__.._ 4..-_._ -1. 92_.. _.._T..1~.; time 1- Degal:
2.1}! time, either
"In May
reason given meof 1937, when I m:-r.t on strike irith the others, the
the P113 and the I-ne,
expired on 1-;P1"il 1, and no new one had been sigmed. On
fore any mcn went down into the mine, groups we-re" talking
they didn't want to go down in the mine witho=:: a contract.- The contract had
that morning, be
d Sa irg thatan y . .
F .. _ F L 92_ _ . ___DOIIRJ OI Li. LIEU
the rest, includi
"I neve
ever ything ther 2
Jo rkers were payin
and that was a r
mo-n at the time.
to Work without
't>et'.:eer. the iiinewent do-an into the 3-ne, stout half of then,
ng myself, just hung around for a while and
r went back to tho Mine again, end I left my
. e few days later I heard a story that the
g some men to try to organize a U MW local in the Kine,for the strike was the fact that there was no contract with
and the men didn't want to work without a contract.
1' J.L.'._.l. la";-1 UIJIJUS, UULI
then came home.
tools and
United 35.818
eason for the strike. I didn 't 1-crzow anything about these
I Wtlllt out on strike. I went out b-_-cause I didn't want
a contr
and thAC I knew that there was a te=nporaz*y agreement .
"I was not dissatisfied W13... t1".-.- P H A, nor were the majority
oi the men. I know that the United could not get any better oontmct than _
the P :1 A, and was satisfied with tic I-' H A. I was not a strong union nan,
and didn't _have any pr- .fere.';cc bztweer. the United and the Progressive.
the state arsenal, and although I was working a; at theSom-.= time later an election was held, in the wir;t<.;:~ -izngld in .
time, I ~.*.-ant to the election. I voted for the PTZ'n Because " = v ggest
majority of the men were for the Progréssi?-3. I k'n¬'Ti this occause oi
com.--_;rs:"..tion in the various groups, and the .l'801i;';t of the men was for '
Progressive. When I had bu-on working at the Nine the biggest feeling was
for the rrogressive.
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DI1EIHVE|?rilTE-1 Before the strike I had heard nothing
continued! of any Thited Hon working at the Lblne,
although some men working my have be-
longed to both unions. As I said b "o-~.-, tho feeling of the men was in
favor of the Progressive. In the year that I worked at the nine, I wont. . Ito onlv one Progrr :52-.Vl; meeting; be-c'iu_eo I t interested in Ehion d
me;-t:Lnge, and
wasn't intcre
notic- would
mcetings W;TE
whether or nonot because I might have been interested in Lhited. I Just
stpd enough in either one. when a mGeting was to be held, a
be glaced on the bulletin board at the Mine. These mior.
generally heln about t'.'1ce a month. I can't remember now
t a notice of a meeting to be held the nite before the strike -
was postcd or not. Anyway, I can say that I did't know anything about
such a mectine- _
I don '1. r-.-:2;-rJ_oer ever signing army petition to the _m_'Lne ea}/'i_ng t-bet
the majority of the men were in favor of P L! 1%, although I might have -
signed one.
have signed iI know that if a petition such as that was made up, I would
t, because, as I said, I later voted for P H A in the election.
IIo=:ever, as I said, I cznt Iu!2-I-Jlbul thetlxor I signed one or not. I don't
r¢ntmb;r whet
naked mt to 5
h;vc signed i
of the I rogreher anyone from the United ineiiorkers ever came to no and
ign a p:t1tio., but I know that if someone had I would not
t because I b.lieved thu majority of the men were in favor
ssive, and I was willing to gc with the majority. After
'1r"».<92r'ir0 +31. w-inc t-'x_r'92nra1'. {n'r- 1'.F~_. ffi rr.:_"_- T !'|n+..=|d_ T rinn H. r;'r'1 tmh< r' nnv _._.,-.._..b ........ .........., -. _...,.... _..- .... __... _ -....-.., _, -.,.- - ........ ..- ._-.,
petitions of , 7
conversationany kind being given me to sign, and I canlt remember any
about any pttitions that I might have had, or ho;rd_&b0ut.
92>.
"gftcr I wont on strike I heard that the United was trying to
orginizc a lo
Waited, and,
givzn above.
I don't know
have had.cal, but no onc over came to me and asked me to join the
even if they had, I know: I wouldn't have join-ad, for the reasons
After the strike, I heard that United had Set up a local, but
of any meetings that either the Uited or the Progressive -
I heard that there was trouble annng the miners when the mine was
ruOp¬n&d, orattempts made to reopen, but I was not there, so kn0*.'* nothing
about it. No one over asked mt to go out to the mine to help, and I never
wont out. Iheard that th. sheriff nae called at one time, but know nothing
further about that. I heard that United was trying to get men from other
Hines and put them to work at Ein§§, but I don't remember where I heard
it, or <:11.yL'f11J1,'j else about it. I did hear that the P H5. got men from _
other .'==!§_nes ground 5,">ri:~.gfield to help pic.-tot, but I don't 1mo1'92!' whether
the storv was true or not. * .1
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_ ', ~ "' ',_ . . .... ' - . .~. ". " _ " * .51. . . ...--t
_ . - 92 .Re: com 1..1.s»r1s, ET at ' ' "*3
I did hear something about the in-
junction placed by the federal some-t, '
but as I was no longer interested in
the Mine, and didn't ever see any of the men, I knew nothing about it. '11"ER"IE~-i W continued! i
"I don't know any reason why so few men showed up for work Irhm
they tried to open the mine, except I knew that most of the men were still
infavor of the Progressives. I heard at the time, but don't know where
or how I heard it, other than that I heard it from members of the P ll A n
that a reason the P 1! 1.. men dichlt show up at the reopening of the nine was
because they felt the Management of the Mine Ias trying to get the United
local in the Mine and keep the Progressive out. I doors know anything more
about this, as I wasn't working there, but I know that some of the men felt
there might be a deal between the Management and the Ihited. I don 't know
what the reason for their thinking was, nor do I ever recall hearing what
the deal might have been. '
I I got a letter from the Irina comgaangr telling me that the Mine
was going to open again, and saying that the same job was open to every
man who had worked there at the time of the strike. I don't remember when
I got the letter, and I don't remember whether I gotnore than one.
"After I left the Mine, Ilost just about all contact with the -
UT.-ion and the kiine and the Men.» Aside from that first election at
which I'voted, I had nothing more to do with it. 1- couple of years after
I left the mine, a miner whose name I can 't remember, but who I know was
a Progressive, told me that there was going to be another election, and
asked me if I wanted to come and vote. I told him I wasn't in the union
any longer, and co-.Lldnt vote because I he.= dropped my membership.
Before the elation of which I voted, I heard that both the
Ihited and Progressives were active in trying to get votes. Ho one came
to see me and told me to come do-M11 and vote. '1 saw in the papers that '
on election was to be held and went down oi my own accord. I never heard
of any strong-armed methods being used he either unions and do know that
no one 3pp1"O3C1lOd me in regard to it. As far as I know it was an honest
election, because it was run by the labor board. e . '
"I have had the foregoing read to me consisting of approx-timateljf
eight pages, and state that everything I said herein is true to the best
of my knowledge and recollection." ' _ ' ,
/=7 V
s * in 1 Id 111- ial Agent, FBI, Spr g ie ,
. Uecial ernt, F B I springeia, -1.O - .
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Re: JOHN L. IEIS er ;-.:;--
. .':;-ii .?:*:1»~ .;--1
by agents &n¬ o _ Be we: in 3
intoxicated condition, and was apparen» very I " ==- '-- ropeattll Ni _ §f_§
several times that Lt his name appeared in the paper, he would be I
He refuses to testify, and refused to sign I statement. He Iould not uh
a satisfactory witness. He advised In was arrested in Springfield, date not I
known, for a traffic violation. _ '*.o ' _
The following statement was taken from A
.A921b921I'; I110 e
August 2e, 1943
"I ._ make the following voluntary statement toan- who have identified themselves to no- C ' '. -' n -as pe _ents o_ e era rem oi Investigation I give this
information freely, and no promises h_ve been made to me, and no threat!
hare been used.
th .92».i:me B Goal Company. was rn in I
eerie to this country in and ms nat-era I» in '
' "I don't want to say anything about the conditions at Hine B,
because I'm afraid for my lifezif anyone knows that I said anything. _
If the United men knew that I said anything about it, I'd not only lole
my job, but would get shot. I will say that I was forced to join the
United Mine Yorkers, whenI would much rather h_.ve stayed with the "Progress-
ive union. I was forced to joinlhe United. men, whose names I won't
tell, cane to me and told no that if! didn-rt join United I would be shot,
or beet up. a
"I was satisfied in with the Progressive union and wanted to at-ay
Frog:-essive. In union meetin 's_, ii I wanted to, -I could get up and say
whatever I wanted to, and in the United meetingig, it I tried to get up
to say anything, I wouldn't be allowed to talk. I'm afraid to Bay any-
thing, because there are men around the mine with guns al1_ the time, and
El not only lose my job, but £1 get shot.
"I have road the above, consisting of approximately one and one
quarter pages, and state that it is true to the test of my knowledge. 1- -
do not gent to sign it, however, because I'm afraid of what night happen .
to me if anyone should knot? about it. ._ . T-o
' uyhe above statement was read ' H and acknowledged
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. »'i;929 Wm I
I Amuse 29, 1943 by special ewes wean
He resents the tactics of the U187, but had little specic mform
other than heagsay. He executed the following written staten:t.. '
Q Illinoil_ A have 29, 191.3
7- ke I259 f°11°"5-118 "°1I**'a-"Y °ta*'°"' were to and We I lm to 1»
Special gen o e eder 5 éu o 't vcstigation, U. S. De-'
. partrnent of Justice. _
.1 was born Illinois am first
joined a mine union a .»ui_ which I believe ater became the
United Mine Workers of Americwhich will be referd to hereinafter
_ as the UMJ. I worked at the Coal Company Illinois.
Fro: I worked erent es neér - Illinois
mole" * mm. and we I res. the he 'tar being Rea. I I11. .. . _. ,
5- "At the mines I worked as a
member of the UM-'. " s - ox-king at Mine IBM.
under the Ul. I left mine 'B' in Ihy, 193'? and I never made any
attempt to return t thgt to Work, inasmuch as I got a Jobworking at the mne, I11. in August or September,
1937- u
In 1932 I started working under the Preg,!;s?.§.-Ei.:.'?_.,,Z"§e
Workers of America which will be referred to hereinafter as ""lTY1'e PMA.
