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FEDERAL: BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
JOHN L. LEWIS
PART 4 OF 13
FILE NUMBER: 44-845
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FILE NO. * I
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" - I 3.1 ' H sent armnd so th'~.t the P.!..£.. could Inter prcaont it - -=5 t-> the nzmngonent and ahaw um. they had a mjarity. '= 0 ' a -. " . or "titicn: i.n't?18 ar-
..t this tins. I was 1?"-1l:1.n:' in zu-mthsr mim. I don t r c 11 sig-ninL my sth pt. 36No anc asked an to join any unizm in the mmnur of 1931:
=1 en; a1~ct5.un in 1Jc'c<:nb~.-r 193': 1 v-.»1;<.<1 for 1>.r:..a. because Iliked tlvt uni-11, and I tluught that the m._y.'~rlty 01' the nan wane in rst
of P-11. "Abmt .1 1'n:~_k aft»-r Inc B opened in 1939, when I was 92";orki.ng inPanther Cr;§92_.k_ I11 . Elshnff cwkod nu to acne buck to rvc in Zine B-I Sinh it-t111'n;u to :1-'r!: in Ilina B, but if not join thc. U.IZ.'..'. until the
"I j'>i:u.-c. th: U.lI.T.'. at this ti:-ac: b;c:ms: I Trrzntsd to cantinueworkinj in 13,99 B and I 1'.-It that I ahaulrl join the U.II.'.T- I can'trecall why I r.-.I¥. thrt 1 F»h.*9211C. j":in the 11.11. .'., 1m I o'1n't rcnezhcr anygcrticular r-~.sms for my joi.nin;' U.II.'..'. In the election 91' Fecru.-u-y 19£.1
voted for U-11.1". - -u "'.hi.lc I haw be.-n an-king at Iiinc. B, I have never seen any troubleof any kind. I ha-vs never scan any violence: of any kind. . _
"I state that I h.-we read this at-ztcmant cwnsisting of this andmo otlwr typurrrittcn page, and I state that it la true to the best of myknzmledge and rccollecti-'m. . _*
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MIERVIET WITH
this person wouldinterviewed at hie relidonoo;
E-mi--'I.g'lJ T92"ll9292492§I lnP PEI hi-I-an A-U-Lu A. 1:49 win@0111 LgentI andappeared to be willing to coopera I-{tor -
not forth below, ldviaod that he would be
willing to testify to the facts in this statement. It is believed that
mice .1 good witness. _ -i
. The following is the signed Itetement obtained from-
- I
Ia..._:__A.1_ 1'11D1-11".]-I-151. usau, mu.-
Auguat 25, 1943
ax whom I lmow to be Special Agents of° ° '° " " ° °
theullederal Eureeu cl lnvestlgation, U. S. Department of Justice.
"1 prcsentl reside ii Springfield, Illinois,
and I was born inoil.
11 " tr *3I Joined the United mi-DO Yorkers, hereinafter referred to asthe U15, end became e charter member about 9, and I remained e member
of the
local ZQOS
to he the
Illinois.
n member o
Mine B foruntil September, 1932. On about epteufrer 6, 1932 the mm".
tregggferrecj to the Progressive Kine Yorkers, hereinafter I'9felI'8G
PIE? at which time I was working at mine B near Springfield,
I also transferred over to the H5. at that time, and I remained
1 and never went beck to the UIEC. I worked off and onlnt=~»»~~»-i "~* *
"While employed under the served in that union
oommitteemen in W8»
Prior to September, 1932, it appeared that the UIF-I and L-lr. Elehoff,
Operator of 3;;m__&, were getting along well together because they had n
yorking agreement
-._J D_-I A.1_h..l. .L'l__BBQ LUUI UILU-D UZIU. Tmcn the Pm, Local 54 was formed at Kine B on _
September 6, 19252, I thought the viewpoint held forth by the PIE? was correct,
rest of the miners felt the saw :.t that time. I did.
not take en active pert in the formation of P1-I-T in this or any other mini;
but I went along with the group, because I felt that the group -nee right.
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Re: JOHI L. LETI5, ET LL b7c,_ l/70 93539
4:-coon Elehoft and I.-o-eel 5-!- 92 i r ' 7
P15; between September, 932 and April, 1937, everything
c went along alright to start with, but about from 1936 I19
. Elshoff seemed to favor the and wanted to deal with
than and not the P2,-,I'T, Lt this time I did not take an active pert in union
affairs em. av". unaware of the methods which may have been used by Ellhoff
to influence the men to join the UH§- I do know that in January, 19&O, after
the mine had re-opened, on three consecutive days I observed about fourteen
miners, when I lcnew to be members of the Pi-.', apply for work in the mine
offices, but were refuted with the ctetment that there tees no eork for
them. They were at that time member: of Local 77, PET. I also observed
that during the same period, a number of other miners were hired by the line,
all of whom were members of the 015- .DB-n-limp 4-kn P51 6* A U611 U169 I FQQWLU -
. "As to the relations between P15." officials and P11? miners, I feel
the members were satisfied and felt the union was being run well. There
ves no split in the Pit." until the BLT? and Elnhefi attempted to persuade the
Pi.1'.¥minerB to join the U;.;.'. I say this because several minors, whose names
I do not :'emember, told mo that 1."!-.c-3' were eppreeohed end threetoned if th_-ey
did not join the UML". This 1.-as accomplished by bringing in men by U117? who
pretended to be working, but in reality they spent their time contacting
the miners to get then to join the UB7. These men told the miners they had
better change their minds and join the Some of these men had not worked
inth tiltht l tatd.Thi e mine un e re e s r e e r names sre ---------- --um ------- , but I cannot recall a e
names, - An, whose 'le.s me re istod above worked with the-.
following twelve men who were holding PIE. union cards, but who formed I. Illa
local and tried to connect the miners with the Joe Albone-so, ,§.ndre!
Sohrelevious, Dominic Pesqudle, Pot_;_:___ Zerter, Frank i y_gtc5,
John Ananiele, Jeh__{1__§i}B92it,' 6e_orge Jacewey, hojeooway, Charles Bohannon,
----H-'
_".Tith reference to the relationship between Locsl 54 and TINT. Tran
September 1932 to April, 1937, I do not recall that UNI had a picket line
or distributed any literature, but the {M7 did have organizers in the
Mine B who I mentioned previously in this statement. Those organizers worked
harder '.'o'rT-the miners who wold not epoch good mglieh cod it Q! been Q
understanding that some throats were used end
I recallwere besten up as
id_e of
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ALbf/Q, 10 71 95540
INTEP TV?' T*" *1 felt thet the members oi PBS who were defendants in the
bombing cases were not responsible for their acts, but
. - he miners I spoke coo i I do not know who did the bembin5._ I
_ with thought these men were framed, -
"I res satisfied nith the financial udministratien of the IHEL It
there were any special assessments they were voted for by the rank and file.
*1 d n't recall what the PET officials said about the temporary O
agreement with Eleheff in April, 193?, but since the P25, on e Eetienel
1-, n " 1Scale, was smaller then the UM7, I knew th_t the Pl would go a ong on
about the some basis es HEY, after tie tm?made known their contract.
I did not attend the PHI meeting held on the night of Nay ll,
1937. I recall that the annoueement for the meeting was posted on the
bulletin board at the mine by the chock weighmen. I know that the five
PET miners who were exrcllod from PMS during that meeting were charged with
recruiting for the UHT. I suppose the minors who did not attend the
meeting were notified " re erfuleion of the five miner, by eord__.__
'1 do not know why the coal cars were loaded short after the
abore five men were thrown out of Locel 54, RE.. I signed the PHI petition
on Rey 26, 1937 which was presented to Elshoff showing that the PM? had a
majority and should be the sole bergionin; agent. There was no oompulsien
used to enduce members to sign this petition, and the petition was presented
to the eI§E?E'et the mine. I do not recall that UNI issued s petition in
the summer of 1937. I was not asked to join UHF local 7469 on July 29,
I937, but e miner named Lee 0. E verner who had been e member of the Pn,but who letor joined with"thE ¥heEve men whose names I have sot forth in
the above statement, including Dominic Pesguele, approached me and said,
I'd like to see all you old tel owe goined up with HMS as I'm afraid you
will lose your jobs if you don't. He did not otherwise threaten me. Bew-
ever, as already mentioned in this statement, other members were threatened
and some were beaten. 92
'ith reference to th attempt to open the mine o September 27,
193?, I bC11CVv 1 got notice of the opening by work of mouth. is I recall,
prior to ears opening, the P25 had a meeting and decided that if the mine
opened it would only open as e PM? mine, because the PHI had s contract
QWJCI1 m B; '-
'The PMS did not consider that the Federal Injection of December
15, 193? was just, but all the PM? miners complied with it. The operatives
attempted to open inc B on December 13, 1937. I did not got to work onthe first day, buth;3Ht'there on December 14, 1931. I heard that twelve ,
awn had gone below ground the day before. The FEE started pieketing and
I helped them picket n couple of days. Be did not import non from outside
Q i '
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92
, .; Re: JOH L. IETTS, ET LL A23h " * 7Q.» la 79 9654.1.
_ ' ' ° in the Pi0keti£. iltheugh i féi if $56 _ ITERVI*J ' the rue to Help -
pickets, all members of PIN, were tram other nine: near
ton inuo Springfield, Illinoil.
I H M1 PM-r Relation; Beard election held on December 15, In the "Qa-Q"- aaa-- "____ -
1937 there was a rega1ar ballot coat. I believe this was gjaken at the
kn 1 dee there appeared to be Arsehal Building, in Springfield. To my ow o 3 ,
to ties on the part of any member of PHI. After no fraud or strong arm _c
this election, I stayed on IPA as the mine was not open. I don't recall
t t e-e en Kine B on January 4, 1938. an attemp e r p
"At the Oponinz of the mine on November 5, 1939, I understood
that the regular wage s*a1e would be paid. Elaheff did not want the PH?
men on the mine prU?c:Dfi e waited to ee;traet with the EH5 at that tiie
but could not do it because the majority of th minere"Iere with the PR5.
' in the p:r*od from November 6, 1959 to February 21, 1941, Dur g _
when the election wag h;Jd. as I was a regular member of Ila, and a miner,
and did not have concoct with tha Operatives of the mine, I cannot say
what evidence there might have been indicating that the Operatives were
favoring the UMK. The UH? continued to try to convert ENE mineri. _
In 1940 I was a member of the PET, and no did not sign a union
nenmcrehip ear. I remain a member of the PHI. I believe Elnhoff favored
the UNI.
I have carefully read ahd fuily uhderataht the three pages of
this statement which contains the truth to the Seat of m knowledge.
77 F.B.I. signed!
Spl. Agent, F.B.I.' uignod!
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RE:
JOHN _L. IETHZS, I-3'1 LL{o .
5 '?<-/ W91 95542
/1 1g.7!INI3R§'IET=-' 5P"* 5 '1= " * inoie was inter er on ugust 2'7 1943
, t ~ _ andIn _ 9b; 5p Ci.&l A=ents Q _makes a good'92-_ appearance, is sincere, anc. IO make a presenta e Ii nesa to the facts .av within his lcncrnledge.- He executed the following written statement:
Q
.
~ ' eau of
United "' ne H
isabout
in the mines
. 1live
about Q as a member oi U12.-". I ~.:orTc'ed in that mine as a member of
P153.
I-fine
held
1932
mine"Springfield, Illinois
August 27, 194,3
make the following voluntary statement to
S. Departmert of Justice.
1-I was bo;": I joined the
" --I_1BIlC... w o 1|; be refer:--ed o ereinafter as BIL?
w. n .. -' d. I worked "4: I was about fou. t-e=-n yea_s ol
later moved to 5pIiIi_g.f.'Leld,
1-'1;-' present residence is
..l I am emilloyed byor the Ia.
"I first started Working in Rie "B" near Sprinifield, Ill.
r}ge;'_§__gf America UIK. un 11- ep em r, 1932 until the 1-ro;:.ssiv§_£:i.ne ~Io_ ______ _
was formed. This last named union will 'I>Zé Fe1'erred to hereinafter as the
"On Ila; 12, 1937, the day I recall the miners first struck at
"B", I left the mine and 1.-ever worked there after that date. I never
any office in any union.
"From the time I started working in Mine "B" until September, -
relations were generally good be-mean UL? and Carl Elehoff, the
operator. - -
x heard that lilsho ma visited Ray Ed.mundson'a Office in -
the UHF. buildin5 in Springfield, Ill, and had been seen a number of times
leavin, the U153 buildin..- I heard Oscar Falcetti made trips to Auburn,
Virden, Dawson, and Sp:-ingfield, Illinois to try to persuade PM. members
to change over to UH.» These. trips were made after Hay l2, 193'? after lino= "B" had struck. I have no personal information concernfn this, but learned
it by word of mouth; the cu-i92_;in oi which is not known to m.
"During this period I am firmly of the opinion that Elshoff
2 _ and Falcetti did not want to do business with the officials of the Plik union.whom I know to be Special Agents of the Fedor!
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C": 1 74 " 95543
I1*r; 3Rar1'.T.TJITH ~21 was latiaiied re; the leadership of qr
continued! -_________ union, Local 51-'5 PAL it all t1ma._ _S nova" knewofalhmnberwbowantedtoreturnto
UL;-T While I was emplcvyed at Nine '3". _
I . . ___; i-
I attended about one third of the PJA union meetings dtiring
the period b§.'tWC¬.;1 September, 1932 and iipril, 1;}? , but I -was not active
in union matters. -
"I knew nothing of the activities of the twelve miners
were alledged to be acting as spies hzlle holding Progressive Union cards
and empIoye§ at
the Plin"1'.elati":c to the 'f'a,;¬ scale c-zntroversy in the Spring of 193?
officials "1-.y, 193'? told the mine s hat they were supposed LOget beck pay dqtig; beck to April 1, 193'? on; retroactive ageemnt. This
was never paid, and 1.. my icnowledje has never been paid to this time.
becauseTo up; knowledge, there was L878! any trouble in dpril, 1937,
of dissatisfaction over wa_;es. Ls to the back pay, ilsheff lteted
he never had a cont:-act to pay the miner retroactive pay and refused to hav
any more to do with that matter. I understand that there never Ias 0.
wri tten
an oral
193'? at
members
the UH-.1
PH... Icontract concerning the retroactive pay feature, but that there was
agreement on the matter with Elahoff. .
"I did not attend the Pile meeting held on the night of lb; 11,
which time, I uiiderstond evicience was presented 1,-..i.nst some PEA
who were expelled from P33. I understood these men held cards wit?
as well as with the P15» and this was Ihy they were expelled from ta-.~
b.lieve the coal cars were beine, loaded short because Elahoff would
not discharge the miners who had been expelled from the P123 union on the
night of Hay 1.1, 1937. ' 4
There was a lot of talk at this time, that is, at the time
the coal care were being, shorted, about the miners who had bee ejectedfrom rm. As far as I know: all the miners with whom I talked Enew ?
Hay 12, 1937 that the miners had been ejected from AI . is I the
following, uen were thro'-m out of local 56, P12. at the P151 meeting on the
ni_-ht of Hay ll, 1937: .
J_{_!}§N i;'JJII..S _
no;_&_I_ir£c PA.$5U.uI.E _ JoH?F5"IHT1'J'Ur .
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as» was 1.. LE-'.}IS, s-r MI. Z e _9 '7 Clw, _ _ 96a44_ --_ Z? Z0 - r -
"The miners learned or the ejection at the chow
continued! men from Local 51+, by word passed from one
another. I did not know of any miners
have been thrown out of the union, ifs
continue working at line '3'. I sign:-1!
0 ""__-'--_- miner to
who did not feel that these men should
the; felt that these miners should not
the FHA ,-2-etition of Hay 26, 1937.
"It nss xq" understanding that Elshofi ll-ways contended that
the U15. had a 1.:2.jor'ity in this mine, and I signed this petition to show I
was a h~og1'ess.ve member. I si_,ned it voluntarily.
_ _ "l rememher the; later on in 1?'}"I' I Biénod another FELL petition
but I don t recall the -ha.rac1;er oi It.
"I was p.;I&;HE.ll;' approached in the business section It Springfield
by Bill Sirtot, e more .r of U27. and he told me that he could get ten dol-l;.rs dwdM';-'* who was President of UHI anytime he Wanted it, be-cause of the 1¢0§1?TT'TT::: -ions for UL117. This was on Ne-: Years Eve, December 31
1937.
"I recall that Emo;-*~' Jscawes came to mgr house two or three days bait: .__. _._.._ .. . . . -4'----1---1r". . ......._.-. .. . -.. .. . . . .
line "n" attemgted to r.--open 11'! oeotemocr, 13;/. no told me tnat ne ~r:anteo
me to go back to work 1'.=l1en the mine was tc re-open and named the date it was
to re-open. However, he told me that if I did not change over to {J1}? thera
would be no need for me to come to the mine st All. 92
"I have always been satisiied with the manner in which the local
54 hes been managed by its officials and at no time have I been desirous
of returning to work under U2-1 .'. '
ii have read and initialed each page of this statement consisting of
two and one half pages and it is true and correct to the be-st of In" knowledge.
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Re: JOH!'IL..ET.-'IS,.ETAL Z920 196545
Bnoin,
.45 rvic-we no o t y ce . t , -tAa_J__ 1943 by Spocial Agents u.92'|:1 arcd sincere cooperative, and adviauci that no 1::11: ago Ha stutod ho would not cane to I
U15? as he did no rus no pro"ent officials of that union. .
-.- 2.- -t-ton at-11:-Qontg
qxuimia , .mgus 0, 1943
= <3 fol.--t:.-Lrxg voluntary statement to
wirvnz T I:r.o~.v to be Special Agnta of the
. S. D0p"1'.'tm¢:r*l§ of Justice. .
den l_'y;92'r'1'92___
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R0: JO!-ZN L. r.s.."1s, m AL ' Q/' 95543
@;@ yy1[> r
INTT.RVI_FT-- TTTH "I roxxnber that sometime from there were
'COY1!1.l'11lC.!!our who we mm s rel Lb:-1
of Carl Elshoff. Thes . union nenbcrs, who had the interest
of the ni1uI.'3 at heart. -
"John Ijkelkcr during that period from 1929 to 1932 was the
St'~te- President o he US.-'.'.'. Yislker did not seen to fight against the
discharge of the U21? members. I think these men night have objected to
the my Elshofi zctec on the contract had between himself and the UH? atem t1n¢.F11..~#9-Jere officials oi the U117 at this tine. I
thin}: th-.t B sl1o._ ci .:".-.r;"_- is jlsrlud t'ov.ld hive acted beyond the contract
in his own lfft-CI"..£t"1 d .1it1g this period if he had gotten th.- chance to
thwt John H. '-walk:-r might have been afraid of Elsheff
this period.do so. It $..=-1T1S to :':;-
for SCIIIL. r.-.-:~.s-on durin-';
"I rcrnemhzt" -Jne incident prior to 1932 when Elsheff and Falcetti
vented th; non to t".1:e :1 hail?-h.v.:r lunch period instead of 15 minutes thich
would mko the men work until 4:40 PI-J and not 4:15 PL". Dlsho rrould
h-ave benefited :1 for minutes on each cmp-any nan by this arrangement. Ibo
company non all belonged to UTIII. Elshoff did not get his way and the men
did not h".92 C to work the extra time.
"In 19:2 John H. Talker ms strong for :1 reduction in the__r.'_ge
scale contract with U13. and the operators. "
"The St"to officials of UIIIF held the first vote on the reduction
at every local office. It a-npetred that the majority voted tgeinst it-
Thon rznother vote was taken and it went stronger against the reductim
than jthc. first vote. John H. '.'.'-"lkcr knew he could not handle the situetim
and it must have been i.mp3!t1nt that there should be :1 reduction in the
wage scale for Tfslker was then backed by John L. Lewis tho claimed the second
voting ballets were stolen and pushed thr ougzh the reduction. It looked
to me like the ballots were stolen by Ln.-vris's own men.
' "Then the Progressive Kine fforkors of America was famed in
September, 1932 which will be referred to hereinafter as PlIA__ I went along
with the others and joined. I was in fever of the New Progressive nove-
ne-nt I b .ll_;VC that the officials of the UH? might have conferred withthe:F.linois Coal Operator Assn. on the matter of reduction of the Iago
sen e an'~ that the U.I..' officitxls night have been getting financial assis-
tance for putting this lower r:-go scfele into effect. For this reason
the reason tint I believed the b l11-J8t5 were stolen by the UH!-' the.'-nselves.
I an glzd to join the PIIA. - '-
- zen -
his -ii;W_ d-,.q._i"-__ _-_-,.-- -_W_;-i;w--- ,_i-; oM
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- .1 lji_ b H I I I" ,__92,-[__________.,-._....-._.-i-|-1-;_~_§At-_ ,, _n|n-r- ' ?-' 7":---_"-'.:..f'.-l;- "_ '7... ~
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1; m=xwLJem@nn
kqp __96547
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' DITERVIET TITH "I got elong; well with the Pit. officials and an far ll
I knm tvhp other P L1 members tclt tin some my. I heard
5distributed -Jy UIQ. men.
1 believe I attended this muting. I da resell the tmulelve
1943:
JG: .113.-.-.-3-E-'- ' _ "" 'K .'.U5TIN
DQIONIC P..$<U..LE TONY 1. HPE:s% usTi::I:" - _
miners U-CC92l592.d of " 't" " :5r 1.1;-,5 ectu 111;; did do so.
opc-rator: prior to 1937.
