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u 4QRe: acme L. LE-'TIS, ET AL 6 QC-
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@v~*~"=Ir1"H also know as
was interviewed a his home at Spring-
" I inois, by Spe and
.9 make English very well, although a goodwi92 §__ he appears intelligently alert. He has no known criminal record.
upplied the following signed statement:
"Springfield, Ill
September 4, 1913
»~ sometimes known as thefollowing volunary s a ement to F
who are Special Agents of the Fede i eau o Inve . eats or
promises of any kind have been made to get me to make a statement and I do
so knowing it may be used in a court of Law. _
_ "I was born en Of
~_c=--=1;-;-' _-.i_.~:-.L F l7. :.- 9*U0 S I I '13- '- ' 5 Q I '-"1-2 ~=': .- '_:'.1_.- ' "u-'--'n,;..-a Ji r.,'.. ' _ , -_ . _
s l mg a c- - n
"I began working in coal mines about
and first joined a union at that time. I joined U.lE.?T. _ '
"I first worked at Mine "B" about and then I worked in several
other mines and came back to Mine "B" about
"I think the miners and the management got along o.k. before the
P.M.A. was formed. In 1932 I joined P.M..-1. because there was a condition
existing within the U.3.I.W. that the miners did not like. 1-Te had no voice
in the election of officials and we had to do as the union officials said_
so my local quit U .1-.£.-H. and joined P.L'.A. I have never been §_ official
of any union.
"I liked P.M.A. at that time and I thought the miners were about
50% better off under P.]-LA. than U.Li."7. As far as I know there was no
difficulty with P.H.A. and the mine owners until just before the strike
at Mine "B" in 1937.
"I did not see any spies at Mine "B" before the strike and no one
attempted to get me to change from P.M.A. to U.M.W. at this time. I
heard a day or so before the strike that 2 or 3 men had been expelled from
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
k_ !_ ?§H!_ u I, On the day of the strike I loaded all my cars as usualand worked a full day. I understood that the company had
continued refused to deal with P.M.A. and also that the compeny'wanted
to deal with U.M.W.
"I signed a P.I§.A. petition shortly after the striice to show the
Federal Government that P.M.A'. was in majority,
"A few months after the strike we heard the mine was going to
open under U.M.W. so at our union meeting we decided we would picket the
mine to protect our jobs. On the day the mine was supposed to open only a
few I.-MW miners went in the mine. We continued to picket until we were
served with an injunction.
»'|' __.L__92 4.. .1.92__ 921 -r ra rs _-|___¢:.._. -t_ 1-92___..__'|__-.. i VODEU 11'} L»[l -3 IV-1.4-F»-Du EJ.t:.'LL».l.UI1 LU LBLUIHUUI
fair election and P.1.I.A. won by a large majority.T& van nLU "db d
"I started back at Mine "B" when it opened on an open shop basis-
I worked as P.M.A. until I saw the majority were going UJLW. and because I
wanted to WA-F1: and as long as both P.1.{.A. Q U.I>1i.'-J. were working there was
always trouble. I had no recourse if I was shorted on my cars, unless I
belonged to the union who was able to deal with the mine operators. I
have been short weighted on my cars loaded and I can't get the proper settle-
ment under U=I~i=1'L .
"I prefer P.L{.A. to U.II.'..'. because the miner has something to
say in electing the officers under PJLA. while in U.M.W. we have to accept
any officer who is appointed.
"I have had this 3 page statement read to me by
and it is true and correct. "
-ma"1@Ju§;1_;'/s/
an
Itnes: __ p t 3;; Spe ci a l A ge nt
"5'-I-;-_.--;_ a_ Special Afent, F. 15.1."
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Re: JOI-11 L. 11>:-.-.15, ET Al. A7c_.470
INIERVIEW QITH
follo sta
The following is statement
Springfield 111.
3' 4I
September 1, 1945I11lnO18, by
at which time he gave the
d 1 1; '1 the followin Si ned
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statement.
"I was
arses .2. e I 1" 1* or
o vo _ a1 we g g
ii; statement to '£a§Q,,i.=~-l - sndTf§?Q1E?{'%- _ e who have made them-im . . .._. - . selves known '0 me as pecia agents 0 ' " - - ureau of Investigation
Lo threats or promises of any kind were made to cause me to make this
ern@§¢&i;§§@§?@§Tf*?f%@%§fCi£g; _ _* and -rosentl reside . iHsM .., V. __ .m _krP_ M _, M %w_ _
-=.. -1 _ 1__'_.".-;=,=.~w»-=1» ;,_'-' '-; -.~.. ... ..e se~-- .£%£m@wL :1» ' ," '- i.--j||:.__...1|». -1 ;,,--_ - - .
"1 first started working in the mines in 5 joining the United
Fine orkers of America t that time. I started a . no B about three or
four years before the union split up in 1952. Before 1952 so far as I
know the rclations between UMWR and "ins B officials was alright.
"Theft of ballots was the immediate cause of the Progressives being
B joined up with the Progressives. Between f0rmed'in 1952. Host of Fine
1952 and 1937 PEA officials got along fine vith Elshoff.
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C- ' O
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Re: JOHN L. 1.21-1s, er AL 1° '!_D
IHTERVIEI HITH "The trouble in the Spring of 1937 started because of an
argument over whether the new wage scale would be retro-
con inue active or not. At this time there was about a dozen men
at Fine B
Yorkers-were paying hlshoff during the strike. I htard that they had given- who were believed to be spies and in the pay of
{REA who stirred up trouble about the wage scale. Some of these men that I
remember off hand are Charles Bohannon, Pete Carter, Tony Fletch, Frank
Austin, Jimmy Hale, Andrew Skreleveous phonetic spelling!. I believe that
there were three trials at which these men were suspended for 99 years.
These trials took place a short time before the strike on May 12, 1937. I
was at the trial the night Charles Bohannon and Domenic Pasquale and at least
one or two others were suspended. The only persons present at these trials
were th: witnesses and Trial Board of Five Hembers. The trials were held
at the H Meeting Hall.
"The day of the strike I loaded two cars and came home and didn't
know about the strike until the night of Hay 12, 1957. I have heard that
short cars were being loaded on the day of the strike.
"I was on picket duty at Tine B nearly every day after the
pioketing started in September of 1937. During this period a few UMW1 men ,
tried to open the mine but they never had enough men to be successful.
"I never s;m any vio1cnce'or blood shed while I was picketing at
ins B.
"I remember the first election in December of 1957. It went
Progrcssivcs uon 404 - 25. I rtmumber that there was some trouble
about famp1et§*E:ing passed out but can't remember what was on them. I
voted ivo .
After the election Elshoff didn't seem to want to deal with the
Progressives. I was on the committee to see Elshoff in the fall of 1939 about
opening the nine. At the meeting Elshoff said, I will let you go back to
work, and give you the check off, but if we run short of men I'll hire
whoever in the hell I want to. -
"There was a rumor going around at the time that the United Mine M
him as muzh as $200,000.00, but can't prove it
" hen I vent back to mork in 1939 under the open shop' agreement
the najority of the minors still favored the Progressive fine 7orkers.Soon after we went book to work -.1 man by the name of was put
on as an air inspector - this was the first time ts¤'e%sr ad that job
t ine B he tried to make friends 41th all the men and - t to Join
t1 ..-oi I luv I; ~3- - ' - '- - - _ y ,_.= Fl 'mm. Other u:.:':.r. men __,.,ho c mt: in , sq These men . ked ?or U 0' ill" "- at%»ees?§$me;¢g;q@;;%£*. h
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Re: JOHN L. LEXIS, er AL Z9 Q Q,
41 74>
Egaiizi Tia these men along with several others were the ones who
oeet up a number of the Phi men. I never actually saw
n inued! any of these acts of violence.
Altogether during the period 1959 and 1940 early 1941 the umgA
must have brought in about 50 men, and kept signing men over all the tame,
"During this period the UMIA men were in the office all of the
time, and seemed to be very friendly with Elshoff.
n _. _ ____--_=_- -_-= - A _, H _ , ' ,' I VDi8d PFOEFUESLVG ugniii at tho ax-.:Cuu.d ulGu't1G bht |-1'6 1054-;
by quite a number of votes. Before the election at the NLRB hearing they
had a nuber of men there wearing buttons
I hcard that there was a 'l0.00 fine for members who did not go and wearthese buttons. 1 was asktd to go to this meeting and wear e mam button but
3" thrown in coal &'"I-refused.