At"thi§ ti15éI_I TreIs working at Mine B and I was a member oi Local
#54 of ma. . _
jaave never held an office in any union. I am new working 'at t1~.<=$§& gene as a member o- the PM. I never want to return
to the U ' eyed no part in organizin PER. My job at Mine Bl .
was driv, mules, '
' "1 was always perfectly satisifed with the Way Pm was being
rm, and I feel that the troubles and the strikes at Mine B w_ia._s_
caused by a froup of miners who were trying to get the men
to change t.<>"uw, beforeMay,19372" ~~ I ; *$'< 'T -if iiffee to It -¢ ' I " F"-'x " II: - 1: »-3' <=-?_.5»1.'fy;.'N 3-;92_ y . '3
. ., - -_, ,,,_ _,,, -.",.- . - _, J '-.. il' ir '
pen.116, JOHN L. LEWIS, er AL. ' _ I1
- .. - - ,_ ,3 _ . . . - .r.-, -I _-5' Q "._*_,y'_.-_»_l"~v"_~ _ 1 I ,__{'192_ J," ;._£_';_t s " " " "" * -a '-Ye-=*~" ii.~-** :-ea-»~.~' '-<.;e$Z<»e=~s-' ' .. A ;.- _- ' - ;1_.'_"__. --123 -to =!O @_!»* - to an,_ ..4, ..
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92. i 1_ E, .2 .
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._ sa-4.'-..~_.
I -. 92
- El 9': ll=_h__ fl u. ' " I never attended but two PLEA mien nesting! in _
- - the eleven years I have been a member of that
n inue union.
"I do not know enough about the twelve men who were supposed
to be trying to get PI-IA men to go UL-ii to say that some of these men should
have been thrown out of 515;, but 1 think that they should have been ejected
if it was shown that they were doing this, because PM had a closed shop
agreement with Elshoff and I think Elshoff should have discharged these
menifasked todosobyPLlA. J ,
Z
"I do not remember arzYU'1i".; about the wage scale question
in the spring of 1937. .»'
"I did not know anything about the meeting of the PPM. On
Mag ll, 1943. I left work on Hay 1 193'? and never returned. I _gured I Would rather work nearer Ill. [2 s
f
"I may have signed the PZEA petition of Hay 26, 1937. I don't
remember anything about it. . . ' ,
r "I have not liked the Um ever since the time in 1932 John 1.;
Lewis claimed the ballots were stolen after a vbte was taken on the
question of reduction of Wages.
"I have read this statement consisting on one and one half
pages and have initialed the first page and it is true and correct to
the best of my knowldga, wM_H,_ g _ g
'»<. -,1 .r -3;-;.
"Ffitne-__ __ "/ / .'..'_"',.I1 _;§j*:' h _
Special Agent, F.B.I. __
/s.f.:;;; 2 ltpecial Agent F.B.I.' K "
i
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET LL e J
~v¢
WEI NTERVIETE mm _ interviewed at his _
. 111- 0.. -
.1-:~*.. ._..»-1¢1»~...~-~1.- " ' - - A st 28' tsand sppem-ed to be cooperative t5"-1='"= --
b 11 d tht the one ope de o in without hesitation. It is e eve
he would make e good witness to testify to the facts as set forth in the
Illinoisfollowing signed statement:
Qugull 28, 1943 -
I, ; mekr the following voluntary statement11¢ -;3;fi_ '-if-_f~§j-_; whom I know to be Special Agents of
the {iv -F of Invs 1 ion, . S. Department of Justice.
"I was born Illinois and still reside
he :~*s rm 1.1.-hie!-1. is I."-.L3LTDl3Q!'@deliiilill HIQEIIIIIII
"I first joined the United liine Yorkers Of ' ,- cu which will be
referred to hereinafter as I. 11*. -i Illinoiskz: At that time
I *»-as empleyed in Coal to-s ne at and wu-
tinued to work at that and mines aro1.m_; 1*
At this tjxqe I went to work at I11" or the oa Co.
working minder U15? contract, _. av
"In Dee-e-ml>eri 19515 I first worked at Mine B" as e. member of the
Progressive _I-{inc i..'_cir_1'cers of'_£-._r_!_1e__sj.g1_i. This unicn will be referred to
h'er5i nr.ft5F"iT's'Il. The lest day'I worked in M.l,_[§»___,:!',B" was about Hey 12, -
193'?
May,
Coal
Fine
V1.115the day the mine shutdown due to the strike. I was unemployed om
1'35? until I¥ovember, l937 at which time I went to work at theCo. er, Illinois. as this mine 1 worked under 1;. PMA n rac .
"I have never held on office in any union and I was not working st
when it started working under 9. FAA contract.. I
"I never attended any FHA union meetings, and I was lw-YB satisfied
the manner in which the FHA. had been operated.
-.
92
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Re: JOHN L. LE-TIS, ET LL'- .-. % _ I -
nm:=w11zw mm "1 1-M not 1; £1118 vicinitf on'Septeni:>er 21, 1957 in-=4-». ,, the mine attempted to re open alter it bad closed-downin May, 1937. I was visiting at this time. Later I went out to Mingd:B' on aevera occasina inSeptember, 1957 and helped picket for the PEK'bn.th: mine premisel. I In:unemployed at this time; I returned to Kine B property again about Hovobor,1939 when I got a form letter from Elshoff stating that the mine was to re-openand I had to report to work by a certain date if I wanted my job back. Ireported, but never went back to work there and have no additional information
concerning this matter. _
-?-~¬- ' .*3 W$%g¢;'_ ai-nod!
.F,_::_:T *:%{-_.;:r5._? =:_-V-___.|.._;,~~:: __- 92 4 .
'41tness:
=1sn<==92> r
§%@§gE§&. ~ , Special Agent ?.B.1..@, Q-* 1&2 1! £1!
slgncd!5p6Oi.&l Agent 1=-.a.1." p
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.92 I
Mil} -: -
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.._'_ i¢,_ _:__ _. .,-r.-i ea. ~-.1111 .
' Working in the nine secretly toI _ "' '~"'- -' '>4 ":~ '_ Y:_-_=_¢-A'~_._7'k- A;-i-_v ._=::.Vi.i _ ______... ._i_._ i _o, ~-- _ ~-_. lit; , k
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P
I
Rel Jena L. LEIIS, ET AL
7C_,y lo 101-D
chat e 71.1"?
I l J his residence, E M
on September 2, 1943- He apfelired 1'-'
and furnished the following signed stetomentn
§F IllinoisSep em er 2, 1945
tre following voluntary state-
whon I know to be Special
on, U. S.Department of Justioe.
s, _ I am not now
inc-i s I first_ -iv----. <.-- _
1. which was -aerzmg uneer
to hereinafter as the U1-JY. I
end started working in Iiine B
worked there continuously untiltohim
we*3}! rakeT%CI.-"L tsAgents of the -t
Ii
1
I reside e-
ernplojrod. I was born :
joined e. nine union abut
the United lfine Sorkc rs
1-"orked in the loccl rines as 1". member of U1rboutegemenber of the U151. I
Key, 137, Lt which ti:-".0 the nine closed due to the strike, and I never
zser.-t back tow-'0r1r in this mine. I never tried to work there after the mine
re-'-opened. I remained s met-".be1 of the LEI. until September, 1932 when the
P111, warning the Progressive T'ine Workers of America, wee organized. I
.'.'0I§{Ot1 in liine B @.= =1 Priammr.-areI&~'e¢=§ep%.e51téFf 1932 to Iiey 12, 1931, the
dry the mine closed. I have never held on office in a union.-pr
1;|
I I volunturily joined the P119. in September 1932 when the U15
announced that the ballot box hed been stolen, in connection with the vote
on the wage scale. I felt that the PIE: was o good union and I still think
it is n better union than the UIW. I 92-wanted to get o*-my from John L.
Le'~"is as I never liked his methods of operation.
From Ihy to December, 1937 I 1.-rerkod off an on at thePILL. picket
Iine to protect my job. I did not picket after the ieeuenee of the Federal
Injunction of Dooenber 9, 1937. I do not recall tho facts of the wage
scale controversy. 92
that prior to may, 1937 a nunber~of U13-' organizers were
get the non to join ].}I5.'¬, but they never
than talk to oher miners. I never saw I heard
conteotod no, end I never heard
then beet anyone.
think Eishoff and Falootti favored the UEJFI, but I don't
know why they preferred them. I attend--d very few union meetings and did
not keep up with union affairs. I volurtar ily signed the PETA petition dated .ii
~52-
.
" ' - "" v'~ "- -" -_--wsv W"? .1",-P. Q-92~__-Q-~;-/> xv»!-@~;..---7. . <__,~.-._._..-_/,.._ _-___-____..._.._ __ _ -. -7 w -1 »- --~.~ ,_,,,._ _.,,_,_,;,%a-<=':.-_;i"_=e____; f
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KC ' O 005313
R0: .1031: L. LEWIS, 2:1 AL
J Yay 26, 1937 to show I was a FHA member. I never worked-
'é t in I_T_5;ne B after Kay 1'2, 1937 when Elehofi abut it dawn.
dOnc1:J' """**- I do gtikncw why it wls closed lawn. I feel that
Elshoff shut the nine down so he could later sign up
with UK , but I have no facts to rubstantistc this statement,
I hsv: aarcfully road and fully understand the one and n half
p;§eE of tale st11@n=n¢ which contains tha truth to the best of my know1edge=
I I7:»-r.".Y '- 1: -.,_ t V -S /' !.92%'.vT»@- ...-i <. .!lil!lll||||l|l I k
Uitzossedi;
Q7:S oci"1 ant F.b ' Jép H
70
Speciu nfon -5.1
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C O _»0sa14
TH
had no recollect
would no; make e competent witness-was 'oint tel-viewed by Special Agents
-> at his residence,
" - on ptember -2, 1945. He
, and appearing to be mentally slow,
furnished the following signed statement:
Illinois
b92 September 2, 1943
the following voluntary statement to
w.1o.n I know; to be Special Agents of
on, U. F. Deperunent of Justice. 88.1.} 'lV6
" I I came'~e""?éef:-1» -" -'.""§ " ':"'.-,-- a-* "' "' -""~ -- " ' -v-M - 'f'.-= 1 _ I
to the Unite S :. tos 1-.5; end was nutu ized at Sri fie - , llinois
in Sel-»te;"~oer , I pro sent iy live 0:". 1111110180
_ "I first joined a wine union in the United States is:llinois. This union was the United Kine Workers of America
vshicwi e referred to hereinafter as H113} e
"1 workqd at several other mines under the UHF and then started
vo:-king at line Bi about 1923 under the U???-ZS.-.