1937. _
*1 heard Pete -Carter say one morning during this
Spring of 1937, when we wei-é wondering 11' we were going to
pay, that we h-ad an contract with Elshafi and what was the
* end earl: bee-11.1.5; there no eont-re-::t=Y .. ..... .-. 1- 1--V "- _.-.. II "!!+ u-.tt'..Hd~.d t. fu-: P. -1 ':u92..'tȤ.Ti5$; L711-I n"-,5 pick-v 1
at any ti" 1'. fr r1 1932 to April 1937 to my lmrmledge, nor was an- inc» e
Eeontinuegg no stories of mhisiin; the part of PLEA ofiicialg.
fine "B"
terature
"On 152;," ll, 1937 thcr; was :1 Special ::u':0t1nr' called by the FIA.
men who hold
.Pf;. cards, but who e'~-it"t_:~_q_ for the U3-2.. I believe the following miners
'r.'cI'c- thc five who wort. tlqrom. nut of tho I-LIA -at this mecti.n;_" on Ihy ll,
"Fran my 0'.-n lcrrowledwc, I c-on not may that any ->1 the twelve
._r"'1 tin
"I heard that U21? money -ms paid to some of the twelve miners
who were alleged tn be i.-"_ii*tii;" for the 5'11. prior to uejy, 1937._-.4--.----LL
"I k:n.>-.: nethin; about the relatiana between the U.£..' and the
"I understood from PEI. -. officials that if the contract was signed
by Elshefi and P12. o.fiicie_la the miners snuld gut the back pay to April 1,
period, in the
get our back
use of working
92 without a eqntr.- ct. H0 said the miners ought not go down into the _n:§_n;_
T "I know sans of the coal ears were shorted on my 12, 1937, but
, I d">n't know why. "
- _ _-__ __-_ _ -.- -4 ---_._ _. .. ._.
"1 believe I signed the EL. potitian or my 20, 1937. 1 be11eve
Ray Ednundaon clnimd the U'...'.'.' had the majority and FHA wanted to show: that
Edmmdson was wrong. I signed this petition near the picket line at the
nine. '
"I signed ac. petition of Hay 26, 1937 voluntarily. I have1 F
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Q 0' '75
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RB: JGB1 L0 1.3.15, ET .11;
5 /1 _ !pQD
ncv-.:r worked ainea Z3-iy 12, 1937; Hy 696%! I-Old I10 B95
to -.:ark in the min-.:s again. ' _ .
In 5'm;: rfrmncr I h.;"92d tint H nif-I ~'-It 35-BBnB" liar} been b.-'~.t..-:1 up by * in 1_ , .-r_ lino nB" was
Titall;-* rt-spcnud. _ - t
Under the prc sent set-up I would nat want t~. uark 92mc!er the
U;__', I dw rnt trust U22? officials. It is not :1 democratic orgnnizntim
+_1-92.-- 1-|-92n h.'921:'!Q mach C'1|!!t1<31; ii L-mg as Jshn L. I.c'r¢'is or my c.....r Q-OQll ..-....- ___ - _ ___. ¢~
"I hwc rem! this Btltcnent cmsistinf, of thrcc and ma half
" it 1 true and cor:--ct ta thc: best , t pngus and have initi'1:.:r' the pC_;_'_f.5 am - s -Jf my imv-:1cc3g'; am h-l:'..-I. _ /
"*7 Tltncss:
! C11! 4192"Unt !IBI II
!p~.c!a! .'x-gun! !B. I."
1 __ -w_ a 15 omo on 0. 1943 by Special Agentsgr This individual is'92 origin and has been naturalize . is unable to reed the Englih
and had little understanding concerning the matter under inquiry, but I8-IT "4? coo erativc He executed the following written statement which was rend to- t --..
A > ' i " - '* W * of --;~4-u- -so-l:*n',92 l1-nv 1""r1*'i|n~ _'_I-1, e '. , _ . -
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Re: Jenn L. LE.-"IS, 1-:1 AL '
. F! . H
nm:RvI5:.7 $115 Illinois, was jointly _
P -
U%¥himy_ r 9Q Illinoio §$~ ugus , 194:.
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.¥ ~_tho following voluntary statement to
whom I kznow to be Special Agents oi the
S. Department of Justice.
_ 11.:.._.:.. 1' -..... I.-. -ql $.l.14LL1u.92.isp 1- IE9 Uuau
became o. rnturnlised citizen of
I arrived in the United States inof Inv
the
The first mining union I joined was the United Mine Workers ofAmerica, hereinafter referred to as tho Um, at M Illinois about- I worked there under th0'UI-IT until April, . his was in Peabody
Iiine $52, I was not working from 1932 to 1935- In April, 1932 this Peabody
mine closed due to look of a contract. * - I was not employed in
Sefltembcr, 1932, I joined the Prog which till bereferred to hereinafter as the n, et Illinois, end I joined this
union voluntarily as the local I had b g under all joined the Pill.
From April, 1932 until 1935, month not recalled, I was nod: employed
in cool mines. About August 1935 I went to work in Mine B as 0. member of
PITA. I never held any office in either Plld or UHF. I took no active pert
in the formation of the FHA. I went to very few PMA union meetings as they
were held in Springfield ind it was not oonvenient for no to do so. I just
went to work and minded my business, and I know nothing about the relations
between Ellhoff and Local 54 of FHA from August 1955 until Hay 12, 1937,
when the mine closed. I never went back to Kine B after that date. .-
"I hoard that the UJT had organisers in Mine B to get some of the
miners to join the Ulii, but I do not know who they were and they never
contacted me. I hoard that some of those men were expelled but I did not
go to the meeting and knew nothing about it-
0
From Hey, 1937 until October 14, 1 59 I was unemplo ed for '7-"PA,
and on October 14, 1939 I got :1 job at th .-nne no I1 ois
as n znmrber of the Hid. I have worked th re _ or since-
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~ I ' . _/I» 98550
7'TITH I did not picket at Mine B and never went back utter
Key 12, 1937. I remember signing the PER petition 0
cor: mu Ida 26, 1937 to show that I we: a member of Pit. I um9 Y not sure where I was when I signed thin petition. I did
not get in the union trouble. I liked the UMR but did not like to take the
reduction in the wage scale in 1932. I am satisfied with the Pie. _I think
it is a goad union and since I am a member of this union I would not care to
change the union at ell, or to join any other union.
This statement ceneisting of one and one-half pages has been read
to me by sinee I do not rend much English. I fullyunderatcn!!! c|oln|!e|n!s 5 !!1|s statement, and it is true to the beat cf W
knowledge.
signed
'§itneBeed:
!
signed!
I
signed!
, F.B.I."
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ns= JCHN L. LE-.--".[S, ET AL 7C2
IN'I'1-2 ". IITH Illinois, was jointly inter-
" one a s hone on Au st 0 191,3 by Special Agentsn
gpee!IsI@-~dQiIi!I ms isssl is of ori L . F s en nstu -_ lee e s unable to mad tho
Englis anguage and his little understanding concerning the matter under
inquiry, but W25 cooperative.
I-To executed the folioving Written statement which was read to
himW
Q Illinoisugus , 1943
the following voluntary statement to -=1A hem I 1:no*: to be Special Agents of
e Fedora eau o U. S. Department of Justice.
"I was born
in the United States in
in- I presently live on
"I first started working in a mine in under the United Mine
-7 kers oi America, that will be referred to hereinafter as UHW, at the,AF¬;body I-line oer Dawson Illinois. I started rorkini in Mine "B" on i; ., 5and arrived '
ld, Illinois
Illinois .1. - s naturali zed
ne "B" was operating under the PI-1'" and so I joined that-_
union. The 9.111 name of this union is _?1::o_z:12ssive Line .To;;ke_r§ oi__Americ_aJ__
and it will be referred to hereinafter as PIJA. I left the Peabody Nine
because it closed do-.-m in April 1932.
"From 1932 to 1936 I was unemployd. However during two -
winters between 1932 to 1936 I worked at the Jefferson ins at Springfield,
Illinois.
"I have never held an office in a Mine union. I have never
attended any union meetings.
"The last day I ever worked at liino "B" was on Hay 12, 1937.
"I started back to work at the Panther Creek mine in October,
1937. _
"I was satisfied working under FHA. No one ever told me to
stay with the P3-1A or to Join the U}.-ii. I know nothing about the twelve
minors who were supposed to be aggitating for U1!-II. I know nothing about
-274-
I, ii sf _ pq-q'v~. . ._~.a|~r r -..;* -1-? -':*- -'-":""""____ :____:: ____ __________ _ _'_H__,____ ,_-,7-,,__,y.,_..._ _ _ Y ---1--WI» -21- -. < "
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Re: JOHN L. 11-:'.1s, ET
T731 go
an I d,.... _
HineH1 'I"iiP£VIH .' TIT!-I
I c OI'1!ll'}UG: 3_ __ _, i i._ .»_.._ ~A;41--~~--4-inc:-'**<""T'~ "" T u
F. . '
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AL
scale reduction problems and Wanted only to be
for m work, I sow no trouble oi any kind in
"B" and pmid no attention to troubles between
tho unions or between the operators and the unions. -
. "I went out to Kine Bit geverol times after it had closed with
another man Q12 T rode
down into the mine, soto work With, hit 13116 Obm! miI1GI8 Old not Q0
I didn't.
"I never helped picket at iine B. I have worked under the
U11?! and also the PlLl= I ggt: work 1_r_r;:jc1" th; Pl-IA, I like the FHA, bli I
will work mdor either union. It HITITCS no difference which one.
"I know norhing about unions or hon they are run. I only
' wzant to r.-ork and earn :1 living.
- "This statement consisting of one and ahalf _____ has been readto mo by and I fully undorstant it. It is
true to t ;- -,- o 11;: o-.2 e go.
"fitness:S
QBIIQ
.B.I."
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Re: JOHN I.» LEGIS, ET 11.-¢B72, 191,9.
INIERVIET ZIT
W9-Bon August 31,
d, Illinois, where
amp eye . _ was cooperative, but he
makes a poor appearance, -does not appear to be positive of his statements,
and gives the impression of having a faulty memory.
Following is a signed statement obtained from-
'Springfield_. Illinois
August 31, 1945
make the following voluntary statement
whom I lmow to be Special kgents of
the e era , U.S. Department of Justice-
am regis-
, and I an
aid
I"I was born I
tered with selectivo
presently employed at
Illinois, as a laborer
presently reside on
"The first mining job I ever had was with the Coal Cun-pmy at _ 111111018. I worked there from-to arc , q
"1 began working at Kine "3' near Springeld, Illinois in March
and worked there until in closed in Bay, 1937- ' --hen the mine reopened
working there :1 ovember, 1939 I started Erring in Hine "B" and continued H
we i
H.-92 At Illinois I worked under the United Mine orkers ofAmerica which In e referred to hereinafter as the mm. From l'Iarch,P
until September, 1932, I worked at Mine "B" under the UL!-7. I worked un er
the lfrogressivc !-Zine Tiorkors of Lmerica which will be referred to herein-
after as P11 fra-n September, 1932, until one or two weeks before the second
NLRB election of February 21, 1941', with the exception of the time when the
nine was closed down which was Hay, 1937 to November, 1939. bout February,
of 1941, I ligaed a TINT? card because I was forced to, and not because I
wanted to do so. » I
"I have never held an office in any union.
"I wanted the Pl-IA to be formed in September, 1932, because the
UH}; was always taking out too much money from our wages." I felt this was
9:.__.-,
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Re: JOHN L. LE-7115, ET
I'92ITnRV ET ' I
cont inued!
92A _.__. -_ -- ._ ._.';:.__; -_ :~~ -" ' _*"*"* ~ I " 1* ' I - _ ** 7 ' *+= s.
AL. L . 3- _,
.. __¬_ I
file miner under the mm. '
Before Eeptember, 1§-'52, always seemed to get along
well with Elshoff and Faleetti. During this period
Liine "B" closed down for about four months due to lack of coal orders.
d"1 was set-iefied with the may the was run, and 1 emu: the '
leaders oi the R111 treated the miners fairly. I did not like the special
assessment taken from my wages the first year. I worked under the H11, but
the HELL was newly organized and needed the money obtained by the special
assessments so it was alright with me. I attended some FHA meetings, but I
never had much to say about either union and took no active part in forming
union 1:15. eies -
"There were about twelve men in Mine "B" who worked there true
1932 who were ULIT organizers although they held eards. These Ffw er-ere
as follows:
JOE §h§sHE$:_ £QHH_s1B1ouL.
J~__1~' : os:.; sceaeneggogrs R _L'L3.1z_d_g,§_ _!.
nc=h=1es¢s1=ee.4;».1.-.'~=_ ,2§@[email protected]_.-14%-_+x¥..
__E_1}_.:_QRY Jl=Cf§.i.}' PETE cnmn _ .1-awn warm c ' s B'o'1=u".1m
l Jnms HALE
"A number of times I saw Ehnory Jaeaway, Charles Bohannon, and
Tony Plotoh in Elshoffe office before the men went to work in the morning-
These men and the
with Elsh01'f= Itother nine mentioned above all appeared to be very friendly
1 lmd like th .se twelve men were much more f1-iemcllv gith _oo_.-.. -_..- --_e-- -..___- _.-_ _-_ .__--- _--_ ..-_-_..,, _-__
1-Ilshoff than the other miners. This was before the mine shut down in 193"!
and also after the mine opened in November, 1939.
"I do not remember much about the wage scale trouble, but I
remember that after the mine had opened in 1939 that there was s lot of talk
in the wash room that tho 1J1-Ii men would get the back pay, but the Pro-
gressive members would not.
"I was not at the Fifi meeting on the night of 11, 1937, bet i
heard about the meeting. I do not remember much about the results of this "
meeting, but I heard about the five men who were thz-own out of the PISA for
be ing !1L?|' organi ze rs .
worn halal! lhnrnd Ev-----, ---H5 ------ -- -;
"11-e strikeOn the
nu I
startednext day the coal ears came up shorted. They -
rlr-:n't lrnnw wh-u thnv have nhnrtnll-_-.. - ._._-. --.._. -..-,, .--.- -..-. --_..
because Elshofi would not sign a contract
with FHA and because Elshoff wouldn't fire the five men who were thrown out
of the P!-U»
- :11 -
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RB: JOHN L. IE-TIS, ET 1sL.
1/7<..., mp A » A,
1 Hay 26 1937 because J ERVIFT IJITH "I signed the FHA petition o , ,
dHT ..
I wanted to show that I was s BIA member. I signe
it near Kine "B" while I was on the HM picket line.______....___-._ JC OD 111'U.O
"On September 27,- 1937, when the mine tried to re-open only s
few men attempted to go to work. The PLIA men did not try to stop these
few men from working, but no one also would work. I remember the-t the men
who went to work on this morning were the men whose names I' mentioned above inthis statement who were ULIH organisers, but wa8 11015
there.
I believe I signed one or two other PLEA. petitions in 1937, but
I don't remember whet they were about.
oan't remember if I went to the mine when it tried to open
193? and Jezmary, 1938.I
in December,
"I wont back to work when the mine re--opened on November 6, 1939.
I understood we would get our book we es. '.'Inen I went back to work in
of the mine. It looked like part of the mine a een c cored up s e
so the men could work. I think one shift could have cleared it up. The
air was bed. ~
"Before I left the Mine in Hay, 193?, I worked in Q
hen I went book to work in November, 1939, I could no ge in
there was o cove in there. All av tools were buried.
"It looked like Elshoff never tried to fix the cave-in on the
ork the were pulling the because the do I went beck to w ytrack out of the and they would not have done this if theyhad intended to fix the cove-in and clear the_ It didn't look
like much work had been done to put the mine in working condition at the
time I went beck to work,
When I returned to work in November, 1939, I worked as a member
of the Phi! union.
me or two weeks before the second H.L.R.B. election held in
' kers union. Charles February, 1941 I ch ed over to ited Kine norBohigl-lj1O§!_ l!1d o ame to my house tweioe just
before the seoo . . . . ect on an as d me to sign up with III-13] The
fret time I didn't sign. The second time they told me I was one of the _ 1
ith U1"? and I signed. They did not threaten me or give me last to sign w ~. I _money, but I had seen Bohannon and _Si:-tout be$t"up s BIA miner just outside}
the wash house st the mine about s week before because he would not sign
~ 278-
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Re: JQHH Lo LEWIS, FT AL I 17c
INTER ? u F I know this other miner did not want to sign, but
I d.i.4n't hear my conversation between him and
con lnued _~'___§3@p9p and Sirtogt before he was beaten. Q 1:4 .
"I did not want this to happen to me, IO I signed up with El-
. "-I have carefully read this atatement gonsicting of three And
one-half pages and it in true and correct to the belt of my lmmrledge and
belief-
<-> LZitnessed: Q
FBI _' Bprvcia-.1 agent, .
Special Agent, FBI. "
U
-279-
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R6: JOHN L. LE - IS, ET AL
iéc, b7D, -
IITIQRVITTT ".ITF§
1943, by Special and92 cooperative, had e. fair the "3'
tend he executed the following written statement, which he signed:
'92' "92
_92 _rh "Springfield, Illinois.'.- i September 1, 1943
¢
"* i make the following voluntary statemnt to
whom I lcnow to be Special Agents of
X. C. S. Department of Justice.
i " and reside part cf the time
em reelntly employedw, at Springfield.n .e nited Sties in
- T -1'-34. uni .1. 4.1. til -I'C h E" fth¬-l";. . _- was naturalized at Springfield Illinois ini
"I started working in Mine noer Springfield, Illinois in-nnd worked there until aboutiing thcn loft that Mine for about a year.: returned to work in mine B sometime in From that time 1 worked
at Finn B.continuously until Hey 12, 193 w on it shut down. I did not
go out there again to try to go to work until after it re-opened in ."-1 Fovomborl 1939. From November, 1939 I worked there continuously until
4.,A-15" "I first joined :1 mine union at biino B inp This was the
"-' United I-.inc- iorkors of America, referred to heroine er as IMTI. I rouneinod
n mombcr of the Uri? until Ssptombor, 1932 at which time !-iino B signed a con-
t tract ~1.ith the referred to hereinafter
e the PEA. I remained e member of the PMA until after the second NLRB
election in February, 1941 at which time the UNW won the right to be the
-. sole bargaining aentat tiine B. I joined the UMW and remained e. menber' until At the present time i am not a member of
Q union,
got along alright with the at mine B. The miners did not like it when
it was reported that the ballot boxes had been stolen in the mm vote taken
in 1932, and it was believed that the minors had voted against the reduction
_ in wages, and for that reason, the ballot box was probably taken by a member
E of UK-T. The miners then started organizing the FHA. I voluntarily joined
the FHA in September 1932, and felt that it was well operated. I did not ha"-
anv fault to find with the way Pm. was run. iE I never held on office in any nine union. Prior -to 1932 Elshoff
'1 *:*-v..._ ~_n, 1,,-In-qV._._ _.-'1 Jepqyq,-T . _;--;___...* "_.:::... -_.."~.->1 iv-I-In-1--lw'~-* -I"P"""---- - ¢'l: f H-' "' T ;
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a Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
.i_ _ _: .._ ;,-_ ~ ~ -- _l:filII1?'_'*_. *_ 77*? -"1 "1-'.$""_'-1.
A 0- on I. Y-92"-"F_X' H-~ r
kw
IFTERV T5 ?ITH From September, 1932 util about three months before the
mine closed on May 12, 193?, Elshoff seemed to get along
92cont1nued alright with the FHA I never
. make any statement as to whichheard Elshoff or Felcetti
union thev preferred.
However, about three months before the mine closed in 1957 there were about
twelve men in the mine nggitating for UMW. These men were the following:
John Ananias James Kale, §1orgg_Jacaway, Eme§y_Q§g§Way Frgng AustinCharles §ohBnnen,_Peminic fesgualg, Fete; Qarter,IT6ny_§lotch and idtw
gehrelevious.
"These above mentioned men were members
to get the men to join UHF. I heard Elsheff did
enforced the regulations stricter than the UMM.
committee meetings with slshoff than the UHW had3
->
4*8of PEA, but aggitatigg
not favor FHA as a union
It seems the PMA had more
and Elshoff became
" dissatisfied with PEA. These UMW organisers talked to the men in the mine.. prior to May, 1937 to get them to join mm. Charles Bohannon and
talked to me in the mine about signing up with the UMW. Bohannon sai in
a friendly way, you better sign up before its toe late. I never thought
_ this was a threat. I heard the men, whose names
??
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4.__. 1.1:w
4-
of the meeting from a notice at the mine. At
the aggitators were accused of organizing for
were discharged. There were about 125 men at »
. the other miners hoard about it tho next day.
=§ FHA {it_§ggmijj;e men told me to make my coal
i a little under average. I don't know wh the
I helped PMA picket for about three weeks in thewe
if
..!.,,_,'l
w
mine were rather quiet. Later, the men would be
-01'4 -
.1 3*
_..,_--uare given above as being
, former UM? organizers, had talked other miners about changing from FHA
to UMT, but I never overheard any of these conversations.