Before the election mens tools were stolen, sulpher
cars & men docked, & men were Beat up to get them to join the UMIA
£1 list of 21 Fm gressives whose
tools were s o en -uring o Boie men 1OHUl period.
"I remember that
over 450 men signed in in original handwriting and gave their address
showing that they favored the Progressive Union.
"I have read the 1
made by me. The same are Ufuij IQUU i U.
F signed!erooy sign my name.
'itnessod:
s ems 3-en .s.1., Springfield, 111111015 _ee /s/ F.B.I. Springfield, Ill."to show their preference of UEEA
a petition was passed around after the strike and
"hove four and one half 5! pages of statements
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C - O
Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL 5'} Q
_,: 4gQi3 h
INTERVIEW WITH The followin
t I. ' at'° A 8
However, he did not seem to know muc
be noted in his statement. He appea
was cooperative.
His statement is as follows
Agen
this statement.g investi at conducted
ts and
no s, on epte er , 43:
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_l.Llin0iS, agents interviewee
he never has been arrested. It was
the questions asked him and gave answers all right
h about the pertinent period as will
red to be an honest individual and
i Ill.
Sept. 2, 1943
eby make
who arethe following statement to
known to me to be Special
have been made me to procure
mg
join on a
I started at MineA35
1955
the U.M.W. local to which I belonged
"Prom the time I started at Fine "B" to the time of
had no chance to observe relation be
the management favor U.M.T. in any w
disputes between the local officials
So far as I know there was no racket
think that in this period I attended
of the time it took to go to Springf
Progressive men who were sentenced f
dent think they did all they were ac
dues seemed normal and I didn't know
From the time I went to Mine B up to
saw U.M.W. picket the mine. I heard
who were trying to switch the men to
distributed by U.M.T; I never heard
U.M.3. officials.
I rembel that just before t
a temDorarv'azreement. As I recall I 1 Ubeen employed
I first
Union office
a charter member of P.M.A. because
went to P.M.A. in 1932.O
the strike I
I never heard
no unusualtween P.H.A. & Elshoff.
ay however. There were
and the members so far as I know.
eering by the local officials. I don't
more than 5 meetings this was because
ield tonttend. Concerning the
or bombing and such I certainly
cused of. While I was there the Union
of any money being handled wrong.
the time of the strike I never
that there were some men in the P.M.A.
U.M.W. I never saw any literature
of FLSUOF? giving any parties for
he mine closed we were working under
there was some kind of a settlement,
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1Me: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ALI r
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1NTiiii iii where we were supposed to get some back pay. There
was a lot of talk about this at the tiw. Se far
as I know the miners did not feel the U.HJW. would be
able to get any better contract than the P.M.A.
I1I dent remember any dispute over wages prior to the strike. I felt
the Union officials would see I got what was coming.
H
not attend it however, andI heard of a meeting being held the day before the strike. I did
didn't hear of it till May 12. What I heard was
talk up on top. When I w t t
be a strike. What I heard
the Company would not fine
have been fired, but can't
someL I reconize as beingen o work May 12, 1957 I had no idea there would
was that the men were going on strike because
some extolled miners. I felt these men should
speak for the others. I heard the names of
one of them the name of Frank Austin. I dent
remember any thing about any cars being loaded short this day.
"I dont recall new signing any petitions the sumer after the
mine closed. If I had signed any they would have been P.M.A.
"I signed no petition for U.M.?. and didn't know they had one.
"I heard nothing about the U.M.T. forming a local the summer of
193?.
"I remember nothing unusual happening during the summer of 1937.
_?dust'prior_tp the starting of the pickoting at Mine "B" I was
;i§?3%§§Q{$§gg§¥" and paid little attention to what happen
at the mine. I BidL%%;g6 Bt to work when the picket line started and
know nothing about the time the Marshall ordered the men out. I did go
_out on 2_or 3 occasions to help with the picketing this was after my
Everything there was peaceful so_T remember and the
men were Jus ere to protect thier jobs.
"I dont recall going back to the min: after this until the mine
reopened for good.
"I voted at the first NLRB election. The vote was by secrect
ballot & as far as I know it was an honest and good election. I voted
P.M.A., which was the way I
llwanted it and no one forced me to do this.
I heard nothing about Falsetti or any of the men from Kine B
going to work at the Jefferson Mine.
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Re: .101-m L. LEWIS, ET AL 4 »> Cd
4= "2a _D
"I got a letter from the Ce. advising me that the
mine was to open. I went to the mine right awayycontinued! before the date called for in the letter. I asked
Falsetti to give me a new room and he said that
beeauee of a Labor board ruling every man had to go back in his old room.
I never went dawn in the mine and have never been back to Mine "B" since.
Falsetti made no mention of wages to me and said I could go back when my
turn came he never asked me to what union I belonged. I was well_satisfied
with P.M.A. and still feel it is e good union. 92
Q1-r1- 92.92'!_J _l1_ .-. 5 - |_J_ .1! .1 nave nae llglirlt reao to me tne ioregoing statement 01 e
pages, as I have trouble reading myself. This statement is all true to the
best of my recollection; I am therefore signing it of my own free will.
"Signed- lu
_:TiFQ.n ;3f .3 48/
.,Strw§%UlIf aw % 111- -
Spec. Xgen Ui1w.!" Sept. 2, 1943"
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RE: JOHNL.LE-IIS,ETnL. 57¢ 57-D
nwi vrf
jointly in _
Illinoi September 8, I943 by Special agentsd S b ll t He aopeared to e wi mg o answer
umitted the following signed statement!
_J. { _ Illinois
I September 8, 1943
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1-.£1"I I ,e,,_y I-a- = the following volun--
tary, stetment to ' -t and if-J - - vihdn I know to be
Soeoial agents of the eera ureeu of Investigations, U. S. Depart-
ment of Justice.
" ' -- '3; "7-!:a'in I reside on Illinois and
e en l emnlo ed at the Panther reek ine r field Illi- Imoz-esty._y A,png ,
nois, as e H-in miner. B PM» I refer -y e Proressive Mine Workers
I Y1 ""3' 3' -"3" -11"-I "--I-l-1' 1:3 'mm";." _'-tilde-E . --'=l-J;-¢.1.'P"! '..:"n" .1--1"; =": - 2°f 1 I Om ' '..
"The first mine union I ever joined was the United '
Mine "Yorkers of nruerioe, referred to hereinafter as the TJIJM. I inedabout at Springfield, Illinois when I worked at
"The only union office I ever held was 9- Pit Committee-
man at the under the UHU, in:
"I __ s e member of the UEATI in mines in the
Springfield area frm. In September, 1932 I was working
at the Peabody Mine f , Illinois and there, in that
month, I voluntarily joined the Pain-
"I was well satisfied with the H-bl leadership and
feel that the officials of the PM» treated the rank and file miner
fairly.
"I took no active part in the formation of the
Flinn
' "In the letter purt of 1934 I started working at
Mine B as I1 PM member and I warked there continuously until the
mine olosed an May 12, 1937-
"The relations between ELSHOFF and the PHz_ appeared
to be satisfactory fron IPS4 to I-Iny I937 when it closed. The closing
of Mine B, was e surorise to me. I never had any 1cnow1edp;e of UHU
organizers in this mine in the Spring of 1957, and was never contacted
by them or heard that they contacted other miners-
- 62 -
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Tm. Jenn L. LEWIS, E1 AL. b 7 C
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INTiii§'i WITH " "I went to very few unien meetings because l
T 11-ggrj 13.99 fgg g92_|_|'.I_1_}r fj-e-In Hp?--ingf"§g'lr1 '|'_n Ini.'hn ' ' , _" "-"" _" """"-"'
such trips.
"I was not familiar with the wage sonle problem in
1957 between the Ph and ELSHOFF- However, I thought the PMh miners _
were to get some beck pay which was not paid.
"I did not attend the Ph meeting of May ll, 1937,
but I heard the next morning at the mine that four or five men had been
expelled because they had joined the UMH. I did not know the details;
"The PMA members felt that the UMJ men should have
been expelled, und that ELSHOFF should not permit them to work-
~ "On Ma"
and the mine closed down.
ShOX't 0sane eoel sure were loaded short,
know why the cars were loaded
"I never did go buck to Mine B fter Nay 12, 1937-
I thought the NLRB election of December 15, 1957 was fair end repre~
sented the desires of the mine workers. When the next N.R-B election
was held, I was not working at the mine. I had no knoledge that p
ELSHOFF favored the {H51 at Mine B-
__ H %L_ HHfIphar= had the two pages of this statement reedto me by und it contains the truth to the best
Sneciul agent F.B-I. m
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peoial agent, F-B-I."