The only office I ever hold with a mine union was being e
11"-ember of the Pit Committee at the Penther q§_r_9_q§_1;Lng.£2, at Springfield,- - - ,_ - " " " 'Illinois 1L1 This was unier U13?-.
I verylseldorr. attended union meetins either under the UTE or
the Progressive Tine Vorkers of America which will be referred to herein-
after as PTA, except es e member oi the Pit Eomnittee above mentioned.
I took no active pert in organizing the PTA et lfine "B'-
I was lest worked at Tine "B" on Fay 12, 1957 though I helped
the mine a. couple of days. '
' 61:.
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9C! 006315
Re: JOHIT L. LETIS, ET AL
I1: [EMT WITH I pre sently
at Springfield, Illinois as
92oontinued!
I heard that
PIQ. members to join the U'1T.';
J._3.=.'3_.-;L£_Ji':EE E
.:'.-l-"DP-1'=' [ L'1_3.~.5;l=E3*.'.l9l3$
133- I.]f§I§..§.*.:e5.QE':.--IE
IETE 'c...tran
Fa-_-m; ;,L'E,TI1¬
TGIZY PL-OTC-Han employed at the
the f011CI92.'ing men were trying to organize
J01-IE -jctvr-rorc! .ur".1rL;s
mm s ::¢'1~otn*"" """""""---
§ECT.11~.§E___.1._.;'_:_.',_'_'_g,I
em: J...w..Y
cmisiss Bo_n_.m~'-01:
T J "r:92.Q FT, T E- --1".-e-s~@'-..a....**-"';"{;
"1 do not ?'c'xJl ovorhe¬.r'_:"q ~"., oonvurseicn bet-'een one of 1:13
men and a mine in ".':hicI1 cont"-:. -sation the miner was asked to join UH7
or threatened if he Jr-.5 not. I was never personally approached and asked
to join U111}
"I do not IG':1e't1b6I -the IE-.0135 and details concerning the wage
scale co t n roversy.
I can not recall the P111 meeting of I-lay 11, 1937 when the
miners were ejected from the P3
"I remember that on.LL.
the morning before the strike started some
of the miners short loaded their coal cars and I did the same, merely
"because otnors were doing it-
do not know'why it was done.ITo one instructed me to short-load and I
I do not remoober signing any petitions either for FIJ. or
U17.
I never wont beck to l;i_.g_2_g_,_'I.E after 1.'e.y 13, 1937 with the
intention of returning to work-
nsve carefully re In 19:50 I get s 101. "
II 92-v in I. - *
c. d and :lu1 ly under stand thi s statement
consisting of two and one half pages and it is true and correct to the
best of rnr knowledge-
.- =4» -I-le '-3 - "~- ' r. /3/- -.§;=.j
.
?§ . _ ....-q-- -1--_/-.-.7-~» .7 92-.V- J-»--r---.--.1|,-.3--..,,,.,;--,-.92_-_.V ,-1,.»-w-_----g f~q~.v§4-1'-1!!-vIQ_~_ v-r mu-v »-w- - v--* -w --~ * "" " ' " ' -55-
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=9 - 5 meals
Re: JOHN L. LE-'.IS, ET AL
-Lu 1. ¢.-_ _.7,,.'._- _.-'|:JiY'T'1'I'T
|V ..92
IUBBULII
~ 7 cf- -e a ' - B I ,6 ' A70
Special Agent F'.'B.I."
P-.~. -~_'rfw *
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74- ' mmavm: .411";-1- I" ., 3.1% .I.. ,." -- .=. 1"»w * -I=t¥>1 -I : .
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Re: Jam L. LEJIS, ET 1.1. '_ , I_ fI . A
. I _ gents
'J.I1'i at which time he stated he was not in ato give my n ormt on rclativt to instrmt case. H1135 very vague
_ 3.5 to any incidents that took place at Mine B and i 5 ' ieved he 92Iou1.d
not lkz: 5 favorable Witness. u "*""~='-'5 >
IE
Si-92§g;
92Q ._-.__ _ _| _¢l..-A. __A_ -1. .|_92._ .-....-a EIE.-C92.1'DU ¢'F].g aigneu 5'C>.'.1'L¬3!'TiCD BE Tr{1C £1213
interview:
"Springfield, I11.
..uguat 27, 1943 -
__ _* make the following volunt-:.ry statement to
I 6; bath of whom h:n'c identified themselves as
*-ing oocia nguns ederal Bureau of Investigation. Ho threats or
,1ror:Ls-;-s have been arc-.cle in order to induce ac to " stetoncrrti
"I W38 bf:-r U it and presently rzsidc 2%.;
I am ,1:-tscn 1 c -' e j Rina 3 as an engineer. I first 'jolne miners union in ab-wot, __ when I was living ma Illinois. I
.'I1wis was the U. H. 1|. union. 190 I l:|ar0 been a mner c and on in
the vicinity of Springfield.
"I started back at mine B in the fall of 1936 -and worked .. ill-
»-pril 1.93? Frozn }&*:e 3 I wont to work as ' the first of
t hen worked at tn. C011 Co. until some time in 19%?
-nt back to Mine B. ll ' e 1512 I ms erlploytd at Mine B I was we » I ; ' ' *
stati<.>m.d in tho retail yard loadin" coal trucks. I wcvur piid any atten-
tion to mion affairs and cannot give any information as to what caused the
atrik';- at }£ine B in 1937. My job kept me out of the nine its.-'11 and as a
rtsult I hardly ever em any of the mine. ' _
111 first j.>ined the P. ll, 1" in I_buut¬92Ild only at_
~ ' 1= was so er-1.110?-.d Itended one or 1.-no m;=;L1;s-5, dying 'Chf_l-£Ii-lI"Q time _ =._ _; ,_.;__,"I , _ amnew a member of the U. 11. J. local at, -ne A and have never atte-micd any of
their mCcting5. I have no-vcr formed an ooinior; as to what mused the strikc
in Mine B & h¢.92Ie not bcen imercstcd enough to oven try to find out what
caused it. I have no information relative to any mion activities prior I
to tht strike in H37 and have no information relative to any haplaenings at
the mine afttr that date. _
I h"i.Vu 5'-bswlutel;-' no information whatsoever relative to any inci-
dggtg 9;; mion activities, 1 hove never sign,-d any petitions. to the host
i0-,. up
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R¬: JOHN L. LEnIS, ET AL x ' 1
IN 1ERVlT:.'.:' '»f.[T1T of my memory. I havg read over this _
¢,.nt,5_m_1ed! ...- at.at.enent_ 3; it is true to the best. of
cw belief. I hav. initialed the first
pie} and hereby sign this page.
' /=/ '
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Re: JOHN L. urrxs, er AL _ 7 I--<Tn ljyb b/L5 . b W
I ..._. and who ape _ _ .- - .. ..
,- broken Dmglish, to -' 1 s story ': on I1; ~ - - -- and it is be1ieved'
I he would make a good witness to testify as to the facts set forth in the
w following signed statement which he executed it the time oijthia i.ntar- "
view. -
92 "August 21, 1943 .
' ' Springeld,
make the following voluntary statement to
both of nirom have identified themselves to be
Bureau of Investigation. Ho threats or
promises have been made to me to induce me to make any statements
_ "I was born a = and have e _ itizen _
of the U. S. since abou - I am present y residing at' ' . - - - .'*| 3. '_Springfield. I have been a miner practically all my life an 0 n
UJJJT. in Oklahoma in about 1921. I have never held an office in anyunion. I started working for mine B in about .nd prior to that timeI had been working at the *'T.'nes as a __ r ofthe U.ll.W- Whenthe Progressive union was o e at Nine _B thmine went on strikeand the men began picketing at Q. Llany o t e men joined the
progressive union and I joined fl-L vs; men and sent on the picket linee
Te felt. that the Progressive union was the better union and wanted to
get rid of John L. Lewis. There had been an election which we lost Ind
the men were not satisfied with UJ£.W¢ .
"In my opinion everything was going along all right until some
time in 1936 when the management began favoring the UJLW, It was about '
that time that some of the men began talking to the men and telling than
to switch over to the U.M.YI. I was never approached by any of these .
men and do not kzaova the names oi an},' men approached but I ell the
were talking about it. Some of the men who were trying toorganizo men
for U.!£.F. were Joe Albanese, Dominiem Pasquale, Pe§g__§er_t-er, Fr ___IA_gs,tin_, Ton;r___j_P:lp_tch, UoTrTAIhanias, eofgwocavray, and Bo'-ili. n en. I"
never saw any liter'ature"dki §Er:'Tbuted by these men and do not know anything
about their action-5. j " --
92 u "In the spring of 193'? there was a dispute about wages involving
back pay which we were supposed to ."".. I attended a majority of the
PEA meetings and we were always told by .r4,r anion that our union could _
get as much for us as the -U.!-l.Ti. Those men that I mentioned above v.*e1:eQ__telling the men that the U-LIJF. was getting more money for their men and '
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_ mi _ aRel JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL JOE-}3'¢U ,?¢ I
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62¢;and one time Ergnh gugtin told us We were getting less
money than the U.M.W. He did not ask us to join the
T! '9' W. ihnnvhum 92JlAaIIlI on-.---.b..i 1'
"I did not attend any union meeting the night some of the men
were ordered expelled from the union. I had heard there was supposed to
be a special meeting of our union the day before the actual strike, but
did not know what the meeting was .L>ut until the next day when the strike
was called.
"Before we started work on the morning of Hay 12, 1937, our pt
eonmittenen told one of the Faloetti brothers that some oi our nee had
' been expelled from the union for being active for the U.H.F. and that those
men should not be allowed to work for us. Our committemen reported to
us that the company men said they couldn't stop the Ben from working
because that would be a violation of the Wagner Act. Our men were
opposed to working with the same men as I previously mentioned, that is,
Albanese, Carter and the others. To the best of my memory there wasn't
. any argument about wages that morning. Host of our men knew that those men
mentioned had been kicked out of our union.