"I only attended about éeof the FHA union meetings. I attended
the special FHA meeting at the PMA hall on 6th St., Springfilod. I learned
this meeting, about five of
UMW, but I don't recall if they
this meeting. I believe
On May, 12, 1937 one of the
ears sh3rt, and I loaded mine
PEA wanted them loaded short.
fall of 193?. After that,
I never did go back until it re-opened in November, 1939. -
= I do not remember signing any kind of a petition for either union
in 1937. When the mine reopened on an open shop basis relations at the
contacted personally by
~ UNI members and I would hear that a miner had signed up with UEF. In the
latter part of 1940 and early part of 1941, the UHF organizers worked hard
¢;_ organizing and sot a dead line of January 16, 1941 to sign up by then e
- you would not got to work unless the miner paid s foe to join again.
' n u;r 1941 th 'i so es a H e named
phonetic from Illinois, who was a UMK member, told me n o m
it would be bot or o sign up with UM? as it would be a lot of trouble later
and maybe I couldn't join up later. A few days before, a big organiser of
UM? who came in from southern Illinois said it would be best to sign up as
v 281 -IJanH ,eFeBo tinl?» <1!-'1 - '--Q -'7' '*
___, _ ._ ~__ _ :4, ,_ "*"-- '*~e~ " '~y--'- er *' '-
Fl?
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¢ _ 0
Re: JOHN L. IERIS, ET AL
f [E3 f?C:é L9 /21? '
I moat of the men were doing that. He did not threaten us.
I signed up beeauee I nee afraid I might not have a job__
or have to pay $10.00 to join the UMM later if they would
' F 1 tti favored the HMS, ' take mo. 1 felt euherr and a oe
mm but I did not hear or learr indirectly why they favored UHS. The
election in February, in 1941 was fair, bcoawse the URL had already signed
the minors with the iii and they knew by then that they held a majority-
The FHA did not try to influence the minors at this eleotion. INTERVIEW WITH
i
Just e ore y ,
mine, All these men that were beaten un were PIA members. I did not see _ f92
b beaten these beatings, but I new c man name who had just eon
in the Wash House. I szw him bloedi about the head. Ho left Kine B and é
ah t I ur men w'~-c beaten that morning. _ never came back. I heard t 1 o ;.-~ - _ and_.f tho UMA did most of this boating. I am not see
Q I¬,'E51'1 heard'T¬'T?EE zne other men
q "I have carrfuTly read and fully understand the two and 5 half
f pages of this statement and it contains tho truth to the belt o my
knowledge.
signed
"Titneeaed:
?,,<»1gn@¢> -Specie gen .B.I.
=ien<>d!
Special Agent, F.B.I.
3..
92
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-eaa-'V' b f Jenner 16 1941 a nuber of men were beaten up at the! Agjf
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1- 10 ,, A Q
Re: JOHN L. IE-WIS, ET LL. Q
Lee. we
mm» we ii smed. inoi , was joint. y in erviewe a his residence on
M1sust_2B, 191.: by Special Agents Fahd _From' " '- . -* ' ma 5- a esentable witness an he his appezn-ar...e and al92..T'tI1¬-.5 he we pr
appeared. cooperative, however his lcnowledée concerning the case was limited.
He executed the following signed statement: '
"Springfield, Illinois
august 28, 1943
Are e !'e!er! !!ur..l!u of Investigation, -. - of th
U. S. D¬p=1IL'_a¬nb of Justice,
"I reside at
and
!in0is, on
"I joined the United Nine Workers of America, herein-after referred to as um, about Q at Pleasant Plain ,Illinois. I worked in mines near is place. I have -'
never held an office in the UHF. I mved Ii-O Springfield, _Illinois in- and have lived in Springfield ever since.
I remained a member of U1-if until September, 1932. At this
time I was working at Mine B. I started working at line B
about - and worked until Hay, 1937 when it was shut down
because of the strike which started on Ba 12 1937.7'35
'".fhen Elshoff, first came to the mine I thought he was
a fine man, but later on, prior to 1932, he seemed to change.
He was not as friendly as he had been and did not seem to get
along with the men. The men were dissatisfied. 1!:
treasii iiisatisfaction was no
"On September 6, 1932 I joined the Progressive Miners of
America, hereinafter referred to as PMA. The men in §n_e_B,
wanted the new mien. It made no difference to me which mien
I worked for. The men seemed to be disgusted with John L. Lewis.92
" on-2851: y
__ : =,:_:;. _ _ __-:_, _;__,_'*_._,,__; *2:-qw--pg: _ ,.i;a,»4;_':;_ ¢1~%i
make the followwing voluntary statement to ,
and whom I know to be
¢_..--
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92
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wi-
*;-II A We ' ~_W ___m___V______ _ ___ _ 7 Wk -sf - or; -4+ 7 1 "-E _- - _ _ 92:,_ _;;_ ';.1=='; u-? _ , 92
O ' O
R6: JOIN L. LEWIS, ETKL.
. is 7L b 70ITEVIE-"I WITH I attended very few of the union
. =1 cm my, 193': mtil September "av, 193? I q '
éid not follow the difficulties at the mine as was e up
'-92 u en:i1*':*.'si.uat' 1.. 5 ILUT ,
"On September 2'7, 193'? I heard that ltlne B. was going to re-
open. I do not recall who told me this. I went out to the mine about
6:00 ski on this date. I wanted to start to work. There were some 15 to
20 men around the mine property, I tallzed to a miner whose surname was who I later heard is an orgawizer for UM-J. He said the mine
was not going to re-o;e"*_ I said '1 quitting for good. I left themine and never want back to work there never did solicit me
to join Um? and at the; I did not ow c in favor of U181, as he
was working on a PEA c.11-d, .
I did not follow the mine trouble as I never intended to go
back to the mine. It appeared tki Elshofi was not in favor of the FHA.
The reason for this is not lmown to me,
I was always satisfied with the
feel the majority of the men were satisfied.
to me ard was
of the management ever talked to me union troubles as they knew I
did not take Bldes in the union matters.
"I have carefully read and fully mderstand the one and one-
half pages of this statement which contains the truth to the best of
my knowledge.
I "witnessed:
_ an' ient oBoIn/5
Special ngent, F.B.I.'
I
-261-
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:7-?-? s
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C , O
R: Jom1L.1.1-I~rI$,E1'AL. Z976, 1 -' I
Q =Pe»¢1-1¢-Illinois, was interviewed at is none Special Agents
" -and at which time he executed a signed etatemsn
as born n and is a naturalized United States citizen but- oulty in spea. ing English. He is working at Line "B" Q
It is not Elieved he will make a good witness. He was oopera ve
i the interview but professed complete ignorance on many qnestiona. He
tamed
. F }
in a court of law.
I".,.'j_ | I
.3 .
.3?
._q"I was working at
In Pm. because Kine "B"
2:4
no Ifall of 1932 I began"Springfield, I11__
August 31, 1943.
"1, Scrinifield. 111 make -the following vo untery s a ement ~: and who I kro-w are 5_3BCJ.ZJ-1 I-92,g8rT.3 ,- e era eau u
' ves igation. PF: 1":rea1;S or p_1"o;92's-er. J. an! kind have been made
to get me t-1 make e. s'".:~.te:'::er1t and -i no so knowing it can be used
p "I was born I came to U. S. in
and became a naturaiizeo citizen ~'
-- "1 joined Uui. in-when 1 went to work at Peabody #6 mine.
' I have not held any o.. " liC8 in any union.
Peabody when it closed in 1932 and in the
working at Mine "I3" at which time I joined
was running under PM and I wanted to work._<.
"I had no difficulty with P113. and I did not see or know of
any attempts by UH.-* to oonve " members to UM-I prior to thestrike in 1937. d did not see 0
_ any 'spies' were wor 1 _ ne a oug eard from some
" of the other top men that there were some around but -i did not see
TI them nor did they approach me in any manner.
E "On ay 12, 1937 I saw some cars coming out oi the mine with
only a few hundred pounds in then and that afternoon the men all
ii I
vi
4cane out on strike. This was the first I had known of a strike.
not attend any meeting the night before the strike.
don't recall signing any petitions in the summer 01' 1937.
I emrin the paper in August 193'? that Elehoff had signed a con-
*a tract with UH" and so when it was annoinced that the Mine "B"
wo Illd open :i.n Sept. 1937, I went out to work but instead we began
picketing. Ipicketed at mine "B" off an__ on for a month or so.
I was not present when the injmction was served on the pickets.-
-255-
-92,.,_ __._ __T*_p-Q,-__;,:; :__.: e_ _. :_ . 4.. _I-pHC''T -rr-|_ p-Ir-r-iv-II!-lv 5-Y-1 - ' ' QB .4:--e»-es: --.-P -- ___ _-_.e- ___has no .L._.:own criminal recori The follmri ng is the signed statement ob-
' 4 »
I knowr .
6-
1 _"'.1n-n&-nnnulc
I_n
_.4' 131 rm
on inue
Panther Creek Old f}est Ltine and
-,.:.*
H:
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0 _ o
no: JOHN L. LE-TIS, ET AL.°7° mp
All during the picketing no one was brought in to
picket and all were line "B" workers. Sometime in
the early part of December 1937 I went to work at
stayed there mtil Mine "B" opened up
again in 1939 except that Ifwas transferred to New North Hine-
"I voted in the N.L.R.B. election in 193'? while I was employed
at old west lline and I think it was a fair electiom c
"In Nov. 1939, I received a letter stating line "B" would re-
. open and due to a court ruling members of each union PISA L UIEJ!
begar. working at dire "3". I was working at New 1-crth Iiine at this
tine and because I 113:-"d the men on top at Iiine "B" better than New North,
I went back to Iline "B".
"I voted ir. the II.L.R.B. election in Feb. 1941. It was a fair
election as far as I 1-Q1011. At this time I was not a. member of any
union as I had quit pang dues to PHA 5 or 6 months before. 11.5 soon
as the election returns showed LL; ind won I joined U151 to hold my job.
"I am new worki g at Lline "B" and am a member of U.hl.Zi. I think
there is very little difference in P133. or U11? and would join either de-
pending on which one hadbargaining rights ft contract with the coal
company.
- A "I have had this three page statement read to me by-f -and it is true and correct.
/S1 _
"..itnessed:
/ //§/Special Agent, F.B.I.
Sp. Agt. FBI."
-286-
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/.I1!TE1V2£¥92'ITH was interviewed at hie am Soringfield Iilioie on August nu 31* ' 1!"-' em-!92Il.!Iee-~n!!imv
PX Elma: 1 difficult tine vndereten in e. epe_ g kg- e an to'5' m .a very zmeatiefaotory witneemetated he did not have 1
oriminel -record,
The following ie'e signed statement executed 'by_
Springfield, I11.
doget 2e, 1e-as.
"I, ringfield, I11» make thefollowing volu:~':.:u-y "..=.*"-2:1 - and
whom I h'l¬.*-F! to oe S.ee:-.+.ei-. Agexite o, ,_L'J géure. :1-reau 0 nvee ige on,
no £01-oe, threats 0} 1I'792.|'.J.1S6 have been nude in obtaining this etatement
and I know that what I may eay may be used in a court of lew-
emigreted to the U-S.
em a c "en oi the U.S. I was naturalized in
I am at the present employed at Hine "3',
as a miner-'b ore
II j
"I have never held an office in any union. 1.-1=.e eizem inswhen 1 iiret begin goal mining u v
in I11.
I em unable to make e statement as to the relutione between
U.Il.?L and Elehoff at Z-Zine B prior to Sept. 1932.
"1n 1932 I was anployed at Panther Creek Coal Mine, Spring-
field, I1}... Iii Sept. 3332 I joined P}-FA beoauee meet oi the mine:-e !e.z1.ted
to change frcn UIIT to P125. I do not know the res-eon for the change frcm
U1}? to Pile. I_took no active pert in tlm prcnotion of PIIA. .
"1 was employed at Hine '8" an a miner in the middle part at
1935. Between 1935 and Hay 12, 1937 there were no etrikee or oloee-»
downe at Mine B. The management of mine be seemed to be in favoir of
2:2. between 1935 and Iiey 12, 195'! we did 56$ have a hostile attitude in
settling grievances. _
I "nae in favor 01 P11 and thought it irae e good union. So
fer as I know PEA wee not operated as a racket. PS1 did not make uqr
unusual special eeseeemente. I. took no interest in union affairs. I
took no intereet Q time bdldbing eaeee and I em unable to _1-lake a etdtement
as to the attitude of PEA member: toward the conviction of FHA members in
the cages» ' _
- 287 - l
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O _
JOHN L. mils, s-1' LL é 7
Q,_..I we
rmzrzvxrnvne 'BiI'h'ae8n 1935 and :1-.3 12, 1957, me em not set up AQ . picket line snd um am not distribute any literatureo
con inue at %e "5".-
-
' I know nothing e.'~out any allege-1 U12 spies at Him B.
I do not know if there was any relationship between URI
officials and the management of Mine '3" between 1935 and lhy 12, 1937.
'1 do
1937.not Leon ii there wee e wage eoele oontro-versg in tin
Spring of
I do not L".r_:r.-r if there 'r'a.= s. KIA meeting on tho_ night of
139.1; 11, 193'?» eernoi ".~=_.=1-inc:-.i.:£ I reoeivr 5 .no"-isa oi a meeting on that
night or not.
On the morz-.2" 1:; of Shy 12, 1937 I was told by a meniber of tin
IFZIA pit oormittee to 1.0.-..i the coal oars short. I do not kncm wry. '
Later that day" I tax. usld by eon-2 one the Iline B ea: eloeed= I do not
knee wl1;; the nine closed and I did not er-1; any questions. Goal oars
were loaded short on the riorning of my 12, 1937 and I loaded ooal oars
' short that day, but I do not know why and I do not know if there was s
growing sen92:i!"..8nt to strike that day.
. '1 signed e. rue petition of Iiny zs, 1951. rm petition wasbrought to my home for my signature by e representative/gd. I think
the petition was to show that I was for PLEA, but I do not rember aw
details. The representative of PZIA did not threaten me h n.
eign the petition.
I did not sign any other petition in the Sumner of 1937. _
I did not know of the formation of new U2! looel 7469 July 29,
1937. -
of 1937, but I think I attended some PIIA meetings in the Sumner
' iiineI do not know of any violence or statements by the management of
"8' during that period of tins. - - . I T
was to have I saw in the newspaper in Sept. 193? that Mine "B"
M1118, I ' opened. I went to line B to work, but no one we-nt into the
do not kno-.1 -why they did not go to work. I acted as s piolcet from time
to time for about two nonths subsequent to Sept. 1937. No one tltrentemd
ne if I did not not us a. picket. So fer as I know only miners at Mine
"I!" eetod as pickets end no outsiders were brought in as pickets.
-288.-. _
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JOHHL.LBi'IS,EIAL _
blD .
"*Scmetime in e-voembor 1937 someone infoeed the
picket: that they could no longer picket %g_
continue E. I do not know wlw the miners could not picket
- any longer or the attitude of other miners eonoern-
ing the iaet that they oou1r';_not picket-IR?fE_R.f_..¢¢. -. .__..
'1 had no notice to return to we:-1: at line "8' Dee. 15, 1967 _
end Jan. 4, 1938. -
=1 voted at the ii'.I...R.B. election Dee. 15, 1'95? for Fi-
No one threatened no if I did not vote FHA and I went to vote voluntarily.
" "11: a.-out Ilcvezzbe;-, 1559 I rec-e. .".rod notice , in an unknown
mmer,-, thnt I*i1:o "11 -1"-e to ogone Z re"'c92ir1m_i to Kine B =5 ll member Of
P1-Ii»-' '
"ll few yon:-' e.!.ter I returned to fline "B" to work an election
was held and U13! won -the election nwing Iline "B" a HEW mine. it short
I tine after the election I joined 1'--.113. as majority voted for U.ii.'i'I'-
I did not care whether I was a n~enbo*.' of 6.11.-I. or PEA.
No one threatened me after my return to work Nov. 1939 mt
l.....'* e B , and I did not see eqmne bei-1" threatened or e..,v~v, fig11.te= V
I voted in the election to determine if Mine "B should he-fee
been e U.Il.¬-=8 mine or e P.1I.£¢ nine. Ho one threatened me during the
eleotione - '
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INTERVIE!-.' h'I'I'HSprin ie was
nugust 27, 1943 special n_ents an
is an alien he speaks Engl_s . W1
work at Fgng Eu. per Hay, 1'93? and had little inf cencsrr
inquiry. I-I0 submitted the following written statement: '
"Springfield, Illinois
August 2'7, 1943 '
n1 I make the following voluntary statement tomD whom I bzove to be Special njents of the er
pureau of In-92n.. ....+...,....+ -4" I92 5.4--{M-.Ll?-W11 Ul-lll-I UL U92|l||-U1-.92|r§l
"I re a Illinois and I am side
cf} a c..tizon of th ed a Declaraon
of tention at Springfield, Illinois in not received aw second
papers. I arrived in the United Stat.-s in and came directly to
Springield, Illinois. " _ _
"I oined the United lne '..'orkers, hereinafter referred to as the .
U112, in at Springfield, Illinois. L17 first job as s miner nas-
at the Pen ;' nine 6, near Springfield. '
Chen I worked under the Progressive Miners of arise, referred
to hereinafter as the PlL'., I was well satisfied. I voluntaril; signed the
P151. petition on I-Ia;,' 12, 1937. During this period, including I-lay 12, 1937,
twelve men were working in Ilins B, where I than worked, as members of the
1., but I b-.lieve the; seer-c.t.'iy_ were nemb .rs of the I??? and that the?
were trying to g--t members of the PILL to join up with the ULEI.
"One of these twelve men, one Pete Carter, whom I knew personally,
t-1L4:e£_1 to me in Springfield in -June or July, I937, in the business section
of Springfield, at which time Carter told me that if I wanted to work in
Mine B, I 1: mld have to join the U1~E..'. No other threats were made to me.
I understand that the other eleven of these men were contacting members _of the PM!» in an effort to get then to change over to the U117. I learned .
of this by word of mouth. I felt that these twelve men were being paid
by the UH? for this specific job, that is, getting the uen to join UIIJ.
About Hay, 1937, James Hale, one of these men, started driving a
new automobile and the .m-iraers said he get it free: U!-L} fer the @:ez~1s he I!._L92
for that union.
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RE: JOHN}... LETJIS, ETALA > cl 2 VD ;
I1~f1ERVIE'F '.iITH "It was the general opinion of the miners that
oontinued! Elshoff was paid by the U112. to keep the mine
closed in order to break local 54 of the PHI»
I do not have any facts to prove that but he wouldn't aign a contract with
PLL. and the P111. miners felt that Elsho favored the ULEJ. .
"I k tnor ed =1. Mine a £1-om -to Hay 1-937. Abou this time tntrouble started and I inc and later got a Jand in December go a o
. e ré-11_,4*_-?Z- Bigtiin _ ' was e PILL. operated nineand I workedthere continuously and never did go back to Mine B, and
therefore do not have any first n ltnov--ledge concerning the conditions
after I left 1.-inc B, in I-1'a;.~, 1937.
"I have car-zf-0.11;" read and fully understrnd the one and one-quarter
pages of this st-ztoment ~.;hic.1 cont.-ins the truth to the best of my knowledge
and recollection. Ii-> threats or promises have been made to imiuoe me to
give the above statement."
/==/ "___
"..itnessc.-d:
Jlgt, Fa Ba Io
Special kgent, II. B. I."
-291-
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Re: JOB? Ls LETIS, ETAL
7 Lo !9 Q.DINTTRV EW WITH islyears of age, can scarcely speak
or understand ng ieh, and is unable to remember
an bin . He was interviewed on August 26, 1943 bySpecial Agents and .
The follxing-signed statement was obtained from _
' Springfield, 111. _
August 26, 1943
"I, S rin field, 111., on August 26,
1943, was contacted y s. who identified
themselves as Sfeciel A;-.=-n s oi t-i e Fe _ J. _u1-eau c nves igaticn. They
asked me quest-.c»:1s ab--it my war}: in Kine ""P dvring the lest seven er
eight years and to 11-" lmowledge of work in the mine back in the early
19305, but I was unebie to answer their questions because I cannot speak
or understand Inglis-1 vary well and because of mg age I am unable to
remember things that hlppend.
i<=1s»=d>
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7 FBI_signed!, Special Agent, F'.B.I," -":~"ITY'ESSES
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RB: JOIN L. LEWIS, ET LL;
ke» k?D
INTER Ki WITH was interviewed at his residence,
pringfield, Illinois, by 5pecis1_
sag "1 icame to uue -..1.e... ovate: 1:: became; 9. citizen .'92_ u :2-r field, Illinois. He says ne?w'1o criminal record.g ' _ "s presently employed at Tlrl.11__e_1B_1_, He understands English fairly
1 ~ well, speaks English brokenly, t appears to have a good memory and thinks
l coherently. It is felt he would make a fair witness. The following signed _
= statement was obtained from GMICI.