-63-
i§§Re: JOHN
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L. l'..E-'¥|'IS, ETLL_ ,,___,_n__~..__,¬_»-v.~.- -"1""-:1-"-"""I':9"!"' ' _ _.-'-'-;. .."*-_ -~-'- '92 '»"92'|} .1-.
_ A___ J _ _ .r__._i_..-.._
IE5
Id his
airly good recollection of eventsf,___-ithin his ymowledge relative to instant case. It is believed that P
ld make a cod witness for the Government. There is being set for * ' cu - E . . . .$.52.-w ea , .._rg,-,._-J atabernent which- executed at the tuna of this interview: _ , M
=: '_. .: 5 , both ofQ I11.Sep . , 1945
"I 1 1 f; make the following voluntary statement to
whom have identified themselves as
ipéeis gents of the Fe-eral Bureau of Investigation. Ho threats or
promises have been made to induce me to make a statement. '
_ I was born and presently live-
carts ininr in HuOJ & ioined the
UHF at tia ime. worked at Hine B from 1930 until Jan. of 1943 when
I started working at the old lest Pine. I have never held any office in
the union.
satisfiedI joined the PM1 in 1932 when the state Went progressive and it
was my opinion tint all the men wanted to change over to Progressives
Things went along smoothly in the PUB until 1937 & all the men felt
with the officers.
"In Harch of l957 our contract with Nine B expired and the union
was trying to settle on a new contract with the company. All of the men
thought the Pk could do as well on
this same
spies for
?asquale,
These mentime our local discovered
the U.%.1. Some of these
Frank Austin, Jacaway and
started agitating about aa wage increase as the UUW. At about
that some of our men were acting as
men were Charles Eohannon, Eominick
others that ran around with these men.
week before the strike and kept going
around among the men telling them to go on strike because a new contract
hadn't been signed. I was in one of the groups when these men were telling
us to strike.
"I know that these men were expelled from the Union before the
strike for their actions. I don't know how long they were expelled for
and didnt attend the meeting, but I think most of the men knew they were
expelled.
"I went to work at Tine B in box! as a digger on the day of the
strike.- All of the F11 men said they wouldnt work with these men. Our3 told Falcetti the men shouldn't be allowed to work-, but the
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C _ O
Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL_ £70
bvo
INIEBVIEE HIIH company said the men should work. T think the company
was playing favorites in letting these men work.
when we saw the company was going to let the men work
we all went below and started working. When I saw that
some of the other fellows wereloading cars short I decided I would also
lead some cars short. we continued loading short until we were called out
of the mine. I think it
the wring was on S b"_1C8.
"I went to work
thought the strike mightthe next day as
put out a pamphlet which was distributewas about 3:00 PM when we got on top and were told
I think it was pay day and I alsoh/__._ __.n. .|__ 4.1.- _.:__ __._ _____ 92____92__1W8 SOL LU B118 IIIIIIU WE VJBFE IIEIIUCU f be 'ver. Whena pamphlet by our union man E 8.: this pamphlet had tho provisions of/
the new contract set forth showi a rctrca ' clause. The managemend avg and this _l
t there was no re reactive clan e vamphlet had the contract set forth, bu
in it. Te decided we wouldn't work so
"During the summer of 1937 I signed
think I signed one at the mine and one
forced to sign any of these petitions.
was in the paper thatwe all came home.
two or three PMA petitions. I
at the union hall. I was never
In Sept. of 195?, after a notice
the mine was to open we all went out to the mine.
When we got to the mine we were told by our union men that the company
had said we couldn't go to work unless we signed up with United. I don't
believe any of the men tried to go to work that day,
"Tho next day we started a picket line and kept it up until Dec.
of 1937 when we were served with an injunction. Most
pretty bitter about the injunction. We felt
issuing the injunction and we felt the company wasn't
deal. The mine was our bread and butter and
was doing as much as they could, we felt tho
stayed on the picket line from Sept. to Dec.
to. We were allowed to come home and change
when ever we wanted to.of the men felt
court was wrong in
giving us a square
although we felt our union
company was against us. I
and stayed because I wanted
clothes e see our familiesthat the
- "About the Same time Charles Bohannon came to my house and asked
me to join the U.M.W. He did not threaten me and I told him I didn't
want to join the UMW at that time.
"There was an NLRB election in Dec.
election. To the best of my knowledge there
voting was conducted in a fair manner.
"I didn't go back to the mine untilof 1957 and I voted in that
wasn't any fighting and the
November of 1939 when I got
a letter from the company. I went out to the mine a few days later and
my section ;1sn't ready due to dirt, etc, Tho bottom had heaved up and
no-
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£9? C./Re; JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ILL
I"¬W
I--92 =-
"I think that when we started
nrogressive had a mJOT1ty In my opinion the
they WOU1dn't sign a contract with us I know
refused to hire new men if they wouldn't agree
»'T'921ll'92E1'92:ilG'1'T"W' l'TI"Yf I'"I'
I , 4
The only men who could get 'obs wire those men_nho mere s_onsored by the
M
Jos. These men were members of Progressive.
.I.._ _:a~..
92
_ _-__- _-_I r I H W we tr=~~>1~== H1»
con inued '
to work in 1939 that
company was unfair because
that the company sometimes
to sign up with United.
net 5T now work at Panther Creek 4, and orks at Panther Ot.-F4- 1:-.
never saw any evidence of any money being paid
any of the men referred to as spies, since I live in nd theylived in Springfield. I never ran around with any of ggose men-# Q o e men felt there was a deal on between Uni e and the company. I
by the comaany or union to
In about the fall of 1940 I joined the U.M.W. union. I joined
the union because I had heard that some of our men had been treated pretty
rough by the U.M.W. men. I was never threatened or beat up, but figured
it would be the best thing to do to join up. I had a family to support
and didn't want to lose my job. I was never told by the company that I
had to join United, but it was generally felt by the men that to hold their
iob thev had to sizn um, The men also felt that if they didn't sign up
that sobner or letgr they would get beat up.
"I have read over this entire statement of 6 pages & wish to state
it is true to the best of my recollection.
< Signed!
"Witnesses
,f'?::_';:»I]1 KS S pc C i 8.1 Agent 8 , FF I -L - Y?--' " J T-=1 '- 1 <- - n, .,,=§,;;,§-5!.-_=;!: 3 $72? U , S . D 0 pt Of J11 S t 1 C C
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1/F
RE! JOE! L. LE? -'15, E1 AL. 1,. , ;U --/
- gents
rviewed
Illinois.znrssvisii 011 x ! 92_92"l_ ~ h _- at this time sdvishat he had no record. Imnedia
92' upon meet 9-ens advised that he had been told by one.»'- ' inois, that on September :5, 1943 thatH J l ' heard B 00111719 of men if-lkiilg i the mine about holding
meetmg on September 4, 1945, concerning; the
ducted of the Mine "B" situation by the FBI. as near as this mun was
able to gather, the persons to attend this meeting were the twelve
alleged labor spies. strateé to -'l;h£.t' these men wereE
inve sti gati on being c on-/; "3 -
wondering if the F31 go? $911 t yet and tlked to d seemedto take the attitude that it would bud if _;o.d been £12-BTVIGIBG
by the FBI.
TL _...... .....-.4-D.-I -2 4-92-..-_ LU WU-D JJUUUU J--U V13-
-be have on exoeptionl reoolleo events that took place at Mine
B during the questioned period. seemed to be n honest and reli-
able person end he expressed his comp ete willingness to appear in court
at any time to testify to what he had told agents.
that H gave
oncorn ing the
U3-E-. men- ithe mtervie-.-.' thatbseemed
to be agents o. note
alleged attempt 0
11 out the His
i is believed that would make on excellent and willing
witness. gave agents the following five-page typewritten state-
ment:
111--
. S8131}; 4,
I. - 111-» .~F" .~_..£*F*, free and-voluntary statement to ' £116 g.-J_;_mi_m"~_;; who are
known to me to be Special Agen s 0 e edernl Bureau o vestige-
tiong United gtntes D£:;.92uJ"br181'!.13 of Justice. No threats or premises
hove been mode to me to give this statement.l 4I1/
/
.
amt-
:~ -. ,..w/r-.