W "Our men went down into the mines and most of the men loaded
the cars short. we decided to do that after talking over the situation
below and all of our men were sore because the men we were complaining
about were supposed to work with us. we loaded cars short most of the
day and when we came out of the mine at 3:30 we weré*told that the union
was going to hold a special meeting outside, next to the pit in Nine B.
I do ranember that the president of our local had charge of the meeting &
he told us were going to strike and for us not to ccnm-to work the next
Qgv-,- I remember that shortly after the strike there was a union meeting
at our hall and I signed a petition for the P.H.A. at the hall. '
mine
time
work
much-.
"Whenever our men heard that the company was going to Open the
we would go out to the mines and picket. I remember that at one
I stayed at Ens B on picket duty for about two weeks. I went to
for Hne A in stout September or October of 1937 so I do not know
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Re= JOHN 1,. LE-IS,
INTERVIEH WITH have bead this entire statement of five pages, have '
, W mitialed the rst. {our & hereby sign this p-898 Thilr' '1'-"'5 ea.W7 __ - <_.e.:;t--t _ I P1 ~ -""15" 1-YR =*-..~f;'.=..-m~:,-_-=*,¬:--,i;a»,~1;=L4$- .t-*'..r»*=-" -- -V. -_ - '- _ _. .-, . _ 1, -"._'. - .- ,_ '. - .e -.- * " -2" -'-"'§_"a"" '§" ;§§2"* 2' 1,»--. __ _ » _~ _'-1!;-,_-'9_ ;_-;_-_;'.:;-:7t e e t e ~ 00s321+-.fe=etit-i*
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statement is true to the best of my memory. _ _
~ Q _ <S1e~ed>M Witnesses I . ' A A
! Agents, FOBOII .
- " » u.s. Dept. of Justice In- ~».f'-I E '*. . :5:
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RB: JOHN L. LEEFIS, ET LL._
P9 7:!
Q IITH by Special Agents _
..,_._= This person expresses
to with =1 not make a desirable
Witness-
QE
Following is a signed statement obtained from
., 5pr-ingfield, Illinois;;-_,»: F August 51, 1945.
,3 -5!
. -r Tfollowing siéneg s have
identified themselves as Fade Inventi-
gation. lie threats or promises hove been made to me to induce me to make I
.5 st etemont .
;-"#1 o" -"s borr. 7;;¢'7~; :.f;:_ es-me to tr UniStates ir and became a. citzzen in I joine: tho United Kine
,_ Lvcrkors in I have never held an o co in an union
9.y 0
- .-: "I started working at 1&1? B in quad joined the Progrossivl_ in 1932 when all the other miners 1-1'. All o the men wanted to join
l Progressive at that time. From 1932 to 1937 everything was all right. The
5 3 men all seemed satisfied. with the HM. M.-2 ~." -92-HI
I-r 41- ! _. _l92 92r92'I _____ -11 J.92_- .___ _.|_ 1___92 A..I|92__-___. _L-__1. in THE Spring D1 L70! BOITIC Q1 DE Ii.-'1]. ItB.1"DE ta.LKJLng IUDHF
and Domini:-*Phis'q1:ele were supposed to be tor U.Li.'-.T. They did not talk to
' me, however.
>
j "I do not remember anything about a new contract in the spring; of
' 193?. I did not hear any talk about anything of this sort.
.92 Q ' .34 .. 'n the day of the strike I was working as s digger ingot
._?'. 92r@ __ 1-: Y _______ 1' '!__.I_.-..! 4___- ___ .l.L._.__.. _____ ;92__1. _'|__- ;_92___ .|_1__ .|..:____ -___-an line D. L gut-Ha <1 LOU-QUQ UWU Ur LHTUQ taro DI!-GL5 Q5? Lndn Ln? urlvr Gal
"mar ' n n and sud &erybody out . I didn't know what the trcuble was. I guess I" ._load one or two oars short that day -- I don't know why, somebody said load
-;.#;s;.:t short. I didn't hear anything about a wage argument that day or about
V ; anyone being kicked out of the union. d
g.
. 5.!-xen I got to the top of the mine somebody said "Strike". I
guess it was because Andy and Dominic were working for United-
L urge-1: now wnotner I signed any petition or not. I was nod: onjoining UIGF. Tluare were three or four of these amd 1 remember that Andsltfas-:92ML;
; * H ~i! J, ,,g: "' £9 ~§*' g: ns¢@Q'5' v' _ " M *' T§1"'*i"
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Re JOHIILLEIS ETAL
wwzznv 1:5: " I d1d.n'i; 5° back to the mne until it opened up mt! than
I d1dI1't go to work until December, 1939 Faloetti ma
contxrued sent mo a note telling me to come to work I still
stayed on the H-A until about the Spring of 1940 I
then deczded I had better Join IMF btcousu I was an old man and dJ.dm't Bit
to lose my job Nooody told me I would lose my job, but I knew. Ho one eve
bothered me. I do not rempmber nnyth qg about an electlon, held by tho
Ni.-LB. .1 us: t romaine? won 4 Jbld the Eh?-". I never paid much attent
to urlon aotwztlea and 11uV92:I" went to many moet1nga- I still don't knot
nhut causad the strzko 1n 1937, somebody Just called it It make! no
d1£'ference to mt. much union I belong t_Q,_ 1t in just the sazne_,___condit-zone are
the. son; vuth both Nobody over made ma join any umon or threatened me in
The above statement was read to me and I declare 1t to be true
*9 K-the best of try memory
T-ltneasod
1 Lgonts, FBI, U S Dept of Justice-
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executed. _,
"August 21, 1913
Springfie ld, Illinoil
__ W __ "I. ""5" make the following voluntary statement toan "- oth of whom have identied themselves to is
d . ' - ' - Fe o nvest a ion Ho threats o e pecia ugn s of t floral Bureau 1' I lg t . 03'
pi'O!fiiS¬S have been node to m to induce rze to @e any statement.
- started working in the
coal minosé-1- _ - n I was about years old an worked at tinttrade until the stri 111 93?. I first joined a union in wvrhen I
joined the U.Li.'.'.'. and was a member of that union until 1932 I en the Pllhwas formed. I started working for Mine B in aboutiand worked there
until the strike in 195?. ' ' ' """""
Chen the Progressive union was formed in 1932, I took no part in
it and inifact didn't vote for any union. I always feit that when the new
union was formed, it was formed just to make new jobs for men. I dnt
know how the company men felt about either the UB3 or Progressive. The
management never said_anything to'm to induce me to belong to any onion.
Conditions seemed to be the sane under the Progressives as under the U.H.TL
They weren't any better and they weren't any worse. I never paid much
attention to union activities and in_Iact hardly ever attended any meetings.
I have hoard rumors about some Progressive men being spies for the U.H..
these non. I know Carter; nustin, George
supposed to be spies but I ¢o 55¬ kno¥hny~
thing about their aotitities. I do not know anything about_events leading
up to the strike in 1937 and had no idea why a strike was called. he were..L J. J 4. 1.. _._ _..__.|_92.:.__ _92___..Lout no not mow anytning aneur-
Jaoaway and EmoryA__Jaca92-.-ay were" .-V. ' o "re -r: -"'**1 "' .~ -.;"_7 " ziifnf" %~-wt; - - / ~ s---=-- -»92- -;r,-:~ ' ~_-~-;._;-;_----- .r ~ er: ' ""~ . -I:-»-J '-r- i-'-7? $1 Yr" *~
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, , . . _I . = . }~ _i i 92,=:'=¢ -1: -I.t*.°?§'-_"f3~:X_~._*' ~<r.e'_ ._ ~ _. 1 H __.Re: JOHN 1.. u-ms. ET at. 1 i _' 4
. _ - _ - . _._ e. --__ -1-.1.;. r e ,':. ~' 9-"A i'92"92§7:'-h-N
INTERVIEI CITE '1 remember signing Q. petition to go back to work for ;_the Progressive union, but don't remember whether it ' H
::Il "'--- ' i i viiy i iiii ii - Ii t : wail at the house or the hell- _ Wm 1' llhe- _r
after the strike two men came to my house and asked me to sign some petition
or some other paper for the U.H,?-". but I refused as I was satisfied with the
Progressives. They didn't threaten no and left the house when I said I L
wouldn't sign. I remember receiving some notice through the nail to cane
back to work from the company.
in view of the fact
IIn View of the mm. in 193': I attended
vex" few union meetings and lo canno B a e as to any union activitiel O! Y .
plans. I merely went back and forth to work and followed tev oréerlthe union gave to the membership. In the period betwee-rI
was a Pit Coxrniitteeman for the T.'.!.I.'.'.'., but other than th 00 no nterest
in union activities. '
'1 have read ever this statement oi four pages, initialed the Iiret
three pages and hereby sign this page to show that I have read over the '
entire statement and it is true to the best of my memory. I wish to state
that I would be willing to testify in court as to the above ftlo
aitnes sear - ' "92 _ _
Special ngenta, FBI, U.S. Department of Justice. -'
--.
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"~ ~- -. , -1: 4 . . ._..,,_..Re: JOHNL.LEh'IS,E'I.AL. _ _
presented a nice appearance and told his story in a _
calm and co ec e manner. He talks in I fairly oonvineing manner and it _
is believed he would be a good witness to testify to those facts within"
his knowledge. t .s
executed the following signed statement. It isthat this indivi eel might be a reluctant witness in open cmlrt./__92 _92__ .
"Springfield; Illinois
*' _ August 2'7, 194.3
make the following voluntary stdtement
both of whom have identified themselves
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Ho
threats or promises have been made to me to induce me to make any statement»
__ _ I was born and presentlyreside
at 1 started working at H158 g before the last war and have
nor e ' 7-l~ e e er since with the exception of the time I was in the first
war. I have never held any office in the union hat was a manber of the UJI-W.
In 1.932 there was a dispute that arose between the union and the company as
the anount of wages. Due to that fact the men in Mine B broke away and .
formed the P.Ii.A- Everything seemed to go along fine from 1932 1.u_1ti1 the
time of the strike in 1937- F .