"SpI"ir1gfi¬'ld, Ill.
y
anma " ' erin voluntary state-ment to hem I know 1:0
be Specie- r:-gen ss OJ. : Fed! Bereau o estigation G:
make it without fear of th: eat? force or promise of any kind.
ism we e we
rte working in coal mines in Spring-
and I joined the un1zdH Mane Workers of
1' E+'92QI'If -| h92l'.'.'r 92..-.4-41 H31; -mhnn 4-ha ll?J, DUE-J5-92.A HI» Llll IJJULJ. Ljjw IILIULI Ul¢l92-I UIII
went Progressive is joined the Pro ressive ltlne if
- o_f__£um.rica and I became PH» in 1932. __
' "In _I started working for lane VB. --
1 When the Fm was organized in 1932 I joined it because the
majority of our local wanted to and it didn't make any dif-
ference whether I was TM? or PIA. I took no active part in
the organizing of PEA.-.4-. 1-_.-. I92b92q .-.-tALI!-I-11. .1.92.u- uu.|.uu
I
"During the time between 1932 to 193'? I did not notice
that the company, Elshoff, or Oscar Falcetti favored either
PHI. or UL-Ti. During this time I noticed no attempts of
I U15? to org-M1120 in Mine 'B' and no one ever tried to get me
to join UM! during this time. I thought PHI» was a good union
and I did not one in PHI» Pill W88
an honest
, "Between 1932 md 193'? I never saw any effort by UIEI to pieke*_,
; organize or distribute literature at Mine B1.
1- 293-
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Re: JOIN L. LEWIS, ETLL.
Z»/7c.~ 1/LB
'1'."-1: W1 ~ M.-out two or three weeks before Hey l2, 1937
two members Of PEA were expelled from Pill. me was
on inue Joe Albaneee but I can 't remember the other usual:
name. At the next eting of P ' some more members were kicked out. Join .., Jm1~1. m, Ton 4] lotch, , Z"rd;/§ ' . - "15 t. A chelevious, ard a man n ed Jacawa- were all kic o ou But I do
not know why these men were kicked out. I never heard of any of these men be-~
ing spies for UllI- _ ~
"I do not remember going to a PILL mating Hay ll, 1937. About this
time I knew we were having a little trout-Le with the company on our wage
scale, and the P15. offi ':;.::ls told us they were trying to sign a contract
with the company and .r;r to get a wage increase. I thought the PW. could
gctus just as much as the Uhii and it didn't make any difference to me
whether UIEW or Pl-5.. would try. Ne one f!"0m the company ever talked to us
about the wage trouble that I know about.
"On May l2, 1937, I went to work as a digger just as usual. I
was dressed but did not go down int.! the mines.- The t Conndttee of
PM. was in talking with the company and they came out and tcd us tmt
there would be no work because the company would not sign the contract.
It was our PHI. leaders who told us this. On Nay ll, 193'? we had gone
down into the mines, and I had loaded two half cars of coal. me reason
I only loaded half cars was that the driver would pull the cars before
I could load them. 1 was celled out at 22°, m the afternoun of my 11,
1937, but I do not know why or who told us to go home. It was that the
drivers told us that was all, and we should go home,
"Some time after we went out on strike, I signed a PIL.
petition and I think it was about :1 month after the strike. I sdgned
the petition at Pit". headquarters. That was the only petition I signed
and I never signed a Um? petition.
"I heard a U18 local was formed in the sumor of 1937, but I
do not know anything more about that. Those same fellows who were ex-
pelled from PEA were the ones I heard organized the UH. No one ever asked _
me to join this Uli.
"During the summer of 1937 the PHI; Just had its regular
meetings. I heard of no wildcat meetings going on. _
"In the fall of 1937 I read several times in the newspaper that
Mine IE was going to n;--open, but I was never notified to come back to work
at Mine 'B' in the fall of 1937. I never reported for work mtil about
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R8: JDIN L. LDYIS, ET AL. -
57.1-, we
IIJTERVIDT *;fITH Sept. 26, 193'? I read in the paper that
Continued! 'B' was going to open the next day so on
the 27th I reported for work. I waited on top with the rest of the men
and the PILL officials had a meeting with the company officials. Our
leaders cane out and told _us we were going to stay on the lline 'B' Property
until the company recognized the Pm. We had our picket line, or sit»
down for about 56 days and the day or so before Thanksgiving, the U. S.
Gov 't came out and told us to leave. I was :i.n the picket line all of
the time. lhe PIE. did not have any outsiders come in and picket with 1:5. -
The PH leaders never used arr] force or threats to keep us in the picket
line.
"I do not rr;-member an attempt to have the nines re-opened in
Dee. of 1937, but I remember reading in the paper that the nines
would re-open in January 1938. I went down to PLEA headquarters and they
told no they had heard the nine was going to open and if I wanted to
report I could. and I decidedho wait 3 to to foe. my.
The second day I heard only five or six had reported for work so I did not
bother to _ up to Mine 'B'. _ .
"I remember in December of 193'? the National Labor Relations
Board held an election which the PH won. I voted and no one forced or
threatened no in any way.
"In November of 1939, I got a letter from the company telling
no to cone back to work. about the next day the PLEA had a meeting at
which we decided to go back to work. This was decided by a notion. We
went back as PHI, but without a. contract but we were told a contract
would be signed in thirty days. I thought the P3-Li could get us a good
contract, but after thirty and sixty days when we didn t get a contract,
I began to lose faith in the PM. lawyer, I never thought about whether
the UH! could get us a contract until the next sumer.
"From the time we went back to work in Nov. of l939_ mtil
1941 no one ever tried to influence no in my way to join the UHF. No
one ever threatened no or beat no or gave no any Ul literature. I hoard
some of the fellows were boat up and hurt by U11! men but I never saw any-
thing like that. During this time I never noticed anyone from the company
try to influcmce me. I got my some room back and no one bothered me.
-295-
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Re: JOHN L. Lens, ET AL.é vQt MD
nrrsevmw w1n "After we went back to work in Nov.
Continued! of 1939, I noticed no unusual cave-ins or
fires and did not notice there had been any. Everything looked all right
to me, and i went right to work. _
"In July of 1940 I saw that the PMA would not be able to get I.
contract with the company so I voluntarily joined the U15? by getting a card
£1-on the IJLI.-T committee, I never had any trouble with the PHIL after this
and I an certain no one forced me to join UMJ. I joined UIEJ because I
wanted to keep my job and not lose my home and I could see the majority of
men in July of 1940 were ready to join UHU and I Wanted to be with the
majority.
' "I voted in the NLRB election in Feb., 195.1, and no one forced,
threatened or promised me in any way in this election. I went to vote
by myself and was not afraid.
"I am still working in 1-ne "B" and have been since Nov. oi 1939.
I am satisfied with everything.
"This statement of seven pages has been read to me by Agent-and
it is true and correct to the best of my kn0W'1ecige_ -
L /Sci
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/S/_Special Agent, F.B.I.
/S/_'-Niel Agent - F-B-I-"
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Re: JOHN L. LECI8, ET LL _ I 7:; 19*? D '
nrrenvxsr-..11rn Illinois, was jointly
in ervi 1 d a once on August 30 1943, by *= ' 1*
This individual worked at the lline on d
H 19y , 93? when c ose
the first day in ovember, 39, when it opened. He was cooperative,
e.ppcez-ed sincere, and is presently employed at Mine "B". He executed the
following statement: _
_ Illinois
August o, 1943
make the following voluntary statement b
'hom I know to be Special Agents of
on, C.S=..Department of Justice.
"I 1111n=>i=- I 1=~=@n'=1vreside at n £3. inois. I joined the United Mine workers of America,hereinafter re erred to as the UIdiu', in quad iarted worlcing in the Pea-
I".1i:1o'.- ,.'- . body mine #52 at I-livorton is, vb": was years old I worked at
the Peabody mine fcr and then sterte working at liine B, nearSpringfield, Illincis -vhioh was under contract with INTI. I con-
tinued working at this mine under tho 117-i" until 1932. Lt this time I was
not in favor of the wage scale reduction which the officers of Ullwanted -
to sign us under and later the ballots were stolen. Therefore, I was dis-
satisfied with U755 management and I voluntarily joined the Progressive Hiners
of America, which will be referred to hereinafter as the am. I have never
held an office in any mine union. _ _
"As for as I hncw, Elshoff was on good terms with U11-I at Mine B.
prior to 1932. I willingly joined PEA when Mine B went Progressive in 1932
and I was well satisfied with the management of the union. Elshoff seemed
to get along with PEA locel 54 from September, 1932 to A ril, 1937. Iworked in the mine fr-cm 1120 May, 1937. I
went to me 1 INS or PLLA as I live oo fer away to
attend. I was not familiar with whet was going on except talk I heard at
the mine. I still work at liine B, and new under UL'ii.
I never heard Elshoff or Falcetti say they favored INF-' but I
felt they wanted to sign a contract with L11.-Si because they let a group of
men organize in the mine. I noticed this aggitetion and organising for
UL'' start about npril, 1937 end continued until the mine closed on Hay 12,
1937. The group of men I recalled that did this organising were as follows:
, 4:1_drf3_§_lf__§_t;1:3'"cl , Dominic Pesggggle, 1_=_e_1;_e Carter, FrankAustin, Ton Plotoh Jo who was also celled Jo_h_n__{;n§n_ih5s, ~_{_o_gg,
Sirtout, _eerge ecawey, rsnory Jacaway, Char1e_s_§ghg.nnon, who was alsoimewn Q, Chi;-'1é' I oiigreen, mT . at this time these men were .
members of BIA ut were organi sing for Ulfai. After the mine closed in Kay,
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Re: JOHN L. LEB18, ET LL I___...._......,.__..._.. :~___~ -13-an»~
*>'/Q B10
INTEHVIE5 WITH l937, James Hale, 0l}er,1es_,Bohann_cn and :30 B£arner,
Q ose t'i'ue name is LecrBum.garnsr'*al1 50 new cars.
Icontinuedi = heard they were paid for organizing for H151, but I
do not know how much they were paid or who paid them.
These men, vrholwere £1153 spies never contacted me to get me to join the IBM,
but they
of these
contract
sometime
good for
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five men
next daydid contact other miners. I heard such remarks being made by some
twelve men to Frog:-essive miners after the mine opened under open
after November, l939, and before the ULTT won the NLRB election I
later as follows: "thy don't you join the The Pm is noyou. You won't be able to work much longer if you stay with the//
"1 did not attend the meeting of Pm on Kay 11, 195'? when the
who were ULIT; crgani zers were thrown out of the H-TA. However, the
when Elshoff would not discharge these five men, the miners were "
dissatisfied and the cars were loaded short. I think the cars were loaded
short because lshoff would not discharge these men, and not because there
was any trouble over the wage scale controversy.
member and to show the PLZA had the majority of the min
tine. I
Bern I "I siged the PLL petition on Hay 26, L .. ..
t tha
sigmed this petition voluntarily at the mine. '
"In May, 1937, I helped in the Pill picket line for about a
was at the mine every time it attempted to open from Boptember_,__
27, 1937 until it did open in November, 1939. Lhen I wont back to work in
nine B in November, 1939, I went in as a member of Phil. I am still working
at Mine B, but new under the Uhii. I saw notices in the newspapers and
heard from the miners about the attempt to open the mine, but I don't
remember just what the dates were-
"I remained a member of P!-IA until after the NLRB election in
1941 when the got the bargaining rights and than joined merely be-
cause I wanted a job. I have no fault to find with the BU» They treated
me fine and that union was well managed as far as I lmom
In November 1939 when I-1;,'g§ B opened as an open shop C_h_a_;;|,u_
_§ohe.nnon and the other eleven men I mentioned in this statement as well asIIQIW Islsnlsalsv amt-W=eWr edwer organizing or .|, u y 1 not try £6 convez'!i"Ee. T19
PLEA did nothing about this organizing, except expelling the rive men from
the union. The F535 did nothing about this after the mine owned in
November, 1939, but just waited for the law to take care of it, but the
law was too late. '
In the NLRB election on December 15, 1937, I think the election
was run fairly and I never heard from anyone that there was any fraud. Ther"~--
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P111. won the election, but Elsho would not lign I
contract. In the next NLRB election in February,
con lnue 1941 the ULTI won and Elahoff signed a contract right
e.-re.;,' with the I felt that Elchoff got poid oi!
for keeping the mine closed. The PLLA had the bargaining rights in HAY,
193'? and r=-till had the bu:-gaining rights after the rst NLRB election,
and the non olvmys wanted to work, but Elshoff would not sign a contract
but instead let the mine stay idle.RB: JOHN L. 13318, ET 1-L
INTERVIEW TIITH
"1 worked at on I-fay 11, 19:57 when 11-. shut down and Islent
beck in November, 1939, and worked the rst day the mine was open. The
mine was in bad shape with ce.vo~ins and bad air. 'i-hen I went back to
Kine E in Neveriraor, 193? I anw nothing ti-.31? looked like the-re had been a
fire or a big flood LIL the mine. I went 111111 to woric in the '8.-est section
of Aline B.
In my opi .i.o*1, there was no rr.oir.__t_o__i_n3nce work done in the mineduring the time it was shut down e_:92_c£p__et puznprlzzg done by irOm
the top of the mine. Some company men iworked in the mine 0 go
better shape about We days Tofore it re-opened.
I have carefully reed and mlly understand the two and a. half
pages of this statement and it contains the truth to the best of my
knowledge.
<-> j
'.'.itne s sed :
Special Agent, FBI.
, special Agent. FBI. "
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C" . O
Re: Lo LEHIS, LL:
5'70 1970,
_.-. 92 _,.-. -
9,
Luinois, was
6':|'.n interviews at his reside c on A t 2 .
we by =-»5i_ie -a1 A nil yr' a man who rasen ed the 18 years o, age it __o _____ __-_
tactics usea Q the Most oi the ml for-maaon Fe furnished was hear-
say. He executed the following written stateent:
$03 L
' Department of Justice.
inois. I
"18 ° I1 _ voluntary statement
"' ,whomIlmowtobe
of Investigation, U. S.
"I Joined the United L!in_e .orkers of @3315, referred tohereinafter as the UIII, at i never
held any office in the union ut have een a member o the pitcommittee, U11! while I worked at
n1:92...... r ...._._|.,__1 _-_ .L92__ __-..__, ....,_._&£Ull.l J. nurlueu LU um: m.1.m::> near111111015 as% mem r O he um. About -1 went to work in
line B and continued to work there until the strike closed the _
mine in May, 1937. From Hay, 1937 to November, 1937 I was 112- ~
employed, and in the latter part of 1939, I believe in November,
I started back to work in Mine B, and continued to work there
1 quit mining at that time
From 1927 to 1932 the FE? and Elshoff got along fine, but
when Jam L. Lewis favored a reduction in the wage scale and a
vote was taken and some of the thugs Wbrkirg for
with the ballot box and Lewis signed up withthehim made off
operators onI
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Re: Joe: 1.. Lens, so AL. " , W
J/2 . mo 4
mranvrn: w1'r_s FHA they tried to convert to the ' Continued! U157 were beaten up, and
who lives a1- Illinoi, and whose true name is
up a young Italian miner with a pick handle while he was in t min so
bad that he was in the hospital for months. Before this Italian miner
was beet up he told me that §.h<'=1.I:liLE.l1-llon and d
told him that he had better sign up with the UH?-
"Carl Elshoff and Oscar Falcetti wanted to sign up with the
U1-ii and they got a bunch of thugs in the mine to swing the men over to
the UM.-"I membership. as best as I can recall, this happened about three
months before the strike in May, 1937. These men were 1nember,s_of_the PIIAbut also working for the UMR. Some of these men were
£°@_1¥1_bane=e. An<h~w_§crmelenms. 11>_mJ-_'n_i¢._.2e;m:ale. Pete Carter. s'.__.'$1.1;-=_tin, Iony___j'j._._g_t_g;;, John Cotton, whom I also knew as , John
§ir1-mt. Gsorelssdeceisr. Emory Jscewaz» Charles Bob»?- H013 H-'1d_J?+=1=@§,, Hala-
"Falcetti and Elshofi were very friendly with the above mentioned
thirteen men and the others who helped them. Falcetti and Elshoff had
these men at -the Mine B. comggny; office where they had drinking parties
at night. I did not personally see this, but , President 61:Pgtwand §oh_n_ Sdc,§5§ids_1-__w1'£*al.so holds an office in the PIE, saw this
association. .
. "1 never heard Falcetti or Elshoff say they wanted to sign upwith UIIT, but Charles Bohannon, who Elshoff and Falcetti were friendly
told me I had to sign up 111' {IE the U157 or else I could not work, as the
miners were going over to UIM.
"I thought PIA was a fine union, and that it was well run. I
recall that the officials of PI-ta got along well with the members of that
mien, at mi.ne B. V
"In the spring of 193'? when there was a wage scale controversy,
I don 't recall what the Pi-it officials said what the contract with the
operators consisted of and there was a slowdovm. I believe the slowdown
was due to Elshoff's thugs who by their trying to organize caused hard
feelings, and I do not believe the slowdown was due to anywage scale
trouble. These thugs I mentioned before in this statement were big
men, and pretended to be air testers but they walked all over the mine
organizing for Um and trying to sign up the miners with Ullf. One of theseso-called air testers was named O2 8 ame that Bmlld lib
that. I know him when I see him.
- 301 -
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C? _ O
Re: JOHN L. LEHIS, ET AL.
eve hp
nm-znvxew wrn "1 attended the meeting er the m en -
r.--._..a.i..._....|92 .5 ....- ...>.+ 4* I519 1'1 1071 '1'}-.4; urn: herl92uuu uuxucu! e
of this special meeting because I saw it posted on a bulletin board at the
mine. I voted to expell the five men who were expelled from the PEA, be-
cause it was shown that they were U10 spies and disloyal to the Pm. I
believe I remember that one oi the five even voted to have himself s1-
pelled from P1-£51. PR1. had a closed shop agreement with Elshoff at this :5
time, and Elshofi should have discharged these men after they were ex- {
pelled from the iilib. is a matter oi fact, I think he should have fire p
them before that for their activities in the mine. Four of the men who 92
were expelled did not attend this meeting, as near as I can recall, and
did not say anything in their own defense.ilk Gel. W J-L, 92Iv7J'IC JDJJIU ""' I-I-'45 at the Pm, hall on North 6th Street, Sprirgifield, Illinois, and I learned I /
"The rank and file were advised of the expulsion of the five mn
theday after it happened, by word of mouth. The rank and file thought
these men should have been expelled. Later, when Elshoff would not fire
these men the miners were mad and loaded the coal cars short and later in
the day, Hay 12, 191.3, very little coal was coming up from the mine, and the
mine went on strike. This was not due to wages. It was because Elshoff
would not fire these five men, who no longer belonged to PEA.
"I volmtarily signed the Pm petition on hey 26, .193? to
show that I was a member oi PEA. The petition was to show that PM had
a majority and should have the bargaining rights in the mine. I sigge,-¢
this petition near the mine where there were about 100 automobiles parked,
to see that U18? did not take over the mine.
"From my 1937 to November, 1939 I assisted in piclceting this
mine from time to time.
nn1'_ 1.92_.. _.___...... J Ir -,;........A _--.._&-I...-.-, nun _.-.L4.|-:..-. I-..& -r".L-U UIIU DUIII-'UL7I' U1. J. lgllu 92.LIlUl-IHUL rll }JCUJ-U-LUIL UHU Q
forget what it was for. phonetic!, brought this one to
my house and I voluntaril e 1 . Y
"I did not attempt to go back to Mine B until November 1939
at which time it had been working about a month.
"I was not in favor of the Federal injunction of December 9,
193'? which prevented the PEA from picketing and the miners did not
like it, but I thought and believed the miners thought the THLRF -
election held on December 15, 193'? was fair. I don 't soc how it could
have been otherwise.
"F:-on !-Io92.".;'mbe1" 1939 to Fetn-snry, 1941 the !.".£e end t-rm P19.
were at odds, and they both had their own check weighman. PEA had a
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I
/7» .A -1:" /1 D 1IIN'l'ERVIEW WITH check weighman mm o lives Continued! at Illinois.
and 1-ox-ax Pierce; who were both um: men ragofi the road and triedto ki3;1"TEf:if,"'§o_never came back to vror at Mine B. The PIIA could not
get %.neth¬1" check eeighzr as the men were amid to t-aloe the job, and
gradually the ULU signed the miners up with UHF and hired mu members and
when UM; felt they had enough membership built up like this, they called
for another NLRB election. This time the Umf won the election, so I felt
I had to sigl up with the Ulf.
"I heard that Elshofi and Falcetti associated with UM? of-
ficials and I heard the PLL; watchers saw Ray Edmundson at the line B of-
fice in my, 1937, after the urine had shut aaeruue-to the so;-1lE¬I T
don't trust John L. Lewis. 1 dent trust Elslmoff and I-eleetti because
they would appear to cooperate with the PEA, and would eecretly deal
with the UM-T, while the PLEA had a closed shop contract with the mine.
I would not rejoin the Ulla if I could have obtained a job anywhere else
at that time.
"I have read and fully understand the three pages of this state-
ment which contains the truth to the be-st of my knowledge.
G ______
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"liitnessod: / Spl. agent, F.B.I./s Special .1gent r.e.1.'
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92 'I'i~lRVIEW YITFH Ch 111311-St 2'7, 1913,
the
is not very good..
be a satisfactory witness is
not make a good witness. He{M .
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Jom L. LEWIS, s'1'AL.
was interviewed by
at his
born
u Q He is
be reached
speaks }lngl:'.sh hrokenly and can 1m-
coherency, especially in fact recollection
as a witness is good but his ahilitji ti:
extremely doubtful and it is felt he would
advises he has no criminal record.value
The fcllcnirzg signed statement was ebtathned Iron _h
"Springfield, I11.