'~_ _ .__ _._..___..__d.,,.__.~_ _~A7- ---*1.-._,::, _ -;g,»-, 7-_:__'~ - ~'"~L-* ";- =:-~---n.-I- --1I~,_: 7; -_ v- :~ * ~ _ ___
c- _ o
RBI Lt LEYIS, H JKLI
Continued , Ié='!¢/
#70
N
"I first started at Mine B in S ringfield, a_ n still there I_. In I joine e UMU 2. ., with
2 our IMW my a, and I never hove e d any union office.
locel was alright at Mine B and it was a ccmpsny union and we miners
just paid our dues into the 1oce.l but did not get any support and if
we had eny disputes we did not get far with them at all. During tint
time ELSHOFF would get whatever he got frcm THU end it is even worse
now at Mine B than it was buck in those days. We U!-M men got a dirty
rotten deal frcxn JOHN L. LE- IS and he gave us the right to vote and then
he stole the ballots and I was glad when we went over to PW; in 1932.
"Is miners felt that LEWIS hed sold out to the operators then. I took
an active pert in starting Pile at
and I talked to other fellows end
time most of the men went over to
one was forced to join over and I
tion under the Pile leadership.
"Between 1952 and untilMine B and to get rid of TM! there
told them to join H-U-L. st that
Pile. of their own free will and no
will say that we had o good organiza-
the mine closed down P1-in officials
got along ulright with CARL ELSHJFF oi Mine B. However, around 1935
or 1956 about 13 men established themselves together and they would go
into the coal office and talk to them about going bi-cl: to UIM. These
men were S:~LlMY, lso known as JJE; ANDY SCHRELEVIOUS, MMINIC PnSQUr~LE,
PETE CARTER, FRANK AUSTIN, TONY PLOTCH, COlTJll hI11J~IIa.S, JOHN SIRTOUP,
GEO. and EMORY JhCn1'InY, CHJLRLES BOPDJINON and JIM HALE. There also was
0. Lithuanian with them who is now dead» EISERFF and the management of
Mine B did not bother us at ell before the mine closed about going back
to um that I recall of. "vs Pm miners got nlong 100% with the Pm
officials frcm 1932 until the mine closed with the exception of the
13 men mentioned about and we liked the officials and things got along
just fine then. We men decided what should be done and our committees
took up our troubles and got things for us and it was u lot better then
in those days than it is new at the presenttine at Mine B| Te never
suspected anything wro with th__ A I15 officials. I attended almostevery meeting because was our check Weigh mi"-n
and he went to the meetiiigs" " g.-'1eng with hm, In regard
to those FEM men who were convicted for that bombing I felt pretty bf-d
bout it and I think that JOHN L.LHIIS gave u lot of money to L»
gave it out and I think that the nen railroad dick nameoand he
who went to the pen were u l innocent. I attended their trial on
several times. Other miners also felt that the PM. men were not guilty.
Before the mine closed PEJL1 officials properly accounted for their
money and I always was given receipts for dues I paid nd they never
had a lot of special I-lssessmenta There was no "feeling B-t 0-11 that the
Pin officials were getting any cut out of the money matters. iii men -
never picketed Mine B before it closed and I never saw any literaturefrqn HM"? then, about 3 it E month: Egfore the mine closed the 13 B1911
nn~_ {wetIr 3.. - _-.. ...,. 4 __ .__ ,__n. __.-..~._ __------..- - .__- ___- --I-_ -Jr-I
1-". "1.: .
92;"_ . 0
RE; aozm 1.. LDTIS, er AL. ; 7, C
1»_.=~7D
mentioned above I heard did 8- lot of talking around
' to other PLEA men in the mine to join beck to um but
Wlcontinued! they never talked to me because they all knew that
I was a strong an mm It is my recollection tilt
sane time before the mine closed CHARI-E BOHnRN J!¬ and sane one else use
expelled has PEA nd then later on acme more were expelled» I attended
all those meetings 81Ong than and I recall that the Trial Committee made
their reports to us miners at the meeting and after they reported they /-hed s vote Bmongst the members and we voted to expel}; them, because /,-'
they were trying to us to join over to IBM. This was not done at one j- f
meeting but happened over e period of time and the Trial Conmittee had 3'
done a lot of checking on these men and we miners hed that right to 5
vote on those matters but new under INK? we don't have that right a 'ore. I recall when the contract expired in spring of 1937 t}mt.hand other ma officials of Pm told us at our meetings the
we were working without a contract pending u new one and that if there
was a raise it was to be retrotice and I had 114 tons then and never
got a dime for it yet. Our PMA officials told us at these meetings
just what was going on in regard to this wage question and they did not
hold out any information from us at ell but kept us fully informed of
all details as at that time I vms very active and attended every meet-
ing. In regard to parties I did hear that ELSHOFF and Uiff men did hold
purties but I don't know where and I also heard that after Ilwon
the second NLRB election that a big party was held at the offices of
Mine B, We_PilA miners always felt that PEA would sign la contract with
ELSHOFF and we all felt that PLEA oould get for us just 11 good c contract
as UMW could ever get for I180 Tie miners were all satisfied with the
wage question and there was no trouble there ut Mine B on pay days nor
were there any strike or slow downs been-use of this wage trouble; Just
before the mine closed in 1937 these 15 men mentioned above were very
ctive in going around to homes of miners at Auburn and other pluses
and they tried to get them to join over to UM1? but they never contacted
me as they knew I was too strong for HLA and I also heard that thee
13 men were seen a lot 0-round the UMW building nd I recall that I
used to see some of those 13 men walk along the street in the directicn
of the mi Building but I never actually saw them enter it. At that
time I hud no use for these 13 men and we did not spook to one another
I don't redull of the management of Mine B telling us nything about
the Wge scle and it wee gossip than that FLSHG- F would not sign up
with the Illinois Operators because he vrunted to bref-k iwlay from Pidh nd
join over with UM-=7 and at that time the Illinois Producers 1"LBsocitiOn
was signed up with Filed
"The night before the mine closed down there was held a
special and not s regular meeting at the BEA H111 at 6th & TR-ehiJ1gt0n
__ - , __ . .., ,., ,. ,, ,, ,, i*fI1"'7_a'@mI' 92I""III'n'I1-I- --'.»- -- _ -
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0 _ 0
~/Q? csRE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL. is
.& 1 "ITH
!in Springfield, I11. I hnd bean told of this by on
edger at Mine B and at tlilt time of the meeting
there must hove been between 300 and 400 present as
it wus e large group. The min purpose of this
meeting was to decide whet action should be taken or done in regard to' /
the expelled miners who had been expelled some time before at our f/
previous reguls.-r meetings end none were expelled this evening at ell I
es they had been expelled before. Before this special meeting htad
been held the management of Mine '3 would not fire these expelled men
end it was decided at that meetin; that the menegement should be given
one more ohnoe to discharge them and that if the management refused
to do so that the Progressives would not work with these expelled menand it was decided that mshould reconteot ELSHOFF about this
matter. It was decided we would picket the mine i these men were
not At thut special meeting there was present
and I thin}-: aunt-s there. I went to - th
oned sbove?"l'Fwes n very pesoeful meeting and there
ble there and we ell felt that those men should not work.
At this meeting nothing was soid about the woge question at all but it
was just about these 13 men. Then I went to work the next morning I
knew that if ELSHQFF would not fire these l3 men that we would pioketthe mine and I knew the-; was to see ELSHOFF about it. We did not
coll any strike but just used to work with those 15 men who wanted
to form B new organization. On the day the mine closed I worked about
6 hours. At the soeciill meeting the night before nothing at all was
said about loading the our short but on the day the mine closed some
of the PMA miners sent around that we should load our oars short in .
protest against these 13 men being nllowed to work I-nd I don't recall
just who told me but I did load 4 ours short too and one I never got
p»-id for till later on. As I heard it no Hale officials gave my suchorders to loo-d these oars silit but it was started by PW. miners them-
selves. I don't think that ee;< culled us out that nfternoon but
as I recall it the company itse -losed the mine down because the
curs were being loaded short end we never worked Q day again until 30
months later. I left ell my tools and e full keg of powder in the
mine that day and I did not know that the mine would be closed when
I came out from the mine. This whole issue was over those 13 men end
was not because of any wage trouble. On the folllowing day after
the mine closed the whistle blew but we PHn non picketed Mine R o
the highway celled Jacksonville Hhrd Road and no one went to work at
all except the engineer End the nine offioinls. This pioketing lusted
about 15 days end I was there every morning end there wus no ill feel-
ing among us men and none of these 13 non showed up st nll during that
time. It was H peooeful pioket lino and there was no trouble at ell
and its purpose was to keep those 15 men from working. I just ount
recall if I elgnd any nus petition o short time after the mine closed
-' 70 -
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RE: some L. Leos, ET ILL.