, "Sometime about the first of Hay, Pgjezjartcr, TgAndyyhrevilians, Pgguale, Austin and several others, began agitating
amongst the men; they »-The calling the men "scabs" & trying to start
agitation for the men to join the U.1i.W. The territory I was in at the
mine had a nice gang of men in that section and we never had am; trouble
in our section. I know that Boh_a.r__3n_o_n, Plotch and Austin seemed to have n
lot of money a.nd were driving new cars around-about that time. '1 was never
approached by any oi these men however. I didn't hear of any meeting $0
be held on the night of May ll, 1937 end do not know What action the union ~
took with regard to these men.- On the morning of the 12th I heard that
Bovg1j_ng__ _QZ§_er1 A1131! and Pasquale had been expelled by the union. These men
were supposed to be drivers, but they spent most oi their time on the sur_bi*¢-G
- 1-. "
e Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET IL 4; ' 7 *~'@§¢j7§ .3 u -! . _. . .
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' . ~ I - " " _, -; .92.*',.R,,>=" -p_-.' ' . ._ 5." f' '>'~1?92__:i yen" _ .-.1 "*E~»-*» a.- ~--.~. .:... M. _;w@ ,_- t_ ..,. A -», ,-.. .. * -Y _ _, ~-i ;~ y . a£.3'?t_; ;g" ' go"
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Y . ... . _. _ -'; gar. n~-.-";-_ . '¢_;_--4 _»» 4 ___ . . Q.
__ . q; . _ "_ -"2 _ .~
Progressive came to the house & asked no to sign T .3 their petition; which petition I signed. I Ia! - "X
' H ' not approachw by anyom from the to sign =r,"'
or their petitions. . . _ ..' .
u 92.n
7 I - .' ' I
"I do not k.no~.:- anything that happened at the mine at the tine
attempts were made to open the mine. I stayed mlray from the mine during a
the period the mine was shut down. As far as I was concerned the first .
ICLRB election held in December -"*7 1937 was regular in every respect. 1 -~
There was no attempt on the part oi the mafaagement or the unions to sway
the men in their voting. The Progressives won this election. In November
Qf 1010 T wnn+ hank -tn 'wnY'1' 2+. +.H|>'m'¬v-ms nnri':+!92n mama man ram: an-sinH/I L u92..n.&v u-unun vv vlveon unv vonv I-out-I-In:-v um--_ ..|92-n-0-nu nova. uv-v un§u- -
agitating. A man by the name of _; as very active at this time in
tryin to organize the men for U. '- ' nd 8 I11-in by Y-1'18 H3158osgwere also active at this time - '1' - organize the men for
Uih. . didn't want to sign with the U.H.'.'i'. because I had been with the
Proressive -a long time and had a death claim with them for my father.
In the others started fights with the Progressives and didn't seem
"I-l-_ ' ' o e oing any work. In my opinion these men were encouraged by Falcetti
-¢92.' .__ ,-.- 1.""£;
§$E
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.1and the company and no attempt was made by the company to stop the men
~|"..-,-...- n.v92nnv924 I1-an§1 L8-Li UL 6J1.Llul.|,Il5Q
' g "After three or four months of this agitation, most oi the men
seemed to be svringing over to the U.H.'¥I. In Feb. of '41, when the election
was held I heard many rumors to the effect that the U.H.?.. men were buying
liquor for the men and getting them drunk prior to the t they votedAll the time we had been working under an open shop _,Qnr:.gEale and others
were bragging about how much liquor they could get with e . .T'. In
Feb. of '41 I was not approached by either side in an attempt to influence
my "cots. = -
"I never hoard of any fine that was supposed to have taken place
during the time the nine was shut down between 193? and 1939. I know that
in my section of the mine, which is on the west side, there wasn't any
damage to speak of. I do know that there was supposed to have been some
damage done on the north side of the mine. The north side was the side
occupied principally by the U.H.-J. Agitatoro. _ _ - , - _
' -
51 n-"- _n4 nah on q ' Qiinn hf +hQ U u_w. fnr nvpw = pnr,; gr: xguu vcuu uu Q 1.Ju92_v.|,as5 v.|. u.u.. vq1..¢I92.I awn ...... ... vu-
I know that some of the men became involved at the meetings in arguments
and actual 1 ights so I decided I would stay away from then. For this -
reason I would not care to testify against any of the U. .Fi. men in open _
court -- I'd be afraid of them taking some drastic action against me -
in ram; I would fear for my life. I would not h§_§r_£1_t5_.-}_t_92__B_ to testify
1,
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-92 -;"¬ j4 - K '_ z
7 9292. 5
Re: JO!-BI In LEYCIS, ET BL
. 92
.17 .
Titnesses ' é __ j ! Special Agents, F.B.I. ~ Slgned! _.;=@ 3 U-B- DEW»- of J 5°1P~=" ' j ' -
IQ '2 km
b i 'before a secret grand jury session as to u >-
facts related above. I have read this statemeni _
over and it is true to the best. of my "
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do
£§6??IE§UE'H18§Eb
' - at whichIIPIEVIHIT WITH
- 19,. Pw . 1 s.- _ '_ "=- - portnont.
L-'" '5 -Q" A , - _-92 '. _ y . ., __,I '- .,,, P 1'. "1"L"s'_-f-._.:ti";fé";:;_,,; ';;"'f;E';fZ'. __j< "-* - 3 1 » eosazs
w 1 F I 1
L
stated he was born in
his whole life. B
.-- reoez-d"' eczema ti/nt in his opinion 1:-here was
some kind of "d0a1' node between Lewis and Elshoff, but
evidence to substantiate this Opinlllecould give no
433.: the time of this i1292301'T10V' p0kO in o elm intelli-
ger: and eolloeted manner, did noi: give E110 impression ho was Bibi-or of
to testiijr as to the facts in his possession. executed the £0110!-prejudiood against any side. It is believed he wouid nolco 0 good witness
S in; statement and stated ho would be willing to t
fncrltn-as to those
'a:»ringfiold, Illinois
August 2s, 1945
__ - _
I, __ ,_ zjnko t following signed voluntary- atatone at tc ans. knowing than to be
- 1' ' e -" etion. No threats qr Qaeoiol Agents . e-oral Buro s 5
p!OE1l6Cl have been node to no and I nuke this statement
r92n92"nnln nP nr>++'ins- Prn-1-.'h 1:._rl'm+. T lrnngg ngmnnrgincv ans-I-,n§h1" "' :"""" "" """ "" ""* *b """ " ""' "' "" " " "' """" _"b """- """""
Hi.IlC Bo l _freely for the
diffioultios at
K I . - d $110 1- "" »*I-"e'*i1" » -
-*"" $ om Q, * whiohwas the U1: one for
"a B. 135 1932, due to tr-ouSIe over wage increases in the nines, the
U1-IT was kicked out and PEA was formed. M: first I did not want to
join P3-£5. but I had to if I oarod to work, so I joined.
at gine B, having been there sinoo 1924 and after PEA cane in things
T 1:.--I 4- -1 4 1 mm nrnn um; nn +m= nrulI was working
De"1iei_o___Pgsg92;ale oeno to my house, urging no to join. I do not remember
'§:*"ho'w'as with hit: but Pasquale told no Ii you don"t oorn in, you won't'nrnr924- I1 An» 1-rnwrrr as-9292r92"*"921'92I_ A _.|92 .r92 H HR PW! E. . In nus , L-92j,92-ll-J5 W13 G3,;-Ivul-I--L. ,5 -Av wv J92.rA.sn4.A4b qgssq 4.4 s.s<-sins --nu :I92-r|av92J92- "ecu
work. I . l
Free 1932 to 1937 PJA was
worawoll pleased and we were having
Attendance was good oi; every mooing
excellent.having no trouble.
'Scuot:L*'n about 'tho latterThe r-embers
no trouble with the officials;
end working conditions Flore
pert of April, 1931, P_<11I9....&:!:oI:- .
and mh*ank ausiin eone to my house and asked no to joi;1.1IJT¢ I did not
went_£o ond"£o1d then so, because I was well satisfied with PEA. '
-l92
1
.- ,_
-a-of
1i
._ inu
Ii er About two weeks after this, probebiytv 11,»»
.___ .¥ n.. _ ._. ~ .- $31 §=?-- - Y-is -_-.1-~'==,,;-= ,2 pf
. .3 . _."' - 9- - , _"- - .-. , -- . ----"; - 92 *- ; L" ,4 ' ::=¢. - ,-_' _[ 1-_,_. ._.,.-_.__ ,,|,¢9,_ ,f;92_ ....F,$ _,._q..-- 92e. .. . I . "-Y-.-""" " QT.-L, "2" - "'§*92:";""5--'="92'_'$.;-1% -- ' _. ."-- ~f T,~'U-*' .Y!92!I'---*.:- ..,1 _. - ._ . --* - . ,. __-_.--1. - e,--92 92_ .m e is , 4 -. ...-F». - :,
'- - -;- . » .eom: L. LEIIS, swim ' ,'
' "" 7gi7;_;T-I.TTJwt,
l957 e spoeiel mating was eelled by PHIL. As near
_oEtii:1ued] I eon reeell this meeting was announced lay s notice
on the bulletin board at the nine-I I attended thisnoeting and Biliehowe, the president reed eff charges um eortain
members of PLEA o e working against the union in that they were trying
to get the mm to join U_L92-T. '1'he nee were mined and I know that Echo
Cm-tor, Frank irgstin and Doninie Pesguele were among then. These 'B'5l"
were'preseY1t 'E.'nd eould hnvo"'.~ié'-Fe'i5eH the ehurges, but as I recall, theyes»-
- 1,.
left without saying anything. Other members testified that they he-d been
approached by these non in an effort to get_the.':. to join MT. A veto
was taken and these non were expelled frm FEE.
The io11on-ring day, which would be my 12, 195'! the non who
were expelled emno to go to work. Inaurzuoh es they no 10ngeI'_'bO10D,gO¢
to the union the non wouldn't work 92-ltll then and wanted then discharged.
The hen were urged to go to work and finally went down in the pit, but
as long as the expelled norbers -'-eren't fired, the other non started to
sepd up short loads of eoel. Things get worse and finally the non wont
on c. strike. I do not knew for sure who celled the strike, but it was
92...,-..--._ Q-D !'92 1...-...;.11.-.
vuuuuu UL uuu uayunz 3 I:OGi."3 'GFGi}C.'i"'.92l¬ and v "u P66-'l92iEG Of -1.? """"'
. _ . _*
I signed e petition about lily 26, 193? which stated that the
signers wanted Pl-IE. to represent then. I signed this at the Union Hall
end es I resell, acne nombers were epprooeheci at their hone. However,
whether to sign or not was up to eeeh nan and no one was node to sign cs
threatened in any-way. The purpose _ei the petition was to shew the .
ee.-~pe.1:y that we wanted to go book under Pllh. * -
P! did everything they eeuld to open the nines. The state
President Jee enie, node several trips t_o T='nsb.111gt0n to get help, '
' Sometime in September, 1937, Elsheff sent e notice through -
the nail that the nine would open. n attempt was node to open it under
Dliibut H1 non went in and took the nine ever. Tie stayed in there
fifty-seven days and were served iith e__§edore.l injunction :1ok@ us _ -
got out. At this tine we felt that this was not right, but there was L.
notbjnr we could so about it. l"' ' "92J ' " Ni" " " ' .