August 2'7, 1943
''1, Springfield,
_ whom I know to be Special Agents 0 e eral
Bureau of Investigation. I make it without fear of threat, force
er prcrmse cf e.n;,' .....*'*nd.
"1 was born in and came to the U. 5.
in about -I became a . . citizen in
"In about _I first started working in coal mines and at
this time I became a member o1 the United Kine Workers of AmericaIhion. I remained a UM? nan mtil 1932. In about- I started to
work in lline 'B' in bpringfield, and I was a U111 then.
"In 1932 a wage scale question came up and the Ulil had a vote
at which time I voted. The result was about 5 to 1 against taking a cut,
butJohn L. Lewis, or the District Ullf, called for another election in
which I also ,- yoted, but the ballots were stolen and I heard they hadbeen put incar and he took them. mere had been an injunction
in Illinois against John L. Lewis but at this time in 1932 the injmnction
was
the
the
andlifted and Lewis signed the contract which called for a wage out. So
Progressive {ne '.JorKl'-1 i.QLA4@_:'J.98___U1fJion was organized and I Joined ~
es. sack to mrk in }!*...*':e '2'. "
"Between 1932 and my 1937 I can remember no strikes or shut downs
during this time no one tried to inuence me either by talk or force
into joining the ULSJ. I had no trouble with the FHA during this time
either-and I never knew of any mfair assessments against us. I trusted
thePMA officials and I thought it was a good mien.
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Re: JOHI L. LEWIS, ET AL.
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3?IIIT'E.RVIEW WITH "In about 1936 Jac alcetti who was the bottom
boss at that time wa talking alone with me at the
bottom of line 'B' and he said if we all belonged
to um it would be better. But 1 told him a fellow mo no voice in UHF
and he sa_d nothing more about it. Between 1932 and 193'? no one tried to
get me to join U1-.2? and daring this time I thought that the company favored
Uh?! but I can remember nothing to substantiate t s cept that it was jut
a feeling I had. Between 1932 and 1937 a man .b honey who was a motor-
man at Mine 'B' but who is now dead - t d me that 0SCar Falcetti hadtold him he, Oscar, didn?t think I, * was on the right side. I
thought the were talking about the a alcetti thought I should
belong to Ulla. But notlimg more was ever said or done about that.
- "lfhen some of the PEA men were convicted of bombings along about
this time, I really felt they had been railroaded and were not guilty, and
I still really believe they were not guilty. I think most of the men who
belonged to Pm at that time felt the same way.
"A fen weeks before Hay 12, 1937, some of the PH-I men were ex-
pelled from the PLEA union for spying for UM-I. There were about six men ex-
lled but the were not e lled all in t ame day but obably over Pe J Y xpe
a period of a week. These men were Charles w
I Elmer Jacaway, who was one of the last ones to be expelled because re-
member him voting to expel IBowling Green', Frank Austin, I;§ie;j¢3,1'_t,_e;;,
and I can 't remember the rest. I had never noticed these men acting as
spies for UH-I.
"I remember there was a w g le ween Pm and thecompany in the Spring of 193'? and/gig §1§§¢§g92§2?§s§§. The company would
refuse to talk with the PLEA committee. I think the committee, PIA, tried
to get the company to fire those men who were expelled from the Pm but the
company would not do this. During this time, the Spring of 1937, I
noticed no slow downs or work stoppages.- and paydays were no different
from any othenday. "e were working pending settlement during this time
and I felt the company was trying to force trouble so they could close
the mines. But I cannot remember now what caused be to believe that.
But I still feel that way about it. "
"I do not remember whether 1 went to a PNA meeting Hay ll, 1937.
I went to work the morning of Hay 12, 1937, and sometime during the morning the
d hat we to co e out eager told me that work was to stop an t everyone s m .Eon I got on top or ther in the cage on the way up I was pith Elmeracaway and track layer andwsaid, They finally
ot em no know what he meant. o I heard rumors that g th . p
the oompany refused to meet with the committee and I thought that was why
we were striking.
-305- . . '
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! 7c ,
"db. the morning of my 12, 1.937 I ee
and I noticed that I thought. was
ber of cars loaded short.
on inued unus num
I "Ai"'-er we went out on strike for a period of several week!
or more, several petitions Jere circulated by PM and I remember at
least two of them and I signed both. I also heard UHF sent a petition
but I never signed it.
' "Sometime in the summer of 1937 I remember nearing
I do not know how to spell his name, but heH , ancp-were shot by- II ose name I 0 not know
were theand nnucvhf. and_.... -....q=-.- _.-_...
off and
wouldbecause he threw his gunafter they were shot and_told me they were
-no sign up with UZH.
"'E= hen the Mine 'B was opened, or they tried to open it, in
September 1937, I did not know the mine was being re-opened and I didn't
get there until two days after they tried to re-open it. I heard they
would only let UM men down in the mine and would not let Pm men work.
We started a picket line and had a aitdovrn for about 56 days. I was in
the sitdown most of the time mtil the U. S. iiarshall told us we would
have to get out, just before Thanksgiving of 1937. 1
"During the summer of 193'? no one tried to get nn to join
Ul and the company did not try to influence me. The PM officials did
not use any kind of force, threat or promise to make me stay in the
picket lines. I wanted to be in the sitdoen because I thought the i
was right. I remember nothingunusual during the sitdown, but we
guarded the mine and bldgs very well during this time because we
were afraid um: would try £0 blow things up and blame Pm.
"The Pm and nryself, did not feel good about having to get
off the sitdown because we thought it was unfair that we, PEA, could
do nothing and UIM could do anythitt, but it was a. Federal order and1970 .
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Re: JOHN 1.. tans, er AL.
letter fmm the camping to com back. I 13.9 ..;
not remember any attempts on the part 01 the
company to re-open the Mine '3' before that
Con tinue
time.
"no one tried to contact me in connection either with the THE? or the
company or the PEA from Dec. of 193'? until Nov. of 1939.
gum...-... -r ...,.e........-..-1 4-- 'II'I'92U92lI =+ 92l_1't-10 11:1 -in N1-w '102O_ T hnHnvadIlalll L LGIJLIJIIGHQ UV "92l¢l'92 I-ll-I I--I-l492-P gr dl-ll l""'I 1!?! ll '@"''
the wage scale would be the same as the rest of the mines. I thought the
PMA would have a contract with the -"ompany in the near future and I was still F
member of I!'.i"..
. "From the time I wont back to work in Nov. 1939, until Dec. 31,
191.0, I did not vote in any elections for union certifications, and I
do not remember of there being any election.
n-r-I: in Mn IO n nv Q1-92r92n§ Inn 992IJ ab 92' 92Il>l Y l92I'92-5|-3 N5. ta
and was a driver butH92 +n1I T 1WE J, I 11940 a fellow named W110 was ULM J!
did not do much work an not worked in Mine 'B' before Nov. 1939, 9
approached me in the wash house and said I would have to join the old J
one. I told him I didn't know what he was talking about and he said I'd
find out. He might have said it was the Ihited Mine Horkers, but I
cannot definitely remember. __
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Jam LI LEWIS, ALI5 '7 <2 I/M .
. IINTERVIHI WITH About in the sumner of 19l.0 told me I mo better sign upwi
_ that was all that was said or done.
"Also about that same time Oscar Falcetti t d me to show _ the runs in the mine, One time when, Bil}!{?l1rtock and I were to-ge er, Bill told Z113-t '+'&S still Progr ssive and to watch outfor him. ~_ lieve with other motormen who were PLIA but
after he rooe WIUl'oh8m they became Uiizi, bu I oan.-not remember this o'er;-'
well. The other motormen were name 92 whose name Icannot spell, and a men nm and one name
"Ch the day before I was hurt which would be Dec. 30, 191.0, I Ins
working in a room as a coal digger I saw someone go by my room. I asked
him what time it was but he eouldn 't answer me. A few minutes later I
saw him with a sheet next to his head and a pick handle mder his arm.
I recognized him as 'Cudge' or Q_;_.L.1__B.92Jl!lEi1'.'DBI, or Baumgartner. I am not
certain as to the spé'IlYng. 3ut I cannot remember any U18? man trying to
talk me into joining ULM that clay.
"On Dec. 31, 1940, I went to work as usua and went to om. 1,ome time just before noon a driver notified a Pill
' ' s e t committeemen that they were wanted at the dis ric an hat
I saw of them that day. They were the entrymen nearest me. At about noon Q
I heard some one coming and as I looked up I saw someone with a pick handle and _
sheet just like 'Cudge' had been carrying the day before that. This man who I
I am positive was fudge started beating me with the pick handle. He
broke my arm and jaw and really messed me up. "Oudge' was a UH? organizer, -
and only once before had he tried to talk me into joining UH!-
"As a result of the beating I was in the hospital about two weeks
or more__ I never returned to Mine '3' after Dec. 31, 191.0.
'".fhen the National Labor Relation Board held an election in about
Feb. -- 19./.l I voted em but LTA5! I never had are to do with
r Mine '3' after that. I still belong to the Pm and pay my dues, but I
1 have never worked in a mine since Dec. 31, 1940. I stay in the mien
' because I like the group and because I like the democrationess of the
2 organization .1
"When I went back to Mine 'B' in Nov. of 1939, I heard there
had been some fires but I never saw anything to show there had been a
big fire. There had been some small cave ins but I noticed no musual
cave-ins. I never signed anything for Tii after 1932. I believe I
signed a membership card for Pm in the suxmner 01 1940.
-338'
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. . | I" ' nRB: JOINL. LEH'IS,ETAL. 1
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IHTERV'.EEW WITH "About a week or so after we went out on
strike in Hay, 1937, I remember the UH? had 1
on inue meeting on Monroe St. at Redmaxus Hall. They
invited all Progressives but I cannot remember how. I was in front of '1
the hall before the meeting and I saw a clerk from EJ.shoff's ofee
whose name I cannot remember, but he is small 8.: wears glasses and Iwould I¬COgI'11zE him ii I saw him, go into the meeting. I think there 92}
were more company men there, but I cannot remember who. After the timee-ting_ hose name I cannot spell, came up to me,- 92
had beem - ng, nd hit me. He gave me a black eye, but I -
_ . Agent has read this statement oi twelve pages to fme, and
I acknowledge it o e rue and correct to the best of my knowledge.
/s/ I
/s/ Special agent, F.B.I.
/S/Special agent - F.B.I."Witnesses
-309-
.. _.,;_ _-__ "'92.,e:_~ . Q; _¢q:_;-|,-1-=,; _ ei ;_~ -'...¢____.._¢- _?,;r-.wup-'";yqnq-aw-wv.~¢*-..-_--vw-w**"*" '*' "could not hit him because he had several men with him. E
iv.
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__,, _ _, . _ ___._ ._...,,.,.__..__.-..-_.-.-__._--,-__ -an _ ' ;'*+ A 'rI W-9292In.1ui|l-1,, 4 3 * ij'~#|l||q-l;_1_-*2 _,;_'_ '7
A _, _ tCA O
Jew . .. L LMSJHL j="7c:., 1@!D
J ' I
"Q 92:'.D1TE=.VIE1!I'I'Hwas interviewed at his residence,
illinois, on iuugust 26,
1943 by Special and He stated thathe was born in States in 9
Be sneaks Enzlis 92i92'92 i~92 He was net _Y good witness
advised that he has no criminal record. D12 following signed statement wasYer; poorly and cannot
dc chewed fromj -
Y "Sprixlgfield, T11.
august 28, 1943
Ill., mice _-.-e _o__em_ng ve_u_n_ary statement tuband whom I know to be Specia.1
the e a. e u o Investigation. I make it without fear ,
of threat, force or promise of any kind.
I was born and come to theU. s. 111- I f :i.n P svlvaniaand first joined a union in Springfield, ., in&when
I became a member of United Mine Horkers of A.m8:r:i.ca..
"1 started working in 1!ine_'_B_' in Springfield in about_ -and when the mu local turned and started with the Pro-gressive Lline Workers of mncrica in 1932, I became PH.
"Between 1932 and 193"? neither the iiine *3 company nor
the U15! tried to make me change back to U151. I liked the FHA
I did not think they were crooked. But I was afraid the U18
was crooked. ,
"I remember the bombing cases and I don't think the men
who were convicted get a fair trial. I think John L. Lewis -
sent in a lot of witnesses,and
"Daring the time between 1936 and 1937 some of the men
o in PEA were trying to get us to go over to IE. They were
liensermr. w92'*lm , Pasquale. [email protected]°E2!2 andsome other I cannot remember. These men were kicked" out of
P154 because of this.
"1 did not go to a PM A meeting the night before we
went on strike on Hay 1.2, 11.937. But when we went on strike
our PLEA leaders told me we were striking because of the wage
scale. They didn't say we were striking, they said the eempmy""
just didn't went to pay us our back wages.
0-310-
,.._._.-._ ' -.1__ ._-7___; _ 4r_.x ;_. . T r ' '1'
A; . -nor - -00-a|r"~ 7 i~-I; ~___ _ __,
C - O
.Re: Jom 1.. LEWIS, ET AL.é="?c:_,! 57¢! _ 11 ,
INTER I JITH "1 don't remember signing our petition of either
the PTA. or the U151 after we went out on strike. Ih about
on inue Se . 1 the PHI. set a icket line or a sitdom pt 937, up P ,
stril-ce,'at Kine 'B' for about 56 days because we didn't want the "in to try
to work the mine. I was there the whole time, until Just before Thanksgiving,
1937, the U. S. Ihrshall told us we had to get out. I neter receive
notice in Sept. of 1937 from the CO!'1'1p;l1I}' to come back to work. I di
go back to any mine after that until in Nov. 1939 when I got a letted
dn't
r to
come beck to 1.-inc 'B'. This letter was from the company. I was on IPA
0 a.ll the time the Mine '§' was closed.
which the P111. won over the ULLJ. No one threatened or forced me to
and no promises were made to me. -
o.-Z
3---
~ ,"j.fter we went beck to work in Nov. of 1939, there would be
come to work for :1 few weeks and then leave. They weren't from this .:_
they tried to talk me into joining UTEJ, but they never hurt or three
me. During this time I heard Oscar F-Zlcetti tell us that Mine 'B'-", -I
f U15; men beat up, the PI-ii. nen but I can't remember any names, except I -_ ~.=ras one of the URI men who was fighting. No one ever hit
'5.
.1"Then we had an election in about February of 1941, Bowling
and these other Bi men told me I had to vote for U151 or they would
me up. I told them I would vote the way I wanted to.
C-
5*""I kept on worlctng at Nine 'B' from Nov. of 1939 mtil Jan.
exeept for about a month and a half and in Jan. 1943 I went to work
Panther Creek nine.4
"iihen U11. won the election in Feb. 1941 I joined UM; and was
until Jan. 1943, when I wentI
ll
-v
"I have had this statement of four pages read to me by Agent
and it is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I cannot wr
"His I 1&1:-k.
"witness
t
1 Lgent, F.B.I,
SpC:Cia1 lbgent FIBOII "Right after we went out on strike in 1937, I voted in an election
vote
men
part
of the country and had not worked at 'B' before. While they were there
toned
would be UL~In' and he didn't want any P}i¢.. During this time I saw these
know
me.
Green
beat
of 19
at43,
an
1.?
92
M.
X
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15*
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$7
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1
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. i lr R. } 92 . C!
REIJDHI 1.. mus, 1-:1: u.. -
1970 273
INTERVIEW WI H, III-5 int-Qrrioumd It his hdb,
Sprin field {mailand 8-2 - poo 0. antsq no partially door and um a to o or. J-ll 1511 we enough to be 1.nt<=>:rvJ..'1I'1=>¢1ilZ92-dI'il0d he
did no-5 h.'.v92. a orlm_._n:>.l record. -
r .71 1-7 The following signed ltntmmnt was obtained £1-om_
.i i " "Springfield, I110
' s lAugust 28, 1943
"1, S r field
Ill. make the o lowing voluntary statonone o&ndwhcm I know to be Spoolnl Agents of the Fedora
Bureau of Investigation, no force, throats or prcmiaoa have been
made in obtaining this statement.
"I om xmulnlo to understand English and olmnot speak mglnn
very well, therefore, I um mablc. to make any statement» I um also
almost doaf and find it almost impossible to understand English.
III ms born in I gamigrutod to the
U. 8. frcn on n o zen of tho U. 8.
"1 have Ind this statement road to no and understand that ll!-I
been road, this atatonont is true and oorrooto
"F1itnosaods-
Special gent, F.BnI»
Spoolu-1 agent, F¢B.I|" _
I 312 -
7 _r _ Fpiqqq-71*»---..rf 1!-1-~I- I: --*"""'*""-"":""' "';T""_ r; 7 ' 1;- V-I _
Fe
-3;}
5%
-a-. ,4.
..4'9132*
1-»
I:
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11'.'_.92*5?
é:
I _1, L ' I
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92_JOE1I L. mils, B1 AL A _! AQ-" 7.0
s
' ' OI einterviewed at his heme,
Springeld Illinois,o al Agemsadvised he did not have a-or
of English. It is not thought
a good witness as he is a member of IIIIL
The following signed statement was executed by _
Springfield, Ill.
August 28, 1945.
K
I -In Q Ill rake the o o'.':1n- voluntary s- : ~ -- Jf TIl"GT'1 I Itnuw to be Special .b4_',nx:t! _
o Investlgetion, no force, threats or pro*-uses heave been mode in
obtaining this statement and I know that what I my say may be used
in e court of low.
emznigrated to
da's a citizen of"1 was born inthe U. s. £1-cm
the U. 5-, Spring me c,
I was employed in-by the Sangomon Goal Fine, Springfield,
111., at which tine I became a member of U111. I was employed in theSung&TIDn Iiine until the Fall ofgct which time I was employed by
Iline "B", es the Sengdmon Tine s oppod operating. I have no informationconoorning Ifine "B" prior to the Fall of -
I have never been an officer in any union.
"In 1932 Sangenon Zline changed from n UJT nine to a I-lid
nine at which time I become :1 member of P32. as majority of the employees
wished to change to P2111. I do not know the reason I changed from U157
to FHA in 1932 and I do not know the reason mjority of the miners
"wished to change. It did not nuke any difference to no what union I
was s member of. I took no pert in the formation of P31!»
The management of Eiine "I3" seemed to be on good relationswith P35 between the Fell onnd Ihy 1937. There were no strikes
or close-dorms during that p6!'J.0 of tine. The management did not have >
e. hostile attitude in settling Eievenoes nor did the mnagemnt express
any portielity to U.I2.92';.
I considered PIEA an honest union, one that was not being
operated as n racket. No neasura of compulsion was used to keep
-313-
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1
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¢.. _ -..__..___ -....__..._._ ._ -..-._.-..-..¢u_ _ - _--_ ~ ~ - - ::,-is 4-L iv.
O , OJ. .
Jenn 1... LEJIS, ET AL
!-°7<-- 57¢:
members of P155 in line. I took no interest in
union affairs. During the depression Fl had
unusually high special assessments for unemployed
miners, which I did not like, but there were no
unusuezlly high special assessments during the time I was employed at
Mine " B . I know nothing about the bombing oases as I took no interest
in then. ' I ' 'INPERVIEII WITH
continued
During the ti-me I was employed at Hine "B" DIST did not set
up a picket line nor did U!-ET distribute a literature. Ho one attemptedto change me from rm to um although -
Springfield, Ill., a for-nor employee o .u.ne , '1 a
advised me I should chnnge from PIN-. to U2}-:' as working conditions would
have been better. I informed hin 1 -would do what majority of the
miners did as I did not care whether 1 was PEA or U15"-'. -
"I never saw any officals of U131 with the management of
liine B . ____-'-H
I do not know of any controversy of the wage seals at Ifine
"B" in the Spring of 193?.
"I did not attend a P11» meeting on the night of lhy .11, 1957
and I do not know if I got notice of e. meeting on that night.
Iiny 193? a member 01 the pit euznittee bold
be some trouble as some nen at the nine ranted
to change frcn PEI» to UEIT. A few days later a member of the pit omni-
tee advised no that there was to have been no work the next day as there
was to have been a strike. I was not told why there was to have been s.
strike nor did I ask. The following day I 2-turned to Mine "B" ass
picket but I did not return as a picket any other day."'S.ometine during
no that there was going to
The last day I worked at Ziine '13 in Hay 1937 I did not see
any coal ears loaded short nor did I see any other person load coal
oars short. I did not know many persons at the mine as I had worked
there only a short tine, therefore, I did not know what was going en
and I knew no one who would tell me.
"I did not sign any petitions in the Sumner of 1937 and no
one threatened me in the Sumner of 1937.
"I obtained employnent at the Peabody liine, Springfield, I110
in August 193? and lost all interest in Iiine "3'. -" "
In eept. l93'?, advised me mes '2' was to Open
as a U13? mine so I returne w r as had to join U257 when I was- ~
-$1-.
i _ e-..smmp-@ J_»- We -I'-Iif*'¢i-'*._- e -;~v*"'r-""t'92-';;*"~ *"" "*""'4 _ ..
5
S
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'.531!
_ ia-'. '.." 1-: -*'
;,,.'¥
r:-"i
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l =
92Y .é|
' W I * ' ' ' """ - "' ' W I.