.. '- 1' TH
92o on t in ue c1 !1 _'I
I v do
///c.
B70
but if there was one I would have signed it es I was
very strong then for P1-ale. I was willing to have
signed anything for it is quite possible
that I did sign if they had petitions out. I
don't lcnow if UM? got out u petition or not as no one contacted me
as all knew I was a strong PM». men. I heard thru the phper
formed e new local in summer of 1937 but I never was skedtire;-t UH?!
to join it
Sane time between May and Sent. 1937 I read in the paper that ANDY
SCI-BELEVIOUS shot a man and wife in their tavern because the man would
not join the Ul. nfter the mine closed down HM did not have any
regular meetings any more but around that time there was a lot of stuff
in the papers shout L*h¬!'i' having Q majority etc. at Mine B. I heard then
too that the UM? did have small meetings around but I never saw or
attended them. I also hoard that these 13 men got jobs at Jefferson
Mine bec-use they had a UM-I local there and I also heard that FALCETTI
was a boss there and according to gossip Cr.RL ELSHOFF had an interest
or was o
attended
going to
nd that
4 -4-. ..-1 -»=a--1
o ice es
with this
es PM»
had n
us out
we did not
men thereand
o lk
on
Htreceiver of the Jefferson Mine. During the fall of 1957 I
a meeting of PM»-I at which time we were told that the mine was
open the next day or so under UMW and that we should be out
we would be ready to go to work us PMA and not as
1-nr92.1 |'1'§1'10 I: 1§_i1"0r>. T92921r92n7|-1 nf 11: wnr-.=» n'n+. + nrQ §Y|r92.1 |'|r1":1'm- ..._----..... - - . -. ..-.....92.-.. W-IL -.. --v. ».. ....._ _..._._?-,3; _.- -...,_._...__
.- es@e¢;m}?§.,H, kef %_ v» e; {edge it "'§g;i;dr .¥@ » . =~*w. is I - I-is i- ' ._-=-;: . M»-'= ~;. ~* '.fT Uy had '>.,-...<,: -- 1- _ '-.5-'.4__-;=-T-" '-;_ ~1 .
,1-=-_ - L. one cu o terw r s Ln told us miners that he talked
esient of UH»? who said that if the PT-in miners would sign
{Mi applicatio s that we could go buck to work Lt Mine B otherwise wecould not end said he told this Preside u t we would go be-ck
er 1&1. I also believe that _ told us that he
t with OSCAR FMLCETTI who said nothing» talked to
the highwey whore we were in a large grou, and Lt this time
go on the mine property at all and we did not see these 13
I111, and ell of us went home then and no picketing begun
then. During tho next week or so P1111 held nnother meeting 1-nd we decided
again hat we would still be PM». end not TJIN nnd that we would picket t
the mine if UMW men went to work and in e day or so we all showed up
at Mine B to
FnDCE'ITI let
we went hcmego to work and at this time these 15 men were there.
these 13 men go down into the mine himself tht day and
and that some nfternoon we hnd another meeting at our
-- ='@??1 4
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9__ . ____ _ __: _--__:_ _ : ___ ______ A_______,___ _
5 £..~;
Q} O
RE: JOHN L. LESIIS, ET L.
" I I n mes,-Q u -v~- -I r-92 1-2:/an 4,70
away from the mine. From then on we stayed at the
Mine B until the Marshall came out with his injunc-
tion. That morning when_ 5 -¢~ were at the shftgetting ready to go down phonetic!
of our Pit Committee told Falcetti that he sure mus -= e blood thirsty
s-- o- a b-- to do whet he was doing. Otherwise there were no fights
or trouble at all there. I stayed at Mine B day and night except once
a week and it lasted for about two months. The PM!» officials saw to it
that we had good cots and good food and even gave us smoking equipment.
There was no trouble at all while this picketing was going on. No cut-
siders were brct it and the men were just frcm the Local 54. We did
this picketing to protect our jobs. No one was forced to picket at
all and we all did it of our own free will. HEB. even furnished us
with gasoline while we were out there. While we were there no EM!
men came around at ell. While we were out there we heard something
theta UMY! was owing out with a bunch but they never showed up. We
played ball, cards etc. and I took care of the boilers. We shaved
and took baths etc. and the Sheriff came out once in a while and wives
and friends of ours would come out and visit us and there was no trouble
at all. I think that there were about 4-O0 of us out there most of the
_,ti, _g_._.-g=__ Mhe About '7 p.m. at night the Marshall came out and told us to leave and about midnight D11 of
us werehgonénz 't re s no fights or anything and we felt pretty bad
about it as we felt that we had lost our jobs and the Marshall said
that we could not cone back on the premises, Several days later the
Marshall aft some in'u.nction papers at my home and I have shown thanto Agents Mend Mend it is addressed to me and is in connec-
tion withla su brot y ine B Coal Co. against the Pill». und I.wi1.l have
this paper in my home all the time. A few days later I road in the
paper that the mine was going to reopen and I heard that only 1:. few went
out but I never went out. Around that time too PHA had several local
meetings and we were told to stay away frcm 1-line B because of the in-
junction and that is why we did not go out as we could not go on the
property. At the first NLRB election held in Springfield, Il1., I voted
for Pin and it was by secret ballot and no one told me how _~ vote.Just before we voted we had a meeting at the PMA hall andtalked
to us and said that if there were any nen in the hall who e o vote
for U2-N and felt that way that they should go ahead and vote UM? and he
said to us also that inasmuch as we had stuck together so far that we
ought to know what we wanted and that we should vote the way we wanted.
He gave us a nice talk and did not threaten us how to vote nor did
he or anyone else tell us how to vote at all. It was decided at
the meeting that we should go over and vote in groups of 12 or so and
I recall that in the group I went with that at the corner of the armory
at Second St., in Springfield, I11. I saw CHnRLES BOPLJJNON and the other
12 men around there and they were giving out literature and I took one
but don't just recall what was on it. I voted for Plh tho at that-.-.--1.eleetinn. I also was one of the men who wont out and helped any-ry in
-. 72 -
_ - __ _____ __ __ _ _'__ ___ ______' .___.__'_ __q___ __,____, .__ V... 7,-.. ,..., Isa!-Ii'1'I" , 1!_lII .92---. » ..- _ -.»...-..-w--»- - 1- ~-
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4, RE: JOHN L. LE-IIS, m st. 7 Q
Qconginuedg =10
e cripple who voted and this cripple, none I c£n't
-.-.=.,.-.11 1-.n.-I 1...-.-.+.-A J-.-. ....-.4... ......: L. _1__._._._1 ;_92__ _.___JD bl-I-J. RU IICL UU U ll Q u , :1 uu uu vuu nu Ht: puli u E-D6 pruli"
dent of local 54 end asked if some one could come
s out end help him et in to vote. His nhme we o!1onetio! and he had beer. end I end severl
others went out to his hctne and he '- It o = 1-u"mory. He voted
of his own free will and no one forced him to vote but he voted because
he wanted to. This was en honest election Lnd expressed the true wishes
of th men. A short time after Pl! won this election I reed in the
paper that Mine B was going to noopon under UM? oltho P151». hod won and
I went out but did
short time till NLRB sent their decision beck end then thnot go to work and as I recall it they wored for e.
e mine was closed
again until fell of 1939.
"Even tho PMs won I heard thru gossip that ELSHOFF would not allow my
H41; men work thero except U111"! men. During 1938 und 1939 I worked on
'YP1k and I recull that nothing unusual happened then while Mine B was
closed. I heard gossip then that JOHN L. LEWIS was paying money to
ELSHOFF end I felt
;i:',1'-»bO!.|=.-.*.'ld..'C1i'.l :1
es e cool salesmen
for coal after the
against ELSHUFF.