I voted in the HIRB election in_Deoorbor, 1957. I resell
that this election was lwld in the Iirnory. Ne one told :20 how to veto,
the election was orderly and there was no L'.istuubeneo of any kind._ _-:7 ",1" i _- _--K-.~ ; _ _ =1:-,, -:__:';___:I_: -3: S i T-'. . . , -- ' I --. -"M" -_1- -. -W "~ ' _-_»-_,_~_Ih", _'-+1-: _=-w'-:_,,- _' .. ' - --** *' /1» it .- so-%s:~& == e it -_ -:-ahI
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nrrmv 1.w1-rn '1 have read and haw hm! the above state wont road
no and declare it to be true and correct;
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92 -
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_: ' ' : ".;;" ;._ 92_92~. D I JOHN L. LB 1s. In AL . 5 9 Q
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4 -4 - I " "Z. " ... ~'_' . _--- - £i"§!f-' .- "-3: >"~ '.-I-1 if-,.-. _ .h£_ I» _ _ V. T» DE M3-. ._--,_= .1: _-,9. M;- 4'5 . ' ~ nv - we-v --=92 _ -2-= - , I» 92_"'--§- -_ .1 1 n/It -1. n. ..,_ ' u-4 " . .-6 £7 - ,4, _-__ I V, '1 ;"1f_-.- A
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4 92iRE: JOHN L. LEWIS, or .u. *-
~~ W
mv»: m-
92 inois, was m rviev-ed at the grounds. Ha 1: a ne.turt1-
g _ ~ mg I -i.zed% and although he experiences élfculty in ax-
pr-es=ing his ideas in c , he appered to have a good knowledge of_t1:I
situation at Iluw- *3 ertment to this investiratiwp E. atated to i.nter=vi61"ing Agents and the-.t he is presently doing 60..
fence York. Fa *2 no .» oriminn cor.
The followingeigned statezzent was executed by
"$fringfi.a1d, I11
1-mguct 51, 19113 " _
h £ cu.-: ..¢--11_ ,- J! 4-Ifolloing voluntary e entemont too who are -
3_*~ocia1 gents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. o an s or prqnicos
of any kind have been made by than to get ma to 1:1B.k6 a statement.
I 4 .,,
iziond became a nature ized citizen in
s shortly after I came to the U. 8-
I began working ct Elli:-.o '8'" nbozzt
rki
nion " ""
and I joins
"In 1932 I joined P3-In because the majority of the men were joining
that union. I continued to work at Kline "B" as a Fifi until 1937 when the strike
occurred. During this time everything concerning working conditions and aet-
tling grievances was satinfzctory to me. I had no difficulty with PQLIEQWO
- During the Wage ecale coztroversy in the spring of 1937 I saw -
several labor ""spies" who were attempting to get the men to join U=lI¢*3¢_ 1'2".-ese
men were JOE Al;-E§-_lj,ESE, DCE-II}IIC___§1_3._S_QU1_LE, CHAS, __BC_>1:3,a$I§QI-T, F?,{.!IK._.&,L1SIIN, J_0HHs_n=vr0u*r, cEo$"..u.c;=-.13, E:Z3 !E._Y:_§_;§.§.192£TI.Y;"TOl92*Y 1»_14Jrcn, rem carom, J;-. £92E'S size ,¢.NI»qBI<§'. SC}EELEJIDUS', JOHN ~ " " " '*" I "s" "" "f_ " "" °
..-I-' ""b**% ---an-v-"
' During the wage scale controversy board member of
F-II."-7. told us we would continue to work on o s i.I&r sea e until 0. contract
*.'¢¬.s sggnod and than we would get e 10} misc.
.-»e
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,_
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1-~ - --- --~~~-~---- --**---;~- " ._. 1 _ ,., r 92 . .__- _-_ -.. _ ._-.,.. .'2 . f ' -_- _ '- -1 I Y i 1 "R-*T' @-' w es 1 "+e= re;s<s%mP B63l ,1 ~ -' rt!/I-.1: --1Jl;~:ee.-..~-;»
. VI F 1
RE: JOHN L. Lens, er AL _ »as Y1
. cc/p92 lfiwqg . _
T ='92"92"1"" time we were told that the mine rues on strike so e1mn____
t th i Thi bl _ o e sur ace. s was agrees e to me because I didn't
in eview went 3 or 4 spies spoiling our uni - ' - One
"I don't recall signing any petition in the ummer oi 1957 e
do recall that two Iguys came to my house to get In n U..ii.''. __they were the young JACAlf_¥.fi_Y boy and e fellow nu. I told than I .
was satisfied with Pliuend was not interested in jet ; .1l.W. They told 'me at that time that U}-M was the strongest. .
"I remeznber that ems to my house and tole me
the mine would reopen and I coul g '- wor . I went out to the mine to go '
to work but we began to picket the mine instead. The picketing started be-
cause if we went in the cage to work we were told we would have to join U.l.WA. I don't recall who told us that except that we were in e group and the
word passed along through the group. I yicketed along with the rest until
.e we were served with e.n injunction which stopped us from picketing on the mine
property. I did not see any fights or violence during the picketing.
92_ __ _ 4. ____ -cv.-.. ..election in Dec. 19:57 and 1 think 1*: was a
an attempt to open the mine right after the I voted in the NLRF
fair election. I don't recall
election.
IQ November 1959, I received a letter saying I could go to work _
- as the mine was going to open. P.M.'~!. decided we should go to work to hol
our jobs because things were in e "mew" about the union. 1 _
"1 continued to work at Mine "B" and did not see anyone beaten or
foroed to join Juifv'. I voted i the "s 5EB':§rl election and I think this election
was e fair one as far es being able to vote as I pleased and in e secret
fr shion. No threats or promises were made to get me to vote for either Hf
or Uliff. '
'f_p;__E_1_1_;L1;_p:p;_._; A. 1-11 or I-Jay follcrwing this election and wex_1t__to
s
"I em not now e. member of P.M.A. because I heven't kept my dues
eceuse I have not been working in the mines. I prefer P=!!..l.= to UEE
ouId went to rejoin PJLA. if I went beck to the mines to work. . <
W _p I have had the above statement of about 3% pages read to me by"" '-
it 1» true and correct. _ _ _
I iipeoial Agent,F.B.I..p p _' -c,; i h
r
5? in H ' 11* *'* S?-<~'~" s
I- ' - ~'92- '
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nii192 , l'-' y Special
is re 1-' - ; "' 1..-Ev--_ . - :'1- .;._...- ' u'¢__,_ 92_ g Y» W" - 3: 4 -1 we-f ,1. °,-"'55:-,.'--.:'-~'~ -,-_ rs " pi'. : ;--,- --1-I gt {"_1i'_;$-1.. 5 " B» .:.,...".' "-~~.- 1., ,_--- v- - ~ _ n . . . , _ _e - ~ l 633$»
-viz
_ I lo . 7,3 _~-113.: -."-I
~¬;4?5"1b7s¢§§§§sFRe: Jess L. Lens, s'r u. . p;_,
_' ' ' - -1: .1 ;*~. - T,,_- 1. _ G' 4; '92 --'
- '_'-:._ 1.;-.--~ ~. _ ._" F-1'-' sh .- iA. 92 ;_"'=._ . 2-. i$5;-. -92_ -,=..-,,_~|:_»..i;,__.__._._ 1-1 e
E
and92 val s !o|rn n states has no cxjiminel regord "If and indicates oooperstive Iitness.i He speekl 'English without difficulty and appears of average intelligence. - *;_-
- The following gigned statement Ins obtained from_ "I
"Springfield, I11.
August Z5, 194$ -_ '
ks t e following vo_ ry ' - ement o andwhom I know to be Special Agents o e '- ureau »=- gation.
_ it make it without fear of threat, force or oromise of my kind knowing
may be used in 1 court of lit. "
d 2'1 *== "1 is A
"In": first joined the mm while working wig Minein Springfiel , 11. 1 was a member of um until 1932. n pr: _o1 1932
there was s strike and I did not work until December of 1933, st which time
I t to work in Kine "B" at Springfield at which time I joined the Pl Ianunion. From December of 19-$3 until May of 1957, I worked in Nina "8" - and
was a member of PEA during the entire time. '_ I. -
were Charles Bohennon, Pptejlerter and several others, about twelve in I ,
whose name I canes! remember. Eshoff and these men would have parties in
b t e of the fellows who belonged to PIE were at than
parties. During this time the talk among the fe ows no g
B was that the U135 was furnishing the money to agitate for UH?! in Hine "3'.
There was no strong arm tactic noticed by we -» but there was a lot oi -I
propaganda favoring the URI. » - p_ ,. _ _ - .During the ts; from 195: until Hay of 193': I noticed Elslhoff was j
friendly with those U16? synpathizers working in Mine "3'. flhese sympsthizerl
11
the company office, u non
ll rkin in the Kine _
. '*Duri this period between 1935 and 1957 I can remenber no strike: - "Sor close d in Mine B. But during this time Fsloetti would tell ul
- hi 11 an morl of how the mine was better off tecause of the U159? w c _gfavors to ' company. I would hey that 1-alcetti tried to influenoe us
miners in Kins B to be sympathetic with the UHH, I was of th impression
that Faloetti favored those sum twelve h sympathilerl by granting ten
2 -v-"1
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Re: JOEH L. Lewis, rr AL -
we I o
, ¢£7;Q§ IEEQRYIEW TITS or giving a miner a better room to work in. it
- %§§;$Q%%Qf:"%y seemed they could do most everything they wanted,
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During this period between 1933 and 193? all of tho
fellows in the PEA seemed satisfied. I believed the PEA was doing good for
us miners and at no time did I ever notice
strong arm tactics of any kind to keep the
no friction between the FHA miners and the
I attended many UNA meetings and I noticed
assessments and we knew of no kickbacks toany attempts by the FIR to use
men in line. There'seemod to be
PEA officials. During this time
no unusual number of special H
1oci1'PEA officials.