IJ W " 0 I ~i .5 -. .,¢_ -q -.., '92I -
Q " 0
- 92
JOHN L. mus, sr AL
L-">IFc_. E7355
INIERVI.E.I7 I-'IIH employed at the Peabody mine. When I went to work
at Iiine "'B I saw many pickets and only a 1'6!
con inue miners entered the mine as nmnbers of U21? to work-
- I worked about four hours and left the mine as I
had we:-Pod the night before at the Peabody Ifine and could not oanpletewe de."_ I did not return ".10 Ifine F13" the following day as I could
see thet there was going to be trouble with the -pickets so I returned
I ' dto the Peabody nine. I never attempted to work it Iline B again an
took no interest in the activities of {line "'B , the:-eiore,:I em unable
to furnish any information subsequent to the day I worked at Iltne
Bu,
At the 15537.0 of the strike at 15:16 B in Hay 1937 I was
satisfied with P11!» and !-"d no desire Lo change to UIIZ, but I wanted towork so I joined UIIT so I could work at tin: Peebciy nine.
I have had the five pages 01 this statement read to no which
is true and correct to -the be st of my knowledge-
/S/
Special Lgeni, F.B¢Io '
Special Jqgent, F.B.1.Tlitne seed :-
'92-9
0
e
-515-
as. JO.iI 1.. 1.2:-vxs, ET .11..¢
.1...._. -. _ -7 _______ _- :71 _,__ o _ _. .._ ...__ _, i __ *1 _?_.__i__ I: __o_:| I I I I 92
0 - 0
2975.,1 --.
_{'11;1'1=.Rv1':~;..' -.-a1'r:a F . Sp:-;L;~_g£ield,92* I ' ois, was r. erviewe a he I ' oi: State Fhir-
G'
5
-
r-
.-Iq
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F.
q
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,,,_
3
01;? ' grounds, Springfield by Eoecial1 ';. .1u.:us=._"¢_*,_;o.>u.iand
an! W0! c. ::1a<=2 a lair witness. the following signed
statement.
"Springfield, I11.
August 31, 1943.
.1 at Qnrinofield, 111,, I
make the
who I Know to be Soecial agents oi the F
£
No force, threats or _3Io:t1iSe5 have been made in making this statement and
I know that what I may say may be used ir. a court of low.
"I was born
151: 1 e
at L:L..e *B' inI have been employez
, Ill. since
B ' , Spri1-g1ield,
a nenber of UH»? in
1-||~1r¢1'l'1:-1:1 T11 and ra- rhen I was employed at 2. coal nine in S,..;..,,.;......, .._...... ...... -..
a member of U17. until I became a member of PI1; in l932. In 1932
John L. Lewis reduced the wage scale and the U25. local in Springfield,
Ill. changed to PEA. I changed to PI-L. because majority of the Ulffmembers
changed.
"lshoff at lline '33 was on good relations with Ill-Ff prior to 1932.
"Between Sept. 1932 and liay 12, l93'7 there were no
Zine BF nor did the management elose-dam line #5. i-To
to discredit P131 to me prior to Zay 12, 1937. So far as
ment of Line '3' was on good IE:l&i.iu1;B with PL;-. prior tostrikes at
one ettezapted
I know the manage-
rey 12, 1937.
"I thought P15. was a good union and an honest union, no mnusual
gpécltll assessments were made against me. I took no interest in union
activities .
'1 took no interest in the bombing cases and can furnish no in-
formation about them.
"In about l was a member of U'lf.:' Pit Conmittee for
one year.
-- 316 -
- e-J---_¢.¢ .-e-- :__ :___ _;_ 1¢f:¢;;,,:_7v=___-.,___ _ -.'._. ._?_ __4./_____ ____ ; ___L__ __'-F
I
,.._.
I
-
J.-_I
.92:r
n
,--.2
5_3-___,__i _ _ :*:__:,_,_ ,7 1., ¢ -~ ~~:;e>i, W, -, - , 4 ~*=: < _7---~ ; 7; '- -1- -
: - ..
. Cy 1' O
- 1-
,_I}lT_-1§Q!,]I'E,.a_ .|'IIH "Between Sept. 1932 and ay 1.2, 193'? U154 never
set up a picket line at_!Jine '13 nor did Ula distribute
ontinue any literature at Mine '13. Ilo one attempted to convert
me from PI.-L-¢. to UL.-.. prior to day 12, 193'? nor did I see or hear of anyone
_1.a._i_.L;i _ .L_ _____.___a -I-92'l o_..__.l_.-._.- 4-- fhfiBDLBPUlI.g DO CDIEVCYU I'M!!! I§!iT11UUI'-J DU Ujblo
"I never saw a Ulfi official with the management of Mine '3' between
1932 and Efey 3.2, 1937.
"In the 5p1".i.1:g of 193'? I mderstood that P11» was attempting to get
a contract with Elshoff to increase the wage scale ten cent per ton.
Neither the officials or the management of Dtine '§' made an? statement to
the employees of Iiine '3' prior to 11.23 12, 937, so far as I know there was
not any slow down about the wage scale.
"I do not know of a meeting of 1"1.5A on the night of flay ll, 1937.
in Fay 12, 193'? I worked all dag and did not mow oi a str;ke=
I1 the morning of hay 13, 193'! I returned to work at Iiine 'B' and some-
one told me that the Nine was on strike. On the morning of Pay 13, 1937 Iheard an argument between Oscar Falcetti of Hine '3' ctncqa
ooard member of Pllh, about the sigling of a contract to increase e wage
scale, therefore, I thought the strike was over the wage scale. No one
informed what caused tho strike. '
"I did not sign any petitions in the stunner of 1937.
"Sometime in the summer of 193'? I talked to @ ,, P__...>~_1-»-..-B£'=-"E "" ' , If-¢.11K..u1s'rnn TQULI, J.Q.IIIJ..:'»1~'i~'lLrQ
, Cr£.____.RLl-IS and :1aLE all of whom inforsled me
that they had Been expelled from PLIA because they were Ulla. I did not
know the above men were expelled until they told me, all of whom infomed
mc that I should join Um, but they did not threaten me if I did not.
"I ln.c.-W new L".Z.J local 7469 was formed in the summer of 1937 but
WI, Wind __ _4__I __L-J ai_i__.__A.J_ -{_J___'.__.
W35 HGVGT BPPTODC¬O CDHCBTHlHg JDLHIHEQ
"In Sept. 1937 I was informed by some miners who formerly worked
at l£ir.e 'B' that the mine was to open. I went to work on the morning the
mne was to have opened, but only sone U1_._»- members were present to work,
so I did not go into the mine. I30 one told ne I could not work. That
day I started to picket at Mine '3' and acted as a picket for two weeks.
only miners at Mine '3' acted as pickets and no one threatened me if I
rlid not gicket, I was not present at liine '3' when an injunction was
-317-
ii
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--in
9,.
- .
Q' .4_,~ ..
-1-.in _____ _ _ _ . __.V_,-_ i ___-7 - i .-n -i J VF H T ._ ' , , __ . , , .
C ' 0
Re: Jom L. LEJS, El AL.
,YC./L we
~ ~ F-" " T-I served to prevent picketing and I do not knot the
attitude of PEA concerning the injunction.
ontinue .
"1 did not know of an attempt to open Mine B in December 1937 or
Jan. 1935. - e -
"I voted in the N.L.R»B. election Dec. 15, 1937 for FHA. This
election so far as I know was a fair election. 7
"I received notice to report to work at Kine '3' in Jan. 1940 and
went to work about Jan 6, 1940. I joined UMH in the summer of 1940 as
I could see majority of the miners were joling U31. I did not want to
join Uq as I wanted to be a member of Phi, but I thought it necessary
to join {Eli in order to work at Kine '3' as Mine '3? was to become a U
mine, Between Jan. l9L3 and the summer of l9&O numerous miners at lne 'B'
asked no to join UM4 but no one threatened me. I heard that some miners were
threatened and beaten if they did not join UB3; but no one threatened or
beat me.
"Between Jan. 1940 and Feb. 21, 1941 the management of Nine 'B' did
not indicate in any way they were in favor of UUW.
"I voted in the NLRB election of Fob. 21, 1941 for PHQL this elec-
tion was a fair election and there was no violence or threats at the time
of the election.
"I worked at Kine '3' until Oct. 6, 1942 at which time I stopped
work because of bad air in the nine. I was always treated fair at lne 'B'.
I have had the six pages of this statement read to me and it is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge.
/vi
"Kit-nGS5Ed2 r
/s/ _ - sp. ..gt. F.B.I.-Springfield, 111.
/.s/ Special .1.gent F.B.I.'
.__~
-31$-
1
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,_. ,. ,. .._.._,_.._.s.&¢..___, i - ,-*A~,f' 11-;1 -i, ; ~ _~A,- 4 ' v*--1 '"' v--It " "T41-' 1* ~* ~ '. 92.. -~ 1 - ~~ .- .-92' _§'.,......................._,._.
C ' 0
JOHN 1.. mus, er AL.? E70 bqb
INTERVIEW WITH was interviewed e
born
and came to thex- Illinois 1:.-1-D He resides , and
business which he has 'l'.el.-.t_J"?.01'!e num erg He
operates Jrczn his heme. understands er.-i speaks English Iii."-bout
difricul :1 and int ie.-u":.es he -would be e willing witness. He is of El-TBX'B.;O
intelligence and informs he has no criminal record»
The following signed statement was obtained frcm _
"Springfield, 1115.
August 26, 1943
. ..1_ L -,H_,1d, In, Mthe following VG statement l1nd whqn I know to be Fpecic. agents Bure u 0 05 igu-
-... 1' _n-HI».-. - -an-I-L.-q -L Fa Q1 J-Len + Pas-n 1- Ihilriunl 4 l'92!'9292I Hila- '-I- . -~ nan nn A |92 IA Ahm. J. ILIJLL1 LU 'I.L ~.ll92!L.92! L9-ll-E UL UJIQUBU, J-92J.L92|I'92J U riII&§5l J1: I'll-V L-ll.5:-. ,..:
"In-_ 1 joined "the United Mine Workers in , 111.,
ml}-1'1 and remained a IMH until
was formed,
wasin Sept. oi 1932, I autanntically became e member cf Film Ipm-s
not forced or coerced in any way to Join nu». and I wanted to join '
FEE at that time-
"I started work und worked
until
not at lline
While vror-icing in Kine "B" during 1954 and 1935, I noticed no
threats, coercion, force vi favoritism of any kind shown by the
ocmpeny to either the m or the Him
"hen I returned to line "3" cm Fl went in as a
Hm. During the time that followed until u ou epril cf 194-O, the
HRH triad nn-war-n'l tinsel tn oat ma 1:0 {bin 1:116 MT. L f611CII' HQIIIBDi'{¢£L_§e§T5§1§S=°££¢'; 1'{sv"£§i1=;E'e§}é =e}5}£i'u;¢}ie"eT""
-313- H.
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JOHN L. mus, er A-L
:
5 W
eontinued! _ gay92 eeffort to get me to oheenge to U113! . He never uced my force or threats JP '
on me. During this time several of the HM boys were beet up,--me of than 11was yDurin,; the entire time I no a member of the Hlli I V
no-we - crookedneee on the pert of the Pith official and I never
noticei any of the fellows who thought the PMA. was n rloket. Tie all felt
the I-Mei. res e good tmirn. I ne-rer had my feelings against the Ill"! until
1939 ih:-III. they et=1=.eo using" thug p".otioea.~ B-at I never aotie% =-.225
labor etoola or spies for UH? at the mine while Pile. Ind the majority.
No one ever tried to get me to cane book to the nine: fruit the
time I quit in-until 1 returned in 1959. "
of lline "B" never bothered me. But sot-ween of 1959 and April of
1940 I noticed that the -J0mp6..35' would not hi y one unless he no a
U151 man and had o lotto: from the HIM heoquurtere or were n well known
IMT man. But I oB.nno:- remember the names cf any of these men. During
this time I noticed the company, thru Falcotti, would give the good roan
to the CM? man and give the 1.!u92 men the pocor rooms. I alao noticed the
HM; men woulq be given no eensidereticm in regard to grievance! &
other things, but the UMLT..men would be given pretty much consideration."1 have lcncrrn the Felcettia since gem the mi-lngannt
"During the winter of 1940 I new _whoso name I cannot
remember, and u Pam get beat up by e chock woyman who was helped. by
several other UH men, but I euxmot remember any of their names. Thefight we ever the weighing of e our. There were two cheek 2%
in this tipple - and the H51; men thought it was wrong that the 1
should have e check _?1~i1a_£ there beoeuee the ecmpuny had no cont:-not
with the KIM.
"In I wanted to go back to Mine "B"! but I knewI would have to oin WE! to get u job no I joined m
"I have rend this statement of four pages including this page
and state it is true and correct to the beet of my h1OI_'16¢g8.
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. a INT}1WI£i"-' WI I - 5911=G"X * :1 plloo ate 1 ant, 5pringfiold, 111%92 by S1-eoial 192gent and 5-ugust 30, 1943., - ' ' ' not make o good
92.
stator. no does n nave n *l'1.'E1..lIl&1 r
witness ea he is old and wry tag-no in
"'%rin,5fisld, I110;
August 30, 1943-
-hrfisl I110;make the following vo whuni I know to be special gents of the Fed . _ga enn 0
feroe, threats or prmises have been Bl;-dfl in obtaining this statement and
I lgnew that whet T may soy may be used in n oouft of lei, '
" -- F I om now employedby i W. 111-
"1 joined the u.n.n. in about -at whioh time 1 was n seal minor,-
I remeinded o member of U'B" until 1932. I was employed at gino "Q" Spring-
f1'_IE_Ye , 1.17 in 1930. In 1932 one stclo votes oust in Springfield, 111. eon-
oerning the wage so-ole in seal mines for that ronsen I joined PEA, when it
was formed in 1932. I took no ooti-so port in the formation of P158-
In about Q! was I: oemmitteomon H
never been on officer any union sinoo thatinmli for onoyoor.-I1-mootime. ' '
'Bc't1'roen 1930 and 1932 the management of Hine "B" seemed to have
been on good relations with U15. -
Between Supt. 1952 and An:-11 1937 1.-Eino "B" did_not go on any
strikes and the management did not oloso Kine "I3" down. Elsheft and ?o.1oetti
seemed to have been on good relations Iith PEA until New 1937* the manage-
ment was not hostile in their attitude in settling griovoneoss
"1 always believed PHIL was operated es an honest union and not o.o rocket there were no unusual special assessments. I took no interest in
union affairs. I took no interest in the banbing oases and can furnish no
into:-motion oenoerning the oases»
Between $0p|;s 1932 end Hey 12, 1937 U1]! never set up o picket lino
at nine '3' and 1 do not renlbor Um distributing any literature at llino '8'.
I did not knew of any alleged U11! spies working at lne 'B" prior to Hay 12,
1937 new did anyone attempt to convert no frcn Pd!» to UB3! farior to Hay 12,
1937:-
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no. .rem¢L.1.oH1s,r1:n. J/7¢_, b,!D
INTERVI WITH "1 never saw the management of lino "3" with an
official of UH! prior to Hay 12, 1957-
eon inuo
I know nothing of e. wage controversy at Him '8"
in the Spring oi 1937.
I received a notice in an unknown manner that there was to have
been a speoial meeting of PMK on the night of Hey ll, 1937- I was not told
the p1.l1'pOI6 of the meeting and did not attend.
As well as I can rember I beard someway around Hay 12, 1937, state
that several of the minors at TE no "B" were tKought' to have boon Qies tee-
IMT and were expelled iron: PISA. The names of those I know are as follows:
Lmmsmeuilma ER&NK_=92U§_I;F. oT_Q1j{_1=LQ'.$_¢§1, ~I.<1*f1IbI..,»4'-1¢-=1-Riot-»'. 1?5¢1.iY_._i&<;-QIALC_H_»}BLESo,BDJ1AKIJON and J4-I§§.~ ELLE, I do not know whether there was any dif-
fienlty having the above men dieol'I:.r5od-
on May 12, 1937 I worked @111 e.~.y_,_ on caning on top or the growl!
I was told that the mine, Hime "B"; was on strike. I was not told Ilw the
mine was on strike. I do not know why Hino "B" wont on strike Hey 12, 195'!»
I did not load any oeal oars short on May 12, 1937 nor did I see anyone
loading coal ears short that day. so far as I knew there was no intent on
the part of the miners to strike I-by 12, 1937.
"'I do not rombor signing any petitions in the sumnsr of 1937s
' I know nothing about the formation oi a um local in the _sunnor
Of 13370 I
Scuetine in sept. 193?, no me n meeting and decided to picket
Hino "8" which was suppose to have opened that day» I acted as e picket
frtsn time to tine, voluntarily, from slept; 19:1 until mom in Ioweeber
1937 when an injunction was obtained to prevent the piokoting. I was not
present then the irgiunotion Ill! served»
II do not rambor an attempt to open Him "3" in Rae. 193'! or Jan.
1 see. _ """"'
" Ct: D». 15, 1931 mas mm an eleotion to determine 1: lm '2'
should have been UH! or HAL I voluntarily rent to vets and voted Pills Io
far as I know the election was fair» There was no violence at the tins at
the election. .
_ '1 received notiee to return to work at Him "B" about lion 6,
1939. I returned to work about a week later. it the time I returned to
Bins "3' to work I noticed the results of no large tires although the nine
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as to the vmge scale. After my return #0 31110 3
UWF over PIA. _ _
I n
UHI7. In 1940 TONY PLQTCH nd JOE AI..B.EnIIE53 came to my home and told HQ IRE! JOHI L. LEWIS, ET L '
NT "' was caved in, in mmeroue places. I returned to
"°rk '15 11 member of PHIL. I had no underatcmdin§continued '
_ the management did not show any favoritism toward
U1-IW nor did the m-:.~m;:mnnnt make-any statements to indicate they Ere-fared
nIn about l9¢ aw me in my roan at line B and
told me I should join Uh? as ne wculd ac-on be UB7. A trachnlm the
none cf when I do not know also told me a little later that I should join
should join U115! as Hine "B" would scan be UHCI. Sometime in 194-0 rior tothe time ,I mined UM! - mnrni"1" U"_.I'vY m bars by the name Of
muse . 303.116; -.» 92.4. . was r;ecessr_~ry to join UMW to work
at Kine "B" or I would be discharged or beaten by members oi U153.
Pm cn Feb. 21, 1941 at the mas elections which election
I considered fair. There was no virlence at the time of the election and I _
did not see anyone threatened if hc did not vote.. I voted
I still fav-.r FHA over U13-3' as PEA is more democratic and I con-
sider PIJA 0. very honest union.
"1 1 d t iiino "B" until I stopped work- vms amp eye a
ing at Nine "B" voluntarily.
I have had this six page statement read to me. It is true and
correct to the bust cf my knowledge.
we
TIITHESSIQD:
Sp.
Special Agent, FBI
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Re: JOHN L. LEJRIS, ET LL
en, boo
I "B "=*@"*"~* "
-._.e "ore st - $m'L1rrfie1_d- lL_inois-W * 1' ~= I I2',-' f at which time - sxocu e a signed statement. Be InsIf _' F, very cordial and was cooperative except that his wife who was also present,
- - appeared to control his remarks which then become cautious and not too
pertin nt although direct one-were were given by him at all tines.L __ .'. ~ ' , - .sn7t worked at ]f__1.i:;_§e__B_si:1oe the miners struck there
is age he was unable to recall clearly events in any mnner of
sequence, and it is not believed, therefore, that he ill make a good witness.
"Springfield, 11.1.
August 28 _, 1943
CI 1 "- _ I 0 vo untarily m..l-re the follonin signed state-ment to Specie ents and _ No pro-
mises or throats were g ven -o cause no to no e is s a ement.
HI T1c_:_!_: :._A _ '-M men
A "I started working at lne B long before Hr. Carl H. Elshoff
ever took it over. Before I ever started at Ine B I belonged to the
United }.ne iforkers of America, and remained n member until I-line B all
Joined up with the Progressive 1H_.ngf_e__of_5;1o_r_i,ga_,_ I don't know why the
new Progressive Union was formed and have no knowledge of that caused
the strike at Mine B in 1937. Disagreement of some kind I suppose.
5". "92.,., _ km _ 92 . . X _ ,.,_.
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I ' 1 RE: mm L. 1.1:-ms, er 11. bf! C - a _
en s e ob/,u>
III k » '
.. and his
at the home
1d, I1-linois
is-I by each. 3pecie1 -lgents ' W
__eonducted the interviews and it is _ _ _:_
ake s good witness inasmuch as he does not reed, §ll; w,-'~1~.;;<§l<~+J1%., ,.. , . . .:_lish very well, and elthougl-1' he understands end speaks cannot H
reed or Irrite it. He has been e. naturalised citizen having been
p a showing his manbership in such union in
proud oi this anblem. He was very cooperative in every 'IB.l at m ~ y
time hostile to the interview. He had difficulty in dstel id r»-*_;
events and frankly admitted that he was never too oonoe:-nod over the-001!-' 4 ""
trove:-sies inasmuch as he Ins more interested in making 0. living for hi! i
L ram ily. He is presentiy anpioyed at iiine =3 . _ , . -.