"I got e
to work w'thin 101my somethat some wily because I know that ELSHOFF i-ms t. smell
t have a-.33! none-3'.92.92I cl-so @011 the-t ELSHOPF had worked
for the Rush Brewery Co., end hod chorgod too mug]/1
first World Nor end he wes fired and suit was brot
registered letter wzm Mine B telling me to report 1,
do oted and went beck to work at once in '__ gzmo one asked me whet union I
belonged to. stiw I o 1' then on he said nothing but gave me check
NO: 148 end I went right to works Those some 13 men were also working-
when I started. No one told me whet wiges was to be poid but I had p
heard that we were working under the U1.i-I contract and he would not i
check off dues, I mean ELSHOFF would not, and I paid my 121.11, dues my-.
self every month.I heard that ELSHOFF hed said to the Pitt committees M
that he would never sign o contract with PIL. nft first there were k
not muny strangers working there but about the second week or so they ,
hired new men and they were only 7.1}-N men. -
"Dir mun
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t ,s_ I, According
of these men
fellow named was
had been n our
him o roan I believe
+ - ' -n strong progressive-i A _ ._. ..._-.... __ ._ __._ _._._._L_-_W-it -4 i in L" --V r*3"';*: 1; _-n ;-ll:r':;l:,,;¢§-~ -- -- ,~,- - - 1; i ~e
» .
c_ 0
"'1RE: JOHN L. Lens, ET -h.Lo L°L/ <1»
U/,3
1NTERv;wq U113 phonetic an several others wereorganizers en! went around and talked H the men to join
'Iobn¬ineHI ' over to Ue One morning in Jen. 1941 came to meand asked me whether I was going to si th um
end he suid that I would hove to either 'oin with mT<n'I wouldn'thave any job. I also suivof 111., and asked him
whnt he wus 5oingtoido_und' e sei- that we wanted a job that we would
vvo to join up. -gave me the application form and I filled it
out for him. I had also heard that if I didn't join up by a certain
time that it would cost me $25¢ODa
"I joined the UHW eetually because I wanted
save my hone. I felt too that if I didn't I would be
We keep our clothes in baskets in the wnsh-house, the
wes um? and one day I come to the wnsh house and the4*'I92 1,-mm ...-..- -am-. n-"ifUV KUDF LBJ JUU Iii-Ahurt phsicelly. 7
mun next to me
clothes Of the
men next to me were out nll to shreds, I dot remember his name but he
told me ot the time that they got the wrong men ond hod intended to get
me. I believe this was because I hadn't joined the UMW this was about
e week before I finally decided that I hnd better join the UM. I re-
ported this incident to the Sheriff and he told me that if anybody
bothered me to let him knew end if necessary he would throw the whole
bunch of them in juil. nfter I joined the UMW I wouldn't have uny-
thing to do with them this mode them mud end one day CUDGE BUHGhRTENEI
come to me and told me that I had better change my way or he'd kick
all hell out of me. I heard men hollering around the wash house and '
heard scuffling and fighting ell around the place, but I never sow Af f ht h 'miW 4L/ any o§_t ese fi_hts actually. I did know o one ig w en o I men
tock **£§;@, ; 1 ph.! end gave him n beating. P
After I joine e UIJn',
an
meet with
ball 0
Tl--I='I ho ed':¬'this
were already members of the UM?» Iheard of u
bent with e pickhendle in his rooms This non
end the Co» discharged him from this and gave
this was done so he could be beaten es he wasno u note which I *
arrangements mhde
after I signed up with the UMJ I got n registered letter from than
telling no to come down end be inintiuted or I would hove no job.
I had not gone down as I did not cure for the UMW even though I had
.m *.;Q
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C . O
RE: JOHN L. LEHIS, ET 1.1..!==?<:_e
-Q2745
signed for them und didn't went to be inistieted
until I had to. This letter ct-me frm
state organization. I do not recall signing
any cards for either the UMU or the I'M. up until
UM! .INTERVIEM JITH
lcontinueg!
the time I joined the
"I believe that the 2nd. NLRB election was en honest election,
it was by seer-ect ballot end wee run just like the first one. I think
the {Mil won the 2nd. election because the mine B had been filled up
with UM-J men. During this period e miner could get his son e job in
Mine B if he belonged to Ui92&'-I, while e who oelenged to PH!-. eouldn*t
get n job Lt this mine. Prior to this when the mine was operating unier
Pill. contract it had nlwuys been the ccxnpenies policy not to hire the
sons of miners working for them.
~ "When I went beck to work in Mine B it was in bud shupe
physically, I think it cost plent of money to put the mine beck in
ooeretion. It still is not 'i:rI_g_5od she-pe, there are two territories
have never been reopened. I never heurd of any big fire starting £1
Mine B while the strike on= -JACK GLn§f.392_1.' is the I have be-en
talking ubout who comes from Trlylorville. I heard that he was kicked
ergmnent concerning the money that we-s louned to the
feel that Uri? should be mode to pay the Mine B men for
they lost during the I50 months that the strike lasted atthnt
out over some
Mine B Co. I
every dollar:
thnt mine.
"I h:.vo reed the foregoing; statement of 5 typewritten phges
and to the best of my lcnowledge and belief it is the truth and nothing
but the truth. I went to Stuti th:.t I elwnys liked the H-in better
und that the emoloyees of Mine .. end 13 should both be beck under the
Pith. H5-Ving I-and this 5-tntment end knowing it to be true I am signing
it of my own free will. I would be willing to testify to the statements
herein in court st sny tine.
_ :n:::5%- __Signed
"Titnessed
Spec. gt. FBI st. Puul!
Spec. gt. FBI i"Ii1w.!
Sept . "ii.l
-75-
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57/.3
1 ?_ WITH *F1HI@_I?:1_1E11fI,19r~IEI1»»B9y-!:i1m>s_Pap:-;_§;.
I l otued
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1'-1T :5Y HQ-LIE. 3-{Y - I-SPRINGFIELD BUT ' IT.
1-LITE C-LI-LE?! THIS NO ON PHONE
63-PM 25343
ar~-L-s= -F
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. 197.0
TERIET; . Illinois, was
jin y in 8Z V'1GW6 a s resience on Setember
1% " " ' 6, 1943, by Special Agents andA, gnakes a poor appearance, ' 'd"l'~- a y a ert,kt .. .. ;. . _ . z _ _
< 1rs .a.nd_1ng of the conditions at Line "B" He executed
'r92 iwna |rf.l:§1D]"92nnl".! Q4; gq,b;nvu, nan-r92-nvuvn-n92-1 vv
Q Illinois I
Septem er 6, 1957
&I1Qmake the following voluntary statement
whom I know to be Special Agents of
S. Department of Justice-to
the
was born I1 1 inois. Md res- -. -s n - -.ll . --.-1-*'-;¢_+{' --i 5, frr-§-§';....r : ~~'~*.'. .. " -1 ,'.*'..1='-~. 92 ,"_-=-§-- av-;"w3+gl;_.-" 7~:+§i_;-§§;;?§"-=- ~ ' §;f_i_:=_'.;92.§-_- " - _ '. ;_ ._,._,...:---*' fj_j§",-,., *"""""'*-
-.The first mine union I ever joined was the United Mine -iorkers
of America which will be referred to hereinafter as [JM1i'. I joined this
union '1
"I worked at three or four other mines before 1953 or 1934 under
the U157. I started working at Mine B in l933 or l954 under the Frog;-gggivg
Mine T-orkers of America which will be referred to hereinafter as the PMA,1V¬
ll
I never held a mine union office. I
"I left Iviine B on May 12, 193'? when the strike started, and never
did go back. I never got my tools.
I11 presently work at *h¢_-,- near Springfield Ill. U ].<;.|-=. "__' |
under the Ul.lTi.
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C - O
Re: JOHN L. mas, ET AL ~49 7 C/
5'21!.
;TERVIET_1TH UM: was trying to get the men to change over to
mm from PEA and I believe the men I mentioned
continued above were aggitaters paid by UHF. Thér may
have been other men aggitating for UM? at this
time. but T cvn not remember their names.
I was a coal digger at Mine B. I do not remember the REA meet-
ing of May 11, 1957 or what happened.
"I believe I left the mine early that day May 12, 1937!. I
think I was celled out about noon that day. I never went back to Mine B.
after that day. ,
s - - -/ 0- re ' ,
itnessed:
1I§?F?j;Q'ff= _ Special Agent, FBI.
I§@§§§§§H='_ Special Agent, FBIe
-78..
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92-92 929292 INTERVIEl'TITH was interviewed at his residence,
fl i92 -Q K3¥_ __ .__ __.. ¢-|>-.- ...._.; . A . _.. Q. -_._.1.... b..._. _.n92._ _-..;n-_ -...... '[email protected]=.*_- - --- '_ - _=-- - ; - ___ - --- .»=..i_._'" i-,. .5 -¥'~- ~ rr- *-~-' '74 ___
fl
92 ' 1 45
c_ o
1---9RE: JOHN L. LE-VIS, Er st. Q
Special7. W II M. --. D .92-.L
un. cup u I4, 1943. gives born he
has never een rrested. He well, but he
knows very little concerning the facts of this investigutio and con-
sequently would be of no value as e witness to this investigetio. He
is still employed at Mine "B".