"Between 1933 and may 1937, the UM! never picketed Nine '8' to my
knowledge, but I recall there were throats'by UHF to picket, but I cannot
recall who these fellows were. During this time I recall seeing panphlets_
distributed at Kine "B" telling the fellows to join es. ~
' In early Spring of 193? I recall no slow downs or work stoppages
and I noticed no actual violence and no one came to me to tall me into
going over to UMW, althc I recall some follow! were contacted by UHF
sympethisers, but who was contacted - and who contacted them - I can't
rememben.
. '-92
I cannot recall being at n meeting of PEA on the night of Bey 11.
1937, end I cannot any whether there was ameeting. On the morning of
May 12, 1937, I went to work and noticed nothing unusual until I was "
notified by s driver that there would be no more work for the day. I
cannot remember when I heard that some of tho fellow had been expelled from
H16 PEA 0 _ ' 92
I cannot remember an coal cars being loaded short on Hey 12,
1937. I do not remember signing a PEA petition on Hey 26, 1937, but I may
have signed it. It is just that I cannot remember. But I know I did notl
sign any URN petition. But I cannot remember any 'wildcst petition
having been circulated during the summer of 1937. _ or
. _'After the UHF local was formed in July 1937, I received hy ,
mail, some materiel urging me to join the UHF. But no one contacted me
personally in that regard.r
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Re: JOHN L. Lens. ET AL ~ 2 -M
A 1 :>.?<';..; A
ILV u: Only our own PEA local picketed and we never .. . -{
imported any picketera. Ho force or other peunl .
A E5j"}i:. ' ' was used by the PEA Offillll to keep the Pll
members in line. The reason we stopped the lit
the sheriff notified us the-re was an injxmetian*1
down strike was because
against us. _
I remember there was an election that winter, of 15?, and the
PEA won. No violence or threats were used or made by either the UHF er
PL-2A. I do not remember any other attempts to have the mine reopened until
1939 when I received notice from the company that the mine was opening
& I had so much time to eome back to work. But I never went. back to wprk
for Mine "B". _
consisting of six pages, including
and c0rre0i- I have read this statement
this page, and believe it to be true
we-=1
vurxmsses
Sined!, s Quin Agent, 1-".e.1. _ I Signed? Special Agent, FBI. *
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to the United S111
This witness has n fair} - Pr 5 in P
of English and q Ace himself ar-ia; H;;-,§d t with
rm ! I92J to boocme Q m8mD61' OI Udll-tn us nu In--5 uuuuzlwu X atted he did at _, nto - wo :1
Mine "B "ob out
a furnished the following statemaltl-
Springfield, 111.,
August §E, 1913
-, .- _ .i.-:;.. . 6 d
I1 e the to 5 voluntllry ate. omant - d -' and% who I knovlfbo be Spoil ézgonta 0 a L arm =- on-u
Q '-was 511 cm, no force, tlu-eats or premise! hnvo been up-do in- obtaining this statement and I know tin; Irhnt I may any any 'b-0 uaed
against mo in u oourt of 1u.1n_ _-5.
and emmigmt-ed to the
" the 1.1;?of '6. S. from -
Springfield,
._ ..' '» :.= '- i ' - -' "*",==-~-,-=;- U--" ."~ 5.-I:-1~' aw .;- I-, .. -. =':.-~~= '* -
"1 was employed sq-ac mine, the no-ma of which I do not lmol,
n Jul at which time I bocmo :1. member of the
. wua employed at a mine for about nine months» _ x
"lnul storied to work =1; u minor in u 0001 mine in
Spfingfidld, 111. F'i"CiT1 lite elm sp:'L".g of 19:52 1 worked in 2231'}?minus in and around Springeld, 111., during whioh time I was u member
Of $110 UQEII 92
'11; the spring of 195: I was exluplcyod at the MineSpringfield, I11. as a miner at which time I was a mombér o .11.?! I51.0 pd work in the opring of 1932 nu the oontrf-oh but-awm mum»ind. U.!-1.11. ran put nd 'I did not have u union contract o w
er. The UJ!..'f- in the now oontrubt drv-Wn up in the full of 1952 01$
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pm; e , I 0 ss a miner, working ts I m"'5§I"'
oon nue of PR. . . .éw.- é/92
"I mve never been Ln offieer. L1. em 921=..ni@e' 4
I em unable to furnish any informeticm concerning the relation-
shi between d Elsho at Mine "B" prior to September 1932 cl . ' '31- -'. e '
"I was very much in favor of the formation of Pile. and attended.
many meetings when it was being organized as I wanted In honest union ,-
to be organized and I did not think the U.hl.W. was honest. . r
"There seemed to have been good relation! between Local 54 BIL
and the offiesls of Mine "B" between December 1932 and the first of Iy
1937, there were no strikes at the mine nor did the management close the
mine frcln December 1932 to Hay 12, 1937- Heither Elshoff or Faloetti .
mde any etetenlent against PEA nor did they show My hostile lttitudo
toward FHA, between December 1932 and May 12, 1937- So fer as I know the
management of PZM was in ver of P-_..n. between December 1932 lay 12,
193'?-
, é "There was no sentiment emong the members of P!-H1. that FHA. Local
54 was Being operated as a racket. kll the members seemed to like the
way PL-in was being, operated and wanted to be members of Hm 1-ether than '
members of any other union. The-'m'embers seemed to be interested in the
union HM. There was not e very large attendance at the meetings of
PEA and I did not attend very often as I was not able to go to the meet-
Lag after working all days
"Thee members of FAA were not in "'" t1"" with the trielmfsome of its members in the bombing oases. Eho members of PHIL thought
the defendants in the 'bOmbing eases were not getting a fair trii-
"Thore were no unusual assessments made by PM during the
time I was a znember.3o for as I know the offioolse of Local 11°54 PHK
were honest and there was never any kiok Back to local gffioels of PHA-
"UM-T did not set up a picket line at Mine "B" between Sept-
1932 and 1-Zey 12, 1957 nor did I ever see literature being distributed
in fever of UJJJT. during the above dates. I do not have any knowledge
of my of the alleged UH! spies. I do not know of any reletions between
i
qr II
'8': . 92 .
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RE: JUHN L. LHTIS, ET LL
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7 _ INT A. " TH "I do not knew of any wage scale centre-rersy In_£ .- the Spring of 1937. Kc mentim Ins over me-ds
con u to me by anyone concerning s 111.50 issue. 80 fer
as I knew there were no temporary slew-downs
or stoppage of work in the Spring of 1937 prior to Hxy 12, 1943. I
"1 did not attend the HM meeting on the night Hey 11, 1937,
but I was told there was to be e special meeting tint night. All the
miners were infomod of the meeting by I1 men at the top of the mine
immed ietoly after they came out of the mine. I was net told the
reason for the special meeting on the night of liny 11, 1957.
"On my 12, 1937 I went to work es elway-s, I leaded all the
eers in my rocm, but no empty cars were brought to my rccm. I remein
in sq; reem until time to step work. I was told by scmeene when I I
reeohed the top of the ground thet HM; closed the mine beeeuse nine
effieels refused te discharge five non who bed been expelled from the union
FE-cause they were mm spies. I do not knew of any coal cars being leaded
short Hey 12, 1943.
' "I do not remember the mm petition or my as, 19;? end cennet
sey whether I signed the petition or not. - '
"I did not sign :1 mm petition in the Sumner oi 1957 not did
I sign any other petition in the surfzer ef 1937. .
'1 knew nothing about the fenmtien of new {MW 1000.1 7469
July 29, 1937, I wus not asked to btcmc u member of U15? in 195'!-nor
did anyone threaten no if I did not join the UM? in 1937.
I cm net get o nptiee from Ijgnc *3 in sopt. 1931, that
the nine was te open. I heard from an unkncwm source that Pm? was to
picket Mine "B" in Sept. 193? on the duy the mine was to open tmder
[MW contract. 1 the day the nine, Mine "B", Ins to open in September
193?, I wont to Mine "B" es Q picket and rennin e picket for 56 days.
There was no »-ielence used during the 56 days of picketing. The
pickets rOI'J;i;§L.OI1 duty during the 56 day period, during which tine
the unio'1'1',"Fi3§, provided n place te stay and sine of the feed.
"A few days before Thanksgiving 1937 the Qheriff advised the
pickets that en injunction had been obtained to prevent the pieketing
end for that rec-en PMA stepped the picketing of Mine "B". The members
ti H-IA did not think the court should have issued the 1.njLn'1.O1;10l1s 192
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~ ~ Q.-~-é.'.»+ .,.'=..';. "...- 1' ' .5" 92-RE: JOHN L. umss - 7 _-. .=-.;:._--;
:,.,=_ p
' In
A 7,/j~ T . ' "A few days after the injunetfen 1 few mi? member! 1
' want to work at lino "3'. I do net knew haw noting
- no . ..>11 was given that tho m'!3£é"vaa to have been opened at
this C1156: '
.0 92 1.1 Q 92I|l In 0 Q. --Q 1-no-.-nu Q - .ran éiootlon was n0.|.a :.n up:-mgr1e1e ay muw 1n ueeenmer
knowledge PM did net threaten any to vote for Hu I -
of PEA and voted for Hike . 1."F1.