- arho aided A ents 1» tn: 1 1; t 2' . g yec gsscmnerpresrar _Q his father, was also very cooperative but repeatedly pointed out that he lad i "
Q £0110-II~oi she arfioo of hie 1'!it.|.nr is. all of the disputes and steted that hisE 3 information was hearsay. He is e native born and reeds and speaks both Ing-7i~ 11¢ end He experienced difficulty in recalling certain events in
.. their proper q ence or exactness except that he worked at line "B" for 80_ '
IOn'Chl after it opened under an open shoa eirecnent but has since left iihil '_v" int! ef work "00 iii :TL§' 6y6T; iith where
- he is presently employed. m
The following is the signed stetanent o 1! i
k 8pringiie1d;Il1inoil "
August 29, 194.5,.,, -_..
-
Bas
Lgivs the 1'O110I1ng signed state-,-_, e ~==~- Fiat: have "mode themselves morn
to me of Investigation. Io thrusts . '
-e or promises have been made to cause me to mke this statement. A - . "
W _ .n
'1,4 I presently reside at y e
_ . vies naturalised at 3prin-
lly natumlization certificate number is 4
u£»- '
- I joined the United 1-ine Forte? 0f'1'ameriGa iP_ esi 61%;Ill. I have been working at Bins B sinceg off srsi on, an! an still us: i
played there es a digger. I continued my m ership in UREA while st line B -
until 1932 when I joined the Progressive lime Workers of America.» I don"; V '
92 " v f; '. ' 92 I .4 . - _ _ ,_ _ .. _'. V, ..;-.. ._ _~ L»,-»~ ' _ 0' - _~;.__ - _.-.- Q: , f¢_r._--' 1-_ 1 - i _ ~ -_ _, , _ _ l k . . - - ~ - 1- # - .-z . Q , "5-_' .,~-.. N _-;+__.' -1 -- . i -.4 7.-.-::.' .1 - - "* .»="'-~..vy» @¬§»rr~.~*:92.I 1 _ ~ I V 4 _ :_,,_ ».,F,_e_;_ M r .. ,_.' _ . asset :3|.-_f=|f;'f'$..4_. s._;a._,,_i;<__~1 ..e_ -- v I _ _ W __ _ _ _ __ H A _. 7,_ _ I -f 1 e ._u»;'; ,._e §;;;q_lf;~'&~;;_f-92_:__A.A.4
"
- born He appeared to be definitely in favor dil- ' L I
la Ins 1911' l
V . Q "_ .. I M . I I l. E H _ -.I H It Q. . >';7 -n _ _A /"5 v':92>_ -___;_.j -J-, X _ ..~ t -' W. = - ~ ,, .~-- ~_ ;--+~.» .a!¢'£J i»r.,. 1121.--_ ~ .'>.K'|!.m "P;».'-c'?1:;-e.;'4.l'.l. .-.:_.~1%'-:e =~v"*l:1 5' KI: WA-H: D -1- W N ' .
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as. JOHN 1.. ems, er 1.1, 1,/IQ, ~
1/ID
reed English or spe_e_k very well and only went to
meetingjrhell I bed to end so I don't know why the
Progressives started. I don't know why the strike
started in 1937 end don't know anything about the
relations between I-Ir. Elshoff and the union officials.
I don't on;/thing about e PLE. meeting on the night before the strike but
did hear something about n few men wanting to go back to UWIA.
"I remecmber signing some petitions but don't know how many or Ibo
I signed for on ell of then. I believe I signed for UHPEA once. I didn't
take any pert in the piclceting or activities because my wife was sick at the
time and I stayed home tc take scare cf her. I was on WPA most of the bime-
I remember voting for the Progressives in the fir st election in 1937. At
the second election I voted for tTL'IwI.k. No one forced me to vote - ell I was
interested in was worlzing, es I wanted to eat and take care of my family.
"The ab " statement 1m.|= read to mepresence of my so and it is true toby egsn1=_ in thethe best o my memory."
/B/_
Ag1=., FBI, Springfield, I11."
special Agent, FBI, 3pringfie1d, I11. __
The following is the signed statement of
Springfield, I11.
August 29, 1943. _ITITNESSHJ :
"1 vo untnrily Ye the 0 owin signedstatanent to-Special Agents and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. No threats or prunises of any k have
been made to cause me to ms.1:e this statement. ~
I was born
presently reside at
presently mployed1-in field llinoisi. I em
-1 :1.-.1: Joined eh. United Hine Workers of America m":rn11¢
working for the Peabody liine Co. I started working for Kine B jus efore
Christmas in the snme year. I retained my UHWA membership an 1 1952 when
I Joined the Progre.ssiz'a.Jli.n.e_]|Iorke:1_Qif £me1-ice. along with all the other
miners at line B. I switched back to ULMA after the second election in 1941.
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0 ' .ro_ .
RE: JOHIL.LH'I8,ETAL L379
k3
"Both the UEWA and the Pile unions got along with
end Hr. Elshoff so fer as I know. The theft of the
ballots on the wage scale was the reason for the
new Progressive union so fer as I heard the men
-talking. I hed only been in the mine o. little over
a year and wasn't very interested ineuniens. Hy father and I worked to-
gether much of the time and naturally we didn't talk about the union situ-
ation very'much. The ?rogrossiie Union seamed Eiright to me ind I iii treated
the same by both unions. I didn't attend very many meetings and never held
en office in either union.continued
"I didn't attend any meeting the night before the strike, but I
do recell hearing some of the men say tint e few fellows were en the carpet
for being spies. I do relnunbcr that the day of the strike the men were
supposed to be leading smell oars - I don't remember whether I loaded small
cars or not. I didnt knew anything about the strike until I was cello
to the surface. I didrt stick around out drove hcme almost at once. I
took pert in the picko-ting about half of the time. I personally never sew
any force used or trouble at the mine during the picketing. I have no know-
ledge of eny ettanpts to open the nine during the picketing. I don't knew
anything about any attempts to reopen the mine. Heard that they tried to
operate it but that there wasn't enough of them or something. g
I ranenbcr signing petitions both for Progressives and later after
the nine reopened for the United Nine Eorkors. I signed es I did not because
of fear er force but because the general talk each time was that meet of the
men were going to vote Progressive the first time and ULEHA the second time.
I voted in both of the NLRB elections end switched my vote. The
firt time I voted for the Progressives end the second time I voted for the
United Nine Workers. I voted just the way I felt like. lo one told me hot
to vote er used any force against mo. However, I heard others ey men were
going around e1ectieneering- those man were from both sides, just like any
ordinary election.
"After I started beck at Bline B under the "open shop I wasn't pay-
ing dues to anyone. when I rejoined I §oined up with the UMTL because my
father favored that group and signed up before I did. I rejoined UEWA be-
fore the clctien. No member of either union threatened me to get no to join
their side. -
"I have read the above and it is true to the best of my knowledge.
~ /=/_!~gcnt,'FBI, Springfield, 11. '
aoeinl gent, F.B.I., Bpringcldy I11.
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it I I
Re: Jess 1..Ls=T1s arm. ' Q,#1 mo
92I 1Q Q INI'ERVIET ?1TI"H was interviewed on August 28 1943, at hisX heme by Special Agents and' Ex He was cooperative and expressed a will ngness o es§ -f this case cones to trial _speaks in a very low voice,- 1- rr 1--I
1 - .
1 is not believed that he would make an elieetive Witness. no eiuueed to
.92 no criminal record. * *
J
The following is e. signed statement obtained £'rem
._ _ j92 _ I11-August 8, 1943
make the following statement freely and. . 92 1 A !Ji..A_ _and wno nave ioentifieeh £1 ti ti themselves to ents o o - eau o nves ga on-
No threats or promises have been made to me to obtain this statement.veluntarily to
111; I was born in
the United States in
Springfield, 111., in-
"I I"rst joint!" a union when I worked in the mines at.-1 ~.J
This was the United Mine Tforkers union. I stayed in the UJ-¬.I;. '
until 1952 when I joined the Progressive Liine Tior1ce_r§~9_1:__n§:;1eriea. I rejoined
the United Iiine iiorkers some tire-e'I5t¬ 'I1'i' I9ZU*o'r early in 1941. T92hi_le I
have been in these unions, I never held an office. I _ "
"1 started to work at 1fi_p{:_B, Springfield, 111., in - 1 had no
part in the formation of the Progressive Kine .erkers of America, but I
joined the P.!J.A. when it was organized because I wanted to -be with the
majority of the miners at Mine B itho favored the PJIJI. I, as well as the
other miners, felt that that the *J.H.'..'. was decking its members toe much
without showing the members what they were getting for their money. After
I joined the P.!-I.A.. that union always explained why they docked us, and they
did not dock us very much.
_ "In the period from 1932 until the strike at Iiine B in 1937, there
was no trouble at the mine to my knowledge. I don't remember any strikes
or shut-downs during this time. I don't remember any efforts on the part 0
tho mine nnnazcment to influenoe the miners about their union. e members
ere; v.u.'r:.'s.-ma me to join this union during this time. .1
"A11 during the period from 1932 to 1937 I liked the P.1f.A. union
very much. I always thought that the leaders of the P.1-1.11, were trying to
help the members. I attended a few meetings of the P.I»I.iL., and I eonld
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Re: JOIIH L. LEIS, or 1.1.
_ lo L/
none oi the leaders of PJEJL. ever attempted to compel the
members to do anything. Another reason I liked the FALL.
better than the U.l-1.1%". was that the P.H.A. did not fine
the members for failing to attend meetings, but the U.l .Ii'.
did fine the members 50! for each meeting missed. I don't recall that there
were any extra assessments by the P.E.A. during this time. I don't remember
if any U.!£..-i. men tried to persuade me to join the U.H..i. during this time,
and I don't remember if I received any literature from the U.li.'-3'.
"In the early part oi 1937 when it came time for PJ-LA. to get s.
new contract with Mine B, the miners in P.H.A. felt that their uion would
get as good a wage scale as the U.Iw1.'.i. could get. After the P.l.I.A. obtained
a temporary agreement with Fflahofi, the PJLA. leaders told us that they
had obtained a temporary agreement and that lshoff had agreed to pay the
back pay oi the P.}E..'.. miners when the permanent contract was signed.IHTERVIET TITH
"I reeal that in 195'? before the str_ilr,e,/inyjfay, men known to mo as
{annoy 35011;;-;§:Yl_Qll5, Q_O_!T1i_.'f1i§__P8._§_QQ&l.O, and slggti-iere"t1'z:rg; to get members for
the U.I§.'.'. They were telling all the miners in lline B that they should not
work for P.l.E..k. until that union got a contract with Mine B. They also said
that if they turned over to U.H{I., U.E.. could got a contract with Mine B
right away. I don't recall that the management made any comment at this
time which would indicate thzt they preferred the U.H{3, I don't recall that
the P.Ef.A. officials gave any explanation for their getting only a temporary
contract with Kine B. 1
"Before the strike on E-iay 12, 1937, I heard fremg weight
checker for ?.M..*.. at ljine B, that there was to be s specie rnee of
P.H.A. on the night of Evay ll, 1937. I did not go to the meeting, and I
don't know if all the members of P.H.A. were invited to this meeting. I
don't know why the meeting was called or what was discussed at the meeting.
"7-hen I went to work on the morning of Lilly 13, 193?, I first learned
of the strike. He one told me that I could not go into the mine, but I
went to the wash house to get any clothes and tools. I recall that I stayed
on the road near the mine that day and did not-go into the mine to work.
I don't remember if anything was said about wages at this time, but I do
remember that everyone was saying that the strike would be settled in s
few days. I don't recall hearing anything about my the strike was called.
Prior to the strike I knew thst weight checker, had
claimed that the scales at I-Zine B were not we ccurately, and that
he intended to call the State Scale committee to check the scales at Mine
B. I don't know if the scales were checked.
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INTERV - "Shortly after the strike started I recall that I signed s
petition for P.IJ.A. I signed this petition because I
continued! felt that I-.M.A. was a better union than U.H.".T. I don't
remember if any reason was given for the petition which
I signed voluntarily. I don't recall any other petitions being circulated
at thistisac.Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
During the swrzmerof 1937 I worked on a farm, and I don't remenoer
receiving any notices of any attempts to open Mine B. In the fall of 1937
I went on the picket line at 15159 E. for P.I.£.A. on several occasions. The
purpose of tho picket I-as to keep out U.l¢i.T»-". men. P.M.A. men could not
have worked if they had wanted to because Elshoff would not let them."From i I learned of the lfational Labor Relations Board
election in December 195. . I heard that the election was being hold so
that the miners could vote for the union they wanted so that tho mine could
sheh reopen. 1 voted rm» the F.I.I.A. in this election which was held in the
State arsenal in Sp!'ingi'i"_-ld, 111., and voted for P.I-LA. because I felt that
P._~Z.A. was the better union. I think that the majority of the miners at this
time favored the P.M.A. because they always talked in favor of P.M.A. I
think that the election was fair and square. I was not compelled to go to
the election, and I was able to vote as I wanted.
"During the period from Fovembor 1959 to February 1941, I recallthat%K/lotch Baumgartner! tried to persuade me at Mine B to join UJLT-.'.
This man had been strong for P.L1.A. in 1937. I don't know why he turned
to UJ-I.'.'., but I heard that he was paid by U.!J.'.';. I don't remember exactly
when he came to me, but I do recall that he said that P.H.A. had no contract
with Iiine B, and that if I wanted to work at Mine I ought to sign up with
U.!£.T.'.
"1 think it was some time in December 1940 that I joined the U.H.T92='.
Ono ftornoon three men came to my room in Mine B. One of _them was knownash and another was known as mi These men were not regular
employees a Iiino B. I, together with o .. ners, felt that they had
been brought to the mine by the U.H.'T. to help organize for that union. AsI recall, said that I could not work the next day unless I signed
up with U.l!. .. oined U.l-5. . because I wanted to keep on working.
" don't remember the exact date, but I remember seeing Egivc
a beating in the blacksmith shop at Iiino B. I don't ow what
d d t in cause t e fight, but I heard thatqtrie to persua e W o joU.L!..{. I o heard that Qgove a eating to an Auburn, ., man by
tho name o for fail ng o clean up the slate in his room. I don'tknow if r ed to persuade to join UJLTT.
- 331 -
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R JOHH L 1.1-:r1s, mm.
INTFRVIE TITH After join1ng the U M.F , I voted in the election held in
February 1941 Althought I was a member of the U g; at
this time, I vote3 Tor P M A because I thought it was
better union. I remember that Klotch told me about this
emetlon, but he did not BE-L1 me noi if-0 vote.
r Q Ih1s etatem nt has been read to me by an
I state th;t as true to the best of my knawledge en reco ction.
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R8: JOHN L. LE¬IS,ET1L
e lo "215
interviewed at his home on
Illinois, on the afternoon of
was born in
on Hey 12,
q 1957. He Is presently bedri would not make s good witness,
' due to an extremely heavy accent. 1y difficult to undo:-sts.nd,
and he has difficulty in understanding questions put to him. Because of this
a signed statement was not obtained.
qwas not particularly interested in the affairs of the
Union, prior to t date of the strike on biay 12, 1937. He did not attend
union meetings regularly, and did not hzow oi the cause of the strike. B
did not know that there was to be a strike until it was called. Be spent
some time at the mine property during the sit down, He voted in the election
in December, 1937, and was not molested in any way. He has always been
satisfied with the V33 and never wanted to change. He still considers him-
self as Jnrn_is still !0u|ri!!e:_.. .
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INT M 1=,w WITH was interviewed at his home,& held Illinois Special Agen s ea t which time he exeou ed
H19nd
Q! a signed statement. appeared to be qu e cooperative and mentioned at
*92_ outset of the interview that he was cognizant oi the purpose of same. Es
r speaks and writes English; and appeared to have an average education. 'Be
knorrled f rtinent should make a satisfactory witness except that his gs 0 ps
facts is limited due to his working on the ni ht shift at all times. He dun-onstrated an animosity form and and repeatedly
stated that the rank and fa. e o e miners 1 no what it was all I.-
bout refering to the union controversies!. He is presently working at _¥igg__
"B"| and considers OSCAR FALCETTI as his personal friend.
_ The following is the signed stetemait oi
, "Springfield, Ill.
_ August 28, 1945.nI: make the followin voluntary statement toSpecial Agen s and of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation. '0 three s or pIOmILBe8 of any have been made to get
me to make this statement.
Springfield, Illinois and was born
at ':.
The first union I ever joined was the United Mine Workers of Amer-
ica when I was just a kid working at the Old North Nine out north of Spring-
field. I remained in that union until I joined the Progressive line Workers
of America while working at Kine "B" in 1952. I never held any ofi'ices.in
either union. _
Prior to 1932 so far as I know the relations between Zlshoff and
the UMNA were fine. '
The Progressives star eeause the UIML stole the election and
because a number of men like and a few others wanted offices
and figured that they could ge ey formed a new union.
"Towards the last, that is before the strike in llay of 195'! there -
was considerable trouble between Elshoff and the Progressives representedby? I should mention that ever since I was employed at lline "B"
about 30 I have worked nights, as mine examiner, and most of my infome-
tion is not first land but canes from hearsay. To my knowledge there were
no strikes or close downs or attanpts by the management to discredit the
Progressives before the strike in My of 1937.
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zrnmvzn; WITH "Because I worked nights, I never attended any Progressive ,
Union meetings and have no knowledge of the relations be-
ccn inue tween the Progressive officials end the FHA membership.
Night men were exempt from union meetings»
Iiever heard or new anything of any alleged union spies or Ins
approached by anyone to" change my union affiliations before the strike-
. My only knowledge of the wage scale controversy in the spring
of 1937 was whet I sew in the papers. I never knew of any meeting held
on the night of May ll, 1937 at which any members were expelled. The first
I knew oi the strike was when I reported for work on the afternoon of Hay 12-
I have no knowledge or memory of ever signing any petition show-
ing preference for either the Pm or the UMNA.
During the time the PI-EA was piclceting the mine in 1937 I spent
about two weeks out there off and on. After e. while I went over to the Pan-
ther Creek #2 mine where I worked. until Nine B started up again. I retained
my Plik membership over at Panther Creelc?"f2'- securing e. transfer-
nWhen I returned to Mine B it was working under an open chop
agreement. But after working e while I saw that all the men were joining
IRMA and I decided that I might as well get on the bendwaggon to save my
job. I didn't care which union I worked for-__ all I wanted was to work
and didn't care who I paid dues to. ~_,_
I heard that the mine was going to reopen in the fell of 1937 '
but I was working already at Panther Creek #2 and didn't bother to go cut.
"1 remember the election held in the fell of 1937 which the agents
tell me was on December 15! I voted in that election end thought that it
was conducted fairly and sqierely. I remember that the United liners got
only 25 votes end I believe that represented the feeling on unions at the
mine at the time. However, I don't think that most of the miners knew whet
the election was all about.
'I also remember the second National I-ebor Relations Board elec-
tion early in 1941- I also iroted in this election and believe that it uni
also conducted on the square. -
' "1 dont care who knows how I voted- The first time I voted for
PEA and the second time I voted for UWU.
I was never ct any time intimidated, threatened or coerced by
either union at any time during all these years.
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1 /BO £910
"I am still employed at lino B working; night! as Q ulna
examiner. """*! continued!
"If I had a free choice of unions I would choose the W
because I feel that it is a real organization. A
"The above page and one half have been fend to me by igontn
and the some are true to the best of my knowledge-"
/oi-
IITLTSSED : - -
~ iaI igent, 1=*.a.1., Springfield, 111.
_ 5p6Ci&1 -gent, F.B.I., iipringfieid, T11.
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as» Joan 1.. Lens, strsz. i _
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INTERVIEW WITH was interviewed at his home, .
I ingfield Illinou bv Soeoial '
build and very nervous. ac ormation or tionby UHWA members, inasmoh as he was badly beaten by than during the labor , L
trouble. His wife often interrupted him and gave infonnation that he at- ;_e'
tempted te hide, For this reason it is not felt that he would make a good"
witness. '
The following signed statement was given by_
"Springeld, Ill.
August 51, 1943-
do voluntarily make the following signed state-
and Special Agents of the
Federal Bu tion. ea s or promises of any kind have
been made to cause me to make this statement.ments to
1- 1| _ _.l___-_l.n ___,rJ. W15 DDTD LT; Hy PFBBBDU 1'55]-""
dance is Field, 111-
"I started working at Mine "B" on joining the United
Mine Workers of 1!-merica at that time. I star e as a rt nioher" and can.
presently employed at line B as a oar blocker.
"Betweenand 1932 the UIMA and th mine management got along
fine. In 1932 the mine turned 1fr_qgx-eseiyeg}§i.nei11forkers_3i§_-Qmerieci and I
joined up with them. =0 for as_I know the theft of votes on wages was what
started the new Progressive Union. "elation: between Hr. ELSHOFF and the
Progressives seemed alright to no until the contract troubles in 1937 when
the old contract expired the Progressives 6: Kr. H.-SBOFF couldn't seem to get
together, I don't whose fault it "5.-§e
"I never attended any Progressive meeting the night before the
strike and I never heard any of the men talking about 5 of the Progressives
being expelled for being spies.
"The first I knew about the strike in lay of 1937 was when I heard
the men talking about it about noon and the strike was called tint afternoon.
"1 don't rec-ell si
I4-{nuns Par at hnh Isnlnn rharfnur I!bu-" --u vwa-vauvnlw Av; -1 v-nu -nu-we. --. uh -
trouble. '
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RE: JOHN L. LEJIB, H LL
57¢! 575
IHTERVIHY WITH 3 nights a week on picket duty. During this period Im never saw any violence by either union nor witnessed any '
92 sleet:-notion oi property.