"Springfield, I11.
Sept. 4, 1943.
"1, liilli-. . .. eke the 1 011 Wins
volutnry stotenen t??°j§5§ f' uni£ég*;§ f_w J I 'whdn I know
to be Special Agents of t e e-erl Bureau of nV9S'1gL ion. I mike
it without fear of threat; force or promise of any kind.
"I was born in ¥a§@3§@$t$§§Tl @7I¬: I started working in
the Mine "B" in about y, . in Soringfield, nnd then joined the United
Mine Workers of America Union. In 1932 most L11 of our UHH locul went over
to the Progressive Miners of America. Union, and so I joined P3!» in 1952.
"I took no ctive port in the fomution of Pi-{.4}. and I have never
held &n office in any union.
JJ ___.L __AJIJ_ Il'n_._I LL_ .|_:_.,._ 1.-4...-.__._ lnrr r-A 1:.-.--L ULU IIUU I.'|.OU1C¬ PTLUI LIIU Ll-11155 DCIbWU§.1ll 1.306 1-IIU I'll-I-JV. L
that there were any strikes or close downs at Mine Hone of the
onpny officiuls ut any time so for as I know ever tried to discredit
the PM or get me or anyone I know of to join UHW. I did not notice that
the company wus purtiul to either PM» or mil.
"During this time I thought the Ph union was un honest one end
the officials were honest. I did not think there was any rocket connected
with the Idhi end the only assessment I didn't like was the 10% Lssessment
to be used for other FM» men who weren't workings
"I never took an interest in uion activities and went to very
few meetings.
Between 1932 and May of 1957 I never noticed any UMT picket
lines at Mine "B" and I never sow any attempt by llfto organize Mine
"B". In Spring of 1957 I heard some of the PMs men were expelled from
the.Hb> union but I do not know why. I cannot remember any of the ntmea
of any of those mene
-79-
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n_ _ _ . ______ __________7,' .:,_ ..-.__- -_.._-- - ;__.. -to-_. _#__ --- 2 :|--;_-; -We __VAi____ _¢I _=.a-- ---__
Q i_"::;
C, O
RE! JOHN Ln LEJIS, ET AL. J f I
inllli WITH "I do not remember whether or.,not I attended a
continues!meeting on IL -y ll, 195?; the night before the
ikn But I do not think I went- Qn Hay 12, 193'?
I went to work as usual as e ccmpeny men down in the
mine. "Ie did not work all doy becouse some time during the day our
PM-11 officials pulled us out of the mine and said we were on strike. I
did not know why we went out, H-nd Ilm still not sure why we went out-
I don't know why those men were expelled frcm the union end I never heard
of any wage scale trouble at that time-
"Qn lley I2, I957, I noticed e lot of the ours were loaded short,
but I do not lmow why and I never hoard anyone tell the men to loud them
short.
"After we went out on Muy 12, 1937 not remember ever being
notified to ocme beck to work until Nov» of
"Luring obout Sent. of 1937 I remember the Ht. hod a sit down
picket line It Mine "B" but I was not there when it started. I don't
Jmow how long; the picket line lasted, but I was out there only about
ten days in all. No one mode me come out and I went out voluntarily-
I wee not there when the picket line was to-ken off und I do not know wry it
went off.
"Shortly £4-fter we went out in Hey I95? I believe I signed e
Plin petition. I'do not remember signing more then one petition Lnd I am
sure I never signed u Ul p8ti92;i0'D|
Turin; @h,g,tiI=_,1",__h°,_B . PH» meeg =
-I -
o no rememer unyt mg; oout o new U1 -"~' ' ing
organized in the summer of 1937.
"Lhen I wee at the giclget lino I sew only Pllh local members
there.
"I remember voting in o Notional lnbor Relations Board Election
in Dec. of 1957 when Ht» won. I woe not forced or threatened in my W!-y
and I think it was o fdir election.
"In Nov. of 1939 I got o letter which I thought cane from the
g0v't¢, telling me to oome book to work and I went book to work in Mine
"B" no o oompony man end have been there ever since. I was ll member of
FEE when I went book, ultho I never ooid dues the whole time Mine "B"
was shut down.
5;1.5
92
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5' ' .:::-_-;"-.@
LC_ Qt,
RE: LI ET 151:4
/'1
I
"From the time I went beck to work in Nov. of
1959 until the end of 1940 when I joined EMU, no one
ever tried to get me to join UM? by telling me to or Iiiii IETH continue
threatening me to. I joined UMW because the rest of
the men were joining and I wanted to keep my job. I never notunlly new
any organizing by UM"; at Mine "B" - and eltho I heard about some and heard.
about some men getting beet up, I never en-W any of it¢
"'.'hen I went buck to work in Nov. of 1939 I did not see the re-
sults of uny fires or ouveins and I do not think there were any-
"I remember voting in n NLRB election in Feb. 1941 when U1-[U
- won. I thought it was e fair election 6: I was not threatened in any
Way.
This stutoment of four pages hue been reed to me end it is
true and oorreot to the best oi my knowledgee
.:.-1. --=--, , _-~w-.--.-f.»...; -
Witness:
1-_-7_:1=-I _ _ H H S peciel ngent , F J . I -
- S pec ie 1 Agent , F .B . I . "
..B1.-
~ e
4»?
- '.r. '
iq 3%
., _§bl'4- M if-Fifffyéyd.._ . ._,,.3°15-3;
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so
ya.
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g?
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92-_ _ .____ .s..._.__.iii___.__ _--4 4.-..-92~ - -_- -WI 777' __. .. _ AI-- ._ _7 ___ _ _,, _ ___ _ ,__ _____ __'_<,-> ;_ i i_iWi_,:__ i:5:f4¢_ A,
92~@- 92D
RE: JOH L. LEWIS, ET AL.
£g?.CL.- ég:§i¬>
& fT tV EW W TH 1n¢¢';r~l _fi I-'-3@§T~<:@-»"" Springfield,IQ 3 Illinois, was interviewe- at 15 one on -ptomber 2,
' 1943 by Special agents and
3' speaks anglish with dlif1C y, and 1S able to express himsel on y
q92 very simple words. He stated that he can only write his name, and that F *'927
, a very limited reading ability. kuestions put to him must be short and
plain. he said he is willing to testify in court or the facts as he re-
members them. He clains to have n ' nal record. The following signed
statement was obtained from
"Springfield, Ill.
September 2, 1943.
"1, make the following statement freely andvolu.ntaro.nonho haveidentified themse res "s me as éeia age L o .e Federal
Bureau of Investigation. N0 threats or promises have been made
- to me to obtain this statement.
"I presontl reside at §dQ# sf: S ringfield, Ill.
I W5-5 born in I Game I-0
the United Sta ¢a;ize; in Jeieral court in
Springfield, I11. in
n 1 first joined a union, the United Zine iiorkers, in
I stayed in this union until I Joined the Frogrossive Mine rorkers
of America in 1932. I rejoined the U.U.U. in l9AO, as I recall.
I never was an officer in any union
"I took no part in the organization of the P.M.A. in 1932-
1 merely Went along with the rest of the nen, I wanted to be with
the majority. I never have been one of the minority. I went to
quite a few P.iJ.... meetings, and also some U.I»I."wr. meetings. Both
unions treated me 0,K. I wanted a job and was willing to be in
any union that would see to it that I got a job.
"I don't remember any P.M.A. meeting on the night before the
strike started in l937. I probably did not go to the meeting. I
did not know anything at all about the strike until I was called out
of the mine. I was told to stay around the mine by the P.K.a. officials.
After a time, the sheriff came and then the miners went home. I don't
.-.- --a
,1
_-'i6_ -::"
"£121,1-
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*_ CI
Re: JDI-N L. LEWIS, El .-LL.
7a..
b? D e
92
ITERVI?U HITH "In the summer of 1937 no one ever contacted me
about joining U.H.}. In that summer I signed a petition
ntinue for P.M.h., but, because I can't read English, I don't
remember what the petition was about. I don't remember signing any other
petition.
"I don't remember how l received a notice that Mine 3 was to reopen
in September 1937, but I remember that when I went out to the mine, the
P.M. . officials told me that we were not going to let U..U. men go into
the mine. I stayed around the mine until the U. S. Marshall came and told us
to get off the mine property. I saw only'lne B men at the mine at this time.