TO my
was in 1-Iver
"1 do not knew of an attempt to epum Hino YB" in J6-ntnry
1938 0 ' '
"In 1958 there were acne reetings of HM. members, but I
ttendu There wus no violnoe to my knowledge betxreon Hey
ad Revs 1939 when Hind "'-5" recaeneds
sot.-lo at Mine "B" ufter it opened
was an my 12, 1931-"I understood that the W331:
in Nev. 1939 was to be the same as it
The members of H5? -who returned to the nine thought they
should have u eentruet with Mine '3", but the management of H1110 '1!"
would not give them I1 eentruote d
I-nil .tn.......... 1: 1mm. 1- .......1.: .. ll1' ..-,.a-..--...'..-1 4-,-. .-.,.-1., 1- U4-mJ! . ULQIHKOLJ II LJTV. L UVHLQ 1], L l92-hru-I-L.L'92Jhl UU IIUJL a92f Ill-I-192J
return tp werk prior to that tine because there were many emre-ins
in the nine. I do not knew of any fires in Hine "B" subsequent to-_,__ '
JD-I1: 5. * .-
"In the spring 194-0 en agent of um talked to no in nu 1attempt to get no to like him and bu in avor of {life In the Sumner I!;
of 1940 n driver in H1110 "B" threatened be threw 001.1 on no because I 5
would n-at join U15!» In £110 l-11 of 1940 an Onpleyee uf Mine "B" Qt-
t-;r-.pted t..~ get me ta sign e. slip tr: join LM! se that eve:-gene in the
mine eeuld get along tU6C1thOl'l I did net sign the slips I never '
saw c-1 heird anything which would indicate the management favered UH?-
I saw sever-ul fights between members of Pfx and LE.-f frm. Jan. 5, 1940
to Feb. 21, 1941. - ',
was 11 member uf Hm until ab.-it in end never 3
signed n curd be join u.ra.'+~'. up until that tine. ' 0 -
ms t.ld by e bead, 1:-he of we-.n I.4 -M" -- ' 11 do not 1m % Jain um I would 10050 EU ,1-vb. /
I knew that I115? wee going te win the eluetien as represent!-tiv
.31 the crpleyeea as they had many u-gents and were getting friendly
. , ' : .1 .
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RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL.
£7¢..
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I
,1}; IHTERVIE. WITH with the _-_-___=_= or that ream 1 joing
mm about ~-
"So
was honost as it was hold by
threats being usod to obtain
"I run at this time
of 7.11174 boos-use mambo:-ship is
"I do not have any
of {MW aro dis1*.onost.for as I Iozofw tho election Fob. 21, 1941
tho N .L.'R.B| I do not 1:nowuf any foroo or
votes f * T UJT. at tho time of tho elootiuni
in Ezggzx Wi§h.PHh nd I Gm Only Q Qcmbcr
nooossuz-y in ordor to work at Kine "B".
spooifio reason to boliovo the offiouls
"I ho.-ac: had road to mo the nino pages of this statement which
is true and co:-root to the boat of my knowledge.
""Titnosso;1|-
Y? ", ' »,_ Spooiul Agent-F-B .1.
pooinl agent FEB .1.
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}'__ woridng in nine "B" joined t.heX'§rogrosai.1g_j§_inors Union and_ _ _ ____ _ ____ __,__ -__ _ ,__A_i_ . .. 7': _ __ - _ --i¢-- ~ __:'_-_ _" '- " ' - ____ ,,;;;.j-=1 =-;-;_+ '.,__ __ LS ' ~4--¢ I - -- < 6'33.-I-*"-'»'1' '»"§'~"§*! F 3""=;- ~1 ' . IX- _ ' _9:_.1?~"e-P-,~' ~'-r § =: ?¢§@; P;~.;¢..o -1- ~ A , = » K o0es4¢~'»' _ V _ 4:-=_,.?,_ V--,.._;:- 1 . f-.
wr 7; ;» -3* _'§f-%'%~ .r. *-!"_'2. I: - _ ._ _ _< >. __.,._r.]; L 1.; _, .t H a- 5' . l -' V ' ' -. I." l ' 4". 92 --"- " -x _ _ .;.. _ ___ _ . .
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YIN 'II§RVIE-é irrn-1 was interviewed at his resi on; Q, -1- ' _
,1? by Special Agents .
to the U. s. in H
<1, Illinois. He a 0 .
ersta.--dds English with diffi-
§ H 11:" 1-rn 1m nfilof age, hi
rn L: u '-
and beca_ '1 .
he has no criminal record. B
cult! and has trouble '~.=r§o:i:.~::'ing.
factor; wit-n-ass. resides atI . 0 1.rn1 van an <:_ i.__¢!
R 5 Springfield, n:_1m,, Vfl;-S no telephone s employed at 0 5 ,L-.4
"Springfield, Ill. .
_'.ug':.st, 26, 1943 _
"H or _ .7 Sprin- mm Ill. make the following volun s :1 enont = o .1-.no'I'ho
1 mow go ho Spccial !&gL-Iltag of tho _ _ .-o of __ v_____,_i= .. xmiko
it without fear of thz-oat., for-co or promiso of any kind.
an; Q I startod work in the nines in Illinois at which tint. I
jojnod the Uni Ou 1-dno liorkcrs Union. I first start. work :i.n Lino B inSpringfield, in tho fall of oboug or at 1eastea?S'§§o.
Before 1932 I mover had any troub C W1 h Elshoff -or "H and I don't know
of any one who had trouble with then. In 1932 the najoritgr of the men
so I joined PK;
120 $01!!-
-_92
-.in 1-332 but no force or thr-oats or promises mire node to no
to juin 15118
Elf. ."Between 1932 and 1937 no one over triad to get no
U :1! -L and the corzzpany never tried to got me to J0-in"the U
"I don't remember going to a mating of the P I! .-L on H1? ll, 1937,
and I don *t romonbm when Wu. wont. on strike in 193'? except. that later that
315,11 mi coultit get to work unless we were U 111?.
"But while w:_- W1..I'C' or. strik- neither the U H ii, the P IE1. or any
0116 triad to gob mo to sign -anything that I can r<=::|cx:b-.-r. . _
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1'I.I'1'S.F.'TlE'w' 'iI'1'1-I : '1 dickt go back to work mtil November. of
continued! *'_? 193? when I got my check number from -
Falcetti and qy room was all right, no 1
went right to work. Some of the men could not go right to work bccause
the:-2 had been "fall ins" and their rooms wcro not cleaned out. About 100
men went to work this first day and then about 25 more could go back each
day as their room were cleaned out.
"I got a registered letter to come back to work in Nov. 1939, and
all the men talked of going back to work in the open mine. But we all I b
thought we -.=-or: going back as P H A and that is that I thought.
"Dvring this time I was laid off b-ztwc.-an 193'? and 1939 I had nothing
to do with the mine. Some of the ."_T_lo..'s were getting heat up by U H W
non, but I rk>n't r-mcmber who they -ztro, and I didn't want to got beat up
so I just s:.r.;'od away.
"...ft...r several months after the nine re.-opened in 1939, three U M '
men cane to m0, but I don't remember their name.-s, and told me if I didn't
sign up with U LI LI I would ac out of a job. Ease men said if I didn it
sign for U H Ii by a certain day, I would be out of a job. So the day be-fo
this last. clay, I signed for U ii H. 311:: only reason I signed was because I
didn't. wont to lose my job, and it didn't make any difference to its whethe
I was P hf .1 or U I-I1-1' just so the nun were honest and I would join the
majority.
"Icannot rncnbcr any elections or voting at any elections after --
went back to work in Mina. "B" in 1-I39. After I signed for U M H I never
signed anything for P H11. How-..ver in about 1937 I re.-membor voting in an
election where P H A got about 300 votes and U H11 got about 28 votes.
"Since I've joined U I4 11' .1 are Tod no trouble with anyone. -I w,.;-1<._-5 in 135; ;-*_§3_n 1';-~ .~_ _}_23_9 1,»_zj_;t.¢', when I wont to work in
Lfine "1..". .-.15 this <41-= " I " e, 1 ave me {L slip to get s.
job in Kine M". Ho Sana I !-Ed on a good worker and could earn more none;
in Him; "A". " . *
"After I wont back to work in 1939 at Mine "B* if if org-miners 92
would coma to Hmo "B" and tried to gut us to join U 1! ii. Ho one tried to
beat. no up but one U E5 H follow who said he had come from Kansas Ir ~ -
Kentucky tried to talk me into joining U H H. Another U H J follow tried
to talk no into joining U K If and he was a FI~.:!'lC.LrJ-1'2. Bat I cannot I"-£.n£:r:1bC:
any of their names. - _
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Re: Jam 1.. 1.2.-41s, 21- 4.1. ' ~
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IIITERVIEJ 1-iIT.~. This stateiqont of five pages has been read -- oonninued! to no n_, Special @g»n d I bclicvu .
' it is true and correct at of my
RT10I1¬dgE. - . ' 7
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Special Agent, F. B. 1.
3 Special ggcnt, F. B. I. »
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Rs. JOHN L. Lswzs, sr LL. I _ ,. > ,
nnsnvxm JITH was interv awed s einl Agents" »,
sppeerenee; is e _e_r_y eemrine pr __._L-er am! sensed te besincere in his sttements. It is believed bhtilld be n good Axi witness to testify to those tests !et forth in e to Owing signed >_~-
_ statement. It is being noted tint expressed n 5:-set reluctance
to testify in open court stating t s epinicn if hetestified " s
Following is his signed stetements - .- '
August 28, 1948
Springfield, I11
__ "1, ._ ; * make the following Vohmtnry sttencnt ee-an , both of when hi-we identified thanselves to
h I-= " 3 o - Fede:-0.1 Bureau of Investigation. Ho threats or
premises have been made to me to induce me to make Imy statement.
I was born inund have been 11 miner
practically I111 I§ _1i£e. _o ed the U.H.U. in and presently mn-' played at the Q mine. x started working fer"-B_§o_:B'_in Fem atum time was e men -1- of !__131_._, A is__w_>rk_1ng :95 same on Bey
12. es. -we M tea 1.1": ii __. . »-,,__.
"Between 1933 and 193'? the H61» seemed to be getting along fine
with the caempeny nan. I used te go to e. mejerity of the meetings but do
net knew the various deeieen nv-<16 by the local union officials.
"I had heard razors Ln the spring ctr? 1937 that some of our
men in the Progressives were ectuelly Working for the U.H.'. Sane 0!
the men who were supposed to be "spies were FRJ92I_IK__iJSTI1E and C1;B_,§_.
BOP,§§;{_QH.-- I don't knew if there was eny dispute g 5TI!g on at that time
'~v{th respect to wages. It is my impression that the strike on Hey 12,
1937 was due to the fact the men didn't went to werk with those men.At that time 1 was working as u driver i192.' 1¬n092rr that shortly
tter the non started working they started oe tho ors short. _I
aked the men why they were dsing thet,but they wouldn't give no any
IOQ.B"121s-4
"A few weeks after the nine was shut down I went out to the
nines with some other nen and et that time I signed e petition for the
P.M.:92. I was out on the picket line with the other non when we were
served with an injunction to get off the property. The non felt thet
there was e conspiracy between BISHOP? 6: the U.!l.TI. men to stop us from.s 20 _
in court he would Inva e herd time holding n job in this eumunity. 92;: ix Q
O 92h
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