I was at the mine on one occassion, I believe it was in Bept of
193? when 13 ULFIA men tried to open the ne. There were between 200-SE-0
Progressives there pickoting, but I never witnessed any violence or threat... _
The opening didn't succeed as more men were necessary for operation. The
Progressives wouldn't work with UWIA and as I understand it the 15 UH-IA and
500 PEA nQbers represented the men_s actual feelings on union membership
at that time. -
"I remember voting in the NLRB election in December 1937. I thought
that it was an honest and fair election. I recall that Ulliil received only
25 votes, and believe that at that time the great majority of the men at Mine
B favored the Progressives as shown by the great majority __tlle_ had in this
election.
I can only explain the failure of the Progressives to sign s con--
tract with llr. ELSHOFF during the 2% years that we were out on strike to the
fact that iir. didnt seen to care to deal with the Proeseivee but
preferred the United line "orkers. I recall a conversation with llr. ELSHOT
h he 8115 that JOIN Ls LEW B was 0. to. ,1 way back in March of 1932 during whic . i _
good friend of his. During the same conversation he said that
didn't want to work and was just looking for an easy job.
When I went beck to l!_ig_e___§__ebout the first of 1940 I was still -.
member of the Progressive Union, slthou h the mine was working under an u1.'e;-shop agreement. On Jan 25, 1940 a UMWA organiser came tome and asked me to join_I.Tlf-ll. He filled out the application and 1' signed
it, because I thought that the majority was going that way. No force or
violence of any kind was used on me. I got sick, however, and was unable tc
attend the initiation and the next morning while I was changing clothes in
the wash roan I was hit on the tanplc, knocked over a bench, and kicked while
I was down by UIIFIA men. I didnft see my assailants but know that I was bee.te'.1
for not showing up at the UIMA meeting. I only saw one other beating at the
nine and didn't hang around to see who the parties to it were.
"I voted in the 2nd ELRB election in the pring of 1941. This elec-
tion was held fairly 8: squarely in my opinion. The majority was for UH-1 rind
108 or Progressives.
Very shortly after the above election llr. EBHOFF and Ulhll officialr.
reached an agreement and there has been no real trouble at the mine since that
date. "
-$380
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RE: §¬."E!! L= LEIHE, El L
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INTERVIEW wrm "I have ad lcnowledge of any financial dealings between
LEWIS or the UN-L and llr. ELBHJFF and never heart} _ -7°35 I»-
Icontinuel any talk to that effect-
" "1 don't care who lcnow - I voted for PEA in both ILZRB electicza.
"1 have read the above 8 3/4 pegs: of statements made by me and
re true to the best oi my knawladga. _
/vitheya
WITNESS:
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'92
RE: $0111! L. LEWIS
INTERVIEW" "IITH owed at the home which he owns,- j =~ Bprinefield. 1mn=1-.
. by on the Special A entl
born at
mines for years.
or more before 1932 until January 1 . Be is
now employed at Panther Creek gigg No. 5.
PM considered by interviewing Agents as e good potential
Iritness. is confused es to the sequence of details which he recalls. His
interest was passive for several years between 1932 and 1939 and he does not
recall events occurring in that time clearly. He recalls, clearly. however,
events surrounding the estcblishnent of the Frogressive iiine Workers in 1932,
end the events occurring at Kline '3" in 1959 and 1940 when he was being
abused there. He is quite opt to confuse the things which happened in 1932,
with those which happened in 1939 and 1940. Events occurring in between
those dotes evidently did not greatly concern him, and he czumot recall themvividlyngis vindictive against JOHN L. LE-FIB, and OSCAR rawmx.
He would e e s u orn witness and would not be easily conned on cross ex-
nmimticn except as to sequence and dates of events. Be makes o. fair ep-
penrence, has good command of the English lenguege, end can express himself
clearly, He would be easily understood. H6 gave information set forth in
the following signed statements '
Springfield, Ill.
august 51, 1943
M name is I make the following statement too.1-xi , who have identified themselves
o me o o pecidl ligents of t e e err Bureau oi Investigation. Ho pron
ises, threats, or consideration of any kind has been node to ne'to get no
to mks this Btntemmit. It is true and occur-Etc. I on willing, if necess:~.r_
to go to court and repent any pert of this statement. -
"1 have been in the nines for .yenrs. I first went to lline B .
ebout 1928 or 1929. I do not reecell emcl when it was, but I was at Hine
B when the Progressive Iiine Workers of E"1e1'iGo. was organised. I was on the
picket line when we struck to mks the company accept the Hf! of A and get
sway from JOHN L. LE- IS and the United sline eorkers. it the time I was pick-
eting there in 1932 I henrd JOHN QQEREIDER talking with OSCAR F1-.LCE!".lI. FAL-
CE'I"1I would not hire the men who had been fired before the strike, and said
r.- i
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INTERVIEI WITH in l93'!. I do not remember if I was at the meeting of theQ union the day before the strike. I raaenber that I was
_ continue loading; small ears of coal that day, but I oannot runenber
thy -it was that I was loading than small. I was not told
to load than small. Something happened tint made me see tlnt I should load
them smll. It was something that the company did, but I do not recall what
it ens. dfter the strike was sailed; I do mt relngber enaetly what it was
that did happen. I know that one day they tried to open the mine. I was
out there. There were about 10 men who went down into the nine with 080-LR
FALCEETI. After a short time they all cane up. We had s union meeting the
next day or that night. I remember that we went back out to the mine std
Stayed on the property to keep the United liine Workers from coming in to go
to work. I stayed out there a lot of the time during the lit down. The men
who were on the sit down were men who had been working at lline B. After the
injunction I left the nine property. I did not hear of any more attempts to
open the nine.
' ' "I voted in the election in Deeanber 1937'. No one told me how to
vote, or tried to influence my vote in any way. It was a fair election es
for as I know, and I voted tlxaetly as I pleased.
"-fhen the strike started I was satisfied with the Progressivem
Uine Workers of hznerica, and the operation of local TF5-4. I' did not want to
join the U11!-I4. I was off of JOHN L. LE-1'15 for what he had done to us miners
in 1982.
_ During the strike I em not have any other job. -
"I do not recall exactly whet happened to reopen the mine, but when
it w-as reopened as an open mine. There were men who belonged to both unions.
I knew that they were trying to organise the United Mine Workers es s union
there. I had heard of that. I told everybody that said anything to me about
it, that I would never join the United liine Workers because of the things th:-.
JOHN L. LEGS had done to the coal miners in 1932. I talked about that quite
e. bit, and was not afraid to let anyone know how I felt about it. _
When I went back to the mine, I got my old room, but when it ran
out, I was given a very bad rocsn. It was full of slate, and it was so lard
to work that I do not believe that the eanpany ever made any money out of it
at ell. I began getting "docks" for having dirt in my coal. I had Ind very
few docks before the troulble with the unions. They ran up $50 of docks s-
gainst ne. They charged docEs of 3.40 for the first ear with dirt in it each
day, 31.40 for the second, and $3.00 for the third oar with dirt in it each
day. Host of these tines I found out that the dirt in my ear would be sul-
phur or dirt, and there was no sulphur or that kind of dirt in my rocn at
all. The company began giving no the bad end of the deals. They treated
D34%D
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INTERVIET 1| some of the other men that my too
fired me one da
[00ntinua.J
was no rule against that. sometines when there was
drivers would say which car belonged to which digger. I remember tint they
y for taking an empty off the track in front
of my room. In years of coal mining I had alwayitaken the car tho! was laying in front of my switch. There
a shortage of ears, the
, but there was no such .
shortage that time. OSCAR FALCETTI fired me for taking another dig;ger's oar.
The pit committee got me my job back again, after ma
would not take anybody elses aapties again. The verking me promise that I
y next day, I was fired
again by FALCETTI, for leaving en empty car on the track in front of my room.
The lituation was exactly the sane as before as far as I could see. The pit
committee got ne ny job back .agai.n.
About six weeks before I was fired, I wen
to get my money. I handed in the stub of the staten
the peg out of the window, and let it fall, and almo
him that if he had hit my hand I would have sued the
the time that the other things I have mentioned were
mine.
T s-:_,..192.- ....-2; T _.....a lus...u.y qua», -1- nun "Several days before
the wash house. That happened several times to me.
fore the troulble with the Unions and the organising
The company knew tint that was going on , and
did. The day before I finally quit my tools
first time that my tools had been taken from
that I was working there. I had a hard time
rowed enough tools to sort of finish up whatmy roan
working
was loot to the window one day
ent to FALCEITI. He pulle
st caught my hand. I told
company. That was about ..
happening to me at the
l...-.-I-.- -92..-I-nJ-Q -Lv.92 Q-us 0-1..II-LVLIL6 EILLFUO IHULULJ 1l92Jl-H
That never happened_be-
of the Unitedlline Workers
could have stopped it, but never
were all stolen. That was the
during the entire time
there that day, and bor-
se. I had to quit earlybecause of it. The next morning wlin I went to work I went into the wash
house to change my clothes. I saw caning towards me, but didnot know what he was going to do. E :1! me inure eye, and about t sane
time come u on me fro b Jh I , p m ehind. " en was knocked down,
rie to kick me in the face. They ran me off bl the cclapnny proper-;*
and did not even let me go back to get my pay. That was before the second
election at the nine.
.9210 gay I saw .1km; around in front of the of.
fice. He was cursing and say things about the -?rogressives. He said sev-
eral ti es, "the Progressives a?e no good. They have got to go. QSC.- =3. I".!~..!.~
CETTI was standing right there where he could
He just laughed like he thought that it was a
"'-ihen I went back to the mine after
there had been some falls. I did not see any
bed occurred during the strike.
CWQ
I
Ihear, and did not say anything.
good idea.
it reopened, I noticed that
evidence of any big fires that___: _ WM, ,,l__,_1T_,_n _ii_. I . i,__ ,__ _ AW, - -_|» ,,
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C - O
E: JOHN L. LEWIS Cy
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IN'1'ERVIE.'i ZTITH I£92O working in the mine, or was supposed to be working there. I do not know what he wee supposed to be
continued! doing, because I never eaw him doing any work. e never '
talked to me about joining the United lline Workers, In feet,
no one ever talked to me about joining the DWI except e man from G010:-ado who
I saw at the nine only e. few times. I never learned his name. He esme to me
during the first fee days t-Mt the nine wee reopenech I told hie. en»: I would
not join up with JOHN L. LE-IS. Ho told me that tint was what he one there
for, to get us to join the U157. He came to eee me in my room when I wee drill-
ing o hole. He was the only one who ever asked me to join the U18? but everyw
body else knew how I rm; about it, because I tom then-
"I do not reoell signing any petitions, although I may have.
I voted in both elections, even though I had been kicked out of
Nine B before the second elect-ion= I voted. exactly as I pleased in both eleve-
tions. '
I was always satisfied with the Progressive I-iine Workers, and never
did want to join up with the United Mine "orkerl, nor having anything to do
with JOHN L. LE--IS.
"I have rend the above stntunent on this page and four other pages-
It is all true and accurate.
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as. JOHN L. LEWIS, rr 11. _
INTERE ms was mtemma at the bane which he
locate- st Sri_r1gi'ield,qii B ' V
C811
probably a good witness due to s
3 heavy accent and the factor that he is extremely hard of hearing,
and cannot understand we'll the various questions put to him. He
gave information set forth in the following signed statement:
-n.....1.._a-1-1.1 -r11.|.._.:-"pp '.|..u51 .Lt$.I.Ll 3 1.4.4-l.llU.l.D
August 31 , 191.3.
_ make the following statement
who have identified
_ veszto be Special e Bureau oi Investigation.
No promises, threats or consideration of any kind has been made to we
to have me make this statement,
92---.-
H-QVU
I ad not
take part in J.llVGll-l nu Izvca. .rG92..u.ru UU OTB
amr of the activities concerned with the strike. I did not go to
the union meetings and did not lmcm that was going on. I was slugs
satisfied with the way the P were being operated,
and with the operation of local #54 at Mine B. I did not want to
change unions. I belonged to the union at the mine that was there;
and was satisfied with the PLI of A union while I was at mine B. '
"I have read the above statement on this page. It is true
and accurate.
<s1s~==1> i
Special Agent FBI
Special Agent FBI"
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92G .. O
Re: J01-ll L. LEWIS, ET AL.
l/2 ¢/ is 2_Dmm Ev wrm $ .1... resides :
Spri , meis, and who is prssen y s eye
, was
by Special Agents
atsd he was born
toyed at Mine "B"
make a fair witness, has a fair , and is
able to fairly well and has an intelligence above that of
the average miner. He furnished info:-ration as set forth in the following
signed statement.my of
1942.
Springfield, n1_
M31181» 31, 1943.- "My name is Q following state-
ment to who have
identifie emse v me de
Bureau of Investigation. Ho promises, threats, orthe Fe ral
consideration
of any kind has been made to me to have me make this statement.
It is true and accurate. I an willing, if necessary, to go to court
and repeat any part of this statement.
"1 have been a mineL_all of my life. I first Joined the United
Mine Workers when I was years old. I went to work at mine B in- as near as I can remember. I used to go to the Union meetings
quite regularly, but I was never a union officer at mine B. In
1932 when the entire local joined the Progressive Fine Workers of
America, I was willing to switch over. I had no objections at all
to the formation of the PHI. The relations between the company at
Liine B and the unions continued to be about the same both before
and after the fermtion of the PIN. Before the strike in 1937, the
relations of the union and the company were satisfactory as far as
I was concerned. I did not pay much attention to what was going on.
I Just did my work and did not pay much attention to what went on
at the office or at the mien meetings. I went to the important mien
meetings, but was not interested in what sent on among the mien
generally. I did not go to the union meeting the night before the a
strike, It was a complete surprise to ms. I was completely satis-fied with the operation of the
and local £54. I did not know en that there had been any discussion
abou switching uions. I knew Before the strike was called that there
was some trouble over some men having been fined by the mien or seine-
thing like that. I did not knew the details, but I had heard about it.
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Re: JO!'l1L.LE I5,ETi92.L
HQ we
I did not knew that it was serious enough to cell a
strike over. I do not remember that there was any quarrel
about the wages or rates at the time that the strike was
called. 92INTERVIEW HITH
a
"after the strike was called, I went heme. I did not go back
out to the mine. I was not interested in union affairs. 1 was never on
a picket line or anything like that except that I did stay on the picket
line at the sit down for one night at yine B. After the strike I stayed
at hone. I do not recall every having been asked to sign any papers for
either unien. I was in favor of the Progressive Mine Workers, and if I
signed any Papers it was for them. I did not knew any of the men who
were in treulbe with the mien exct one who is dead now. He had not
said anything to no about changing unions.
"I did not know anything about the formation of the U157 local
during the summer of 1937, nor about a contract with the U1-II by the
Mine B coal company. I was not at the mine on the day in September
when they tried to open, and when the sit down started. I stayed at
the sit down only one night, The men t re ~ = x had 'nnI"k¢dat 1,111: B before the strike, except one-
"I voted in the election about the unions in Decneber 1937.
That was a fair ection as far as I know. Hon one tried to influencemy vote or make/egg anything that I did not want to do. It was a fair elec-
tion I voted exactly as I wanted to vets.
I did not hear anything about trying to open the mine at any '
time about an attempt to open the mine until they did get it opened, ex-~
cept that one time in September 193'? when the sit down started. Daring
the tine of the strike I was on RH. part of the time.
"When the mine reopened, I did not get to work mtil about
November 17. lhere was bad air in cry section and it was a while before
things got cleaned out. There was no big fire or fall while the mine
was closed that I know anything'about.
"When the mine rc-opened there was no contract with any mien.
Several men came and talked to me about s-ritehin ovcr to the UH?! but
the .1111 ones who asked ne to Join the Uit-' were# and a nan whose name I do not know. an My ' 088,,
came my house once and asked me to join th . 1 cse did not _
say anything, he Just cane along. -1"-ras one of the non who
came to the nine after the strike. 5l!WF.. fellows talked to me
about chaning but none of them asked no to join the Ulla.
-346-
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C? O . .
Re: JOH4 'L. LEWIS, ET AL.3 7 <1/I
DJIEZRVIE--' TI!-1 Ewes oneW min ter he strike.I e ! ' u . u supposed to be doing in£73
of the men who cane to the
I do not know what he was
the mine. I never saw him doing
,,_ .,_ _|_ It A. I .- -_-I A-'92l.¢.-I J-Q -an a9292nu-col ann-lb-Inlly W011. 11!-.1 CB-[BU U0 HQ IUULU H JUII bJ.lLI::I u-uu UGLABU uu ill; Guuuu UIu.uuu='
ing mions. I told him that I did not want to switch but I would join
any mien which had the majority. to one bothered me, although I heard
that some or the other men at the mine had been bothered about oining;the Um and that there had been some beatings. I wondered that h
was supposed to be doing in the mind. I never saw him doing m
I asked somebody what he was supposed to be doing. They told me that
he was supposed to be an Air Ebcaminier. I had never heard of an air
- examiner at Mine B before The mino"ex:.u:1incr checked the air at night. I_. . - , - - . - .- . - .- 92 .- 1 Q iThey had never had a nan to do that In the day tint? Delete q
came to the mine. After he left, there was no one as an air 1IlSpCc r
in the day time.
"I joined the UQ! on the lest dav that I eould join and nothave to pay a new initiation foe. sane to me and told me
that all the fellows had joined up, and the ey had a majority and
that the mine was going to m mm entirely. He told mc that if I did
not sign up by a certain date that I would either have to leave the
mine or join up with the Um. So I Joined the U15? on the last day.
I did not want to join the ow. If arr; other jobs had been availab le
the time I would__quit and gone to work somewhere else, but I had to
have a job, so I joined the Uibi even though I preferred the PW. "at
"In the second election no one tried to influence my vote. I
voted exactly as A wanted to vote.
"In my or April 1942 there was :1 fire at the mine and I could
not work in my section. They asked me to work someplace else in the
nine and double with some one, but that was against the mien rules so
I went home. khan I went back there was some quarrel about it, and I de-
cided to quit.
"I have read the above statement on this page and three other
pages. It is all true and accurate.
_ /51 i,, I 7 #*_K ' ' '
53¢
Special Agents FBI"
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IETTERVIETI "rm Q
on the
N
92 .0 , 0
He: JEN L. LEWIS, ET AL
l0/J¢/ :-r1._D>
p I
homo which he ox-ms,
, Illinois,
by Special Agentsborn st Q
his life. re ;
cons: ere y agents ss o. good potential witness because of
his appearance, his ability to express himself and apparently has above
average intelligence. He gave the icrmetion set forth in the follcrrirg
signed statement: ' M en
Springfield, Ill.
mnko the following stetemcnt
, who have identified themselves
of Investigation. Ho
ne 92nnn EhAn + RQ in B*ALQNI 92J'92|@l-I lnlt92A92.I Irv Illhl $9 by UI n1 1~=~ i
to mo to be S
n¢A4-nQ &L-
Anhmiinwnilnm AF nan A Q
. LF: uxu..Lnca| mu eat.-'3, ur 92»uu04.92- Flu-v-I-vu ~14
mete melee this statement.
I have worked at Liine B since about! off and on, and steadily
since about - Since that time I have been c ottom man. That is, I work
at the bottom of the shaft, stop the cars, and put them on the lift etc.
That moans that I em one of the lest men to go down in the mine in the mornin
and one of the first to come out at night. I do not go to the mine early,
and leave as soon as I can st night. Thus. I do not get to know the men at
the mine very well. I do not ace the men who work beck in the mine unless
they happen to come out during the day. I joined the United Kine Workersfirst when I was Hyears of age. I was never; particularly interested in
Union affairs, bu did keep track of things in the Union. I did not go to
mcetinvs often. I was never and officer. In 1932 the entire local went
over ti the Erogressivo Hine_ prkegs of America. I was not particularly
t f ll th interested in going over to the PHI of A, but I was willing o o ow e
mnjority. It did not make much difference to me which union I belon ed to.I did not go the PSI meetings, beccu.so
and they mcet_the came night.
"I did not attend the meeting of the union the night before the
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FRe: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET LL IC
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-foul-.¢=v-Q1-4-n/3, 4 'l-Inn TT92|"" no-92r'|HIQQI $3 Y3 I $ 92nI LL57 Zljf
that they were doing, but
con ue unions at that time.
'I did not know of the formation ofmac Dnaninn 'l',92Illr921r AP +1-92n §t'h§v'l¢'l vow -.v92.¢r.- E we --v-.. -s- --»- -e-A-.-.-..._
I would not have wanted to change
the me: local at mine B " em '
not go out to the mine the day that it was opened in the fall of 193?. I did
not stay out at the picket line when the men stayed there for several months.
I was asked to go out, but I told the men that I would go ereud to the
houses and telk to the men but I would not g
not think that it
in the election of Docenbo
and went down to vote in a"I voted
Progressive Hell,
vote, or tried to
far as I know. I
During the strike, I was unemploye
get on WPA.
- "I went back to the mine soon after
job tht I had before. I still continued to
morning, and leave early at night, end i did
going on out there. I understood that sever
end th t there was a lot of organizing goingo to e picket line, because I did
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…[truncated]