"In the election of 1937 I voted for P.H.a. because I thought that
the majority oi the miners favored that union. From that time until I Went
hack to work in 1939 no one asked me to join the U.H.J. after I went back
to work in 1939, some man whose name I don't know told me that everyone
else was going to join U.M.H, and asked me why I did not join the U.M;T.
I finally signed up with U,M.". because I thought that all the rest of the
miners were signing up with U.H.". Everyone was saying that if we did not
sign up with U.M."., there would be no work.
"I don't care to which uion I belong. One union is just the same
as any other uion. I think that all unions are alike.
"I never saw anyone beat up in the mine or on mine property, but
I did see a man in a hospital who was supposed to have been beat up in the
mine. I don't knov why the man was beat up.
"At present I am working in Zine A, having been transferred from
Mine B where there were not enouph rooms for the miners to work.in. 1
"This statement consisting of this and one other typewritten page
has been read to me, and 4 state that it is true to the best of my know-
ledge and recollection. ta . - iiP /-" -w: ask! "seas;/°-
"Titnesses:
_..~,. 1 .- - ----¢ 1- .[5 1- 1. _ . _,.,_,_ IL,5' ,w92.iI- r1/_,_ ., .. _ _._I K-F~-= - .»»» ":-I-?_£92-2-7 -,.; :; 1» .. .y:i@- #"rsw:»>w:¢
Special Agents, FBI
Springfield, Ill."
'_ 53 -
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U, O
Dru! r -nc. J.»
_|"92n .
§f92-/
bLD I
H spnngrleld3 Illinois, was intervicvrea in the residence of his son,
September 4 194 b' S oial Agents
of or mdeaaeiiah1.-.: 4... .-... ...-. -: 4-1.H.I-U DU dbl-I GD34'? .|.l'iu¬1'P1"¬uEI'» é
He cannot speak
rd} Because of his lack
said he preferred no _,-_ jstif in court. The follow-
.. was: obtained from -
"Springfield, Ill.
September 4, 1943of education
ing S]gn0¢1 at
Ail!-:v92rU an-.1 -.4 ---- 4»-92-I» -n -I» HI '7' 92-rIv.Lu;_:, 92ruiUuu5.1_y 5uc1u¬1.1¬I"iu tn!
- _ er» : whom I know to be Special
gen s o e Fed? - "eau o Investigation, of my own free
will, with no threats 5 Arogises. Because I don't understandmash t@@-@1_1_,es explained thetions to me in swers to him have been
made in the sane anguage.
LN.-:...-.P-: .-.1.-I -r"|1 -:... {-- ;."<r. '65- '""" * "°° """ ,, _
I entered the Uni e . " in =r a e_.
ame a natura ized citizen in federal court at S rin- ield in Y
I joined the United Mine Uorkers at pfirei , .
in joined the Frogressive Fine workers 5* ,"i ' "'9- . erica in ,
and regoined the U.M.U., I believe, in April, 1941. I have never
held any office in a mine union. I am presently working at Mine B.
I!I began working at line B i1: 1929. I joined the P.I-A. in
'92f92"I'92 :1-L 1.1-_-.1 _.___._ L_-J- T '|-_J _._ -ea-r._J> J... -'.J__ ..__- -4.-4-.L:__ F J.-a_ IL
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297:3,
i /;27_D
' 92
INTLRV f7 wITH In the fall of 1937, I went out to the picket line
"e »ff_'§ ;- at Ihne B, because the P.H.A. pit committee told me
r:+.in'.:cd to, I don't remember voting in the 1937 81!-'Z'Cti0n
hold at ne arsenal. 7
"Just after line B {eo-ene- Z 1' 9 Jimy Hale, and Sam Joe
nlbanese! came to my house §3"~;' ' ' and asked me to 'oin the-
U'M'¥1 l didnft §¥§.uP1.F?tM92Q ?'!'*: :-- Y ? tQ%e-3.;r 7? 75? _ . . _ ,,- -. ...,= W . _._. ... _ __ - 4-:-_-1 _ ., - :»., _ ~-_,.~ f'92" ~.-.:{j'f'92{ '_ 3:." _ .I __: _._ 'a.,___,,.,J_ _92 _, . __ A :_;___h,_
"I don't remember voting in an election held in 1941, and don't
remember if I did vote or not.
_ "The_f9pegoing, consisting of two pages and this, has been read
t b~tW. t£- and I state it is true to the
knowlegé i . H
7- K .-F;»92¢__'l @., H
'=-_==-=-_~.->.;- .1»-' '1-.= .;.. . 5; J-- -.-. "J1 -;-|
Special agents, FBI
Springfield, Ill.
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Q . O
Re: Jom L. Leas, ET AL. [97 ¢,l 5 70
92[FE $Pi"@ 18 » mm» 1" eI"1@ '@ a I V . 3" T5 TIT "5?! ' 5 51-'3"
Q» 92' 'ence e tember L, 1943, by Special Agents "-31155peaks and reads English very well, uring the
interview, exhibited a very poor memory for details which it is believed
he should have retained. He claimed to have no criminalrecord, and denied
ever having been convicted of any offense. I-Ie said he was willing to
testify in court to facts that he remembers. The following signed
statement was obtained from:7: - - ' ~- V
"Springfield, Ill.
September 4, 1943
"I, - H -p .- the following voluntary state- ment te ' ' whom I know to be
Special agen s o e Fe era ureau o nvestigation, of my own
free will, with no throats or promises rrade to me.
_ . ;; "
H» D_ E <
"I presently live at
and am employed at liine B. I was bo IL
d th U t d " I joint e ni e ;;iI'18 I
g nor at 1-line B. I joined the Progressive
america at iiine B when they were organized in 1932. I rejoined
the U.Il.}i. about 1-.pri1_p. _ '0 he U.M.-3'.inartcr was closed.orkers of
era 0-H
K4"Prior to the organisation _ n " m . -some trouble in the U.M._--'. I -I6-E an
pay any attention to it, and rea1l' 1 le about it.
I really don't know the reason for the organization of P.!-5.3., and
I took no part in the organizing of the P.I1.n. From 1932 to 1937,
conditions at the mine were satisfactory. I heard or saw nothing
which might have shown that the management of Ine B was in favor
of the U.M.n., rather than P.I!.A. As far as e Icnov, the men were
entirely satisfied with the P.M.A., for I heard no complaints
from any of them about the mien or its officials.-r 1_n,._,.: _-F, 1 H.UdIU U.L
d didn 't
"I don t remember any P,1~1,a. meeting the night before the
Strike, and I don It remember hearing anything about the meeting
the next day. -in the day of the strike, I went to work, and
didn't know anything about the strike until I had finished work
for the day. I heard that men had been loading their cars short,
but don t know the reason for it. I also heard that some men in
the north part of the mine Had walked out. I went right home,
I
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o _ 0 *
Re; JUHNL.LEnIS,ETaL. k7C- Zp!D
there was no work. I know that there was some F ". -
" " f disagreement between the Pitt.-1.; and the mine
{continue-d; management over some retroactive clause in
the contract. I don't know anything more about it, and don't know if that
was the cause of the strike or not.
"I don't remember signing any P.Ll.A. petition just after the strike
in 1937- I do remember ' in a U.!-I.'.i. membership card in 1937, just be-fore the strike. ta1kcd to me in the mine, and told me that
most of the men were a _ U.M.J., and asked me to sign a membership
card. I did so, because I thought most of the men were doing it. I had
no part in the formation of the U.M.-J, local in the summer of 1937, and
continued to pay my dues to P.H.A. I didn't pay any dues to U.M.W- during
that time. In 1939, while the strike was going on, I went to work at
Panther Creek No. 1., which was P.I.I.a. I dropped my membership in U.1.{.3".
at that time. I Worked at Panther Creek No. 4, and stayed a member of
P.Ivf.A., and went back to work at Mine B when it reopened in the fall of 1939
"I remember getting a notice for the opening of Mine 3, from the
company, but don't remember the date, and don't know for which opening '
it was. In the fall of I937, I went to the picket line at the mane.
The P.H.A. men were picketing the mine to protect their jobs. I heard that
the U.H.W. men were talking about starting a local, and signing a contract
with Mine B management. The P.M.n. men were picketing to keep the U.M.W.
men out of the mine. I was on the picket line when the federal injunction
was served, but don't know the reason for it.
"I don 't remember getting any notice of an election in the winter
of 1937. I remember voting in one election, but I don't remember when it
was, or how I voted. I didn't go out to the mine during the strike, except
when I was on the picket line, and I didn't hear of any statements made
by the mine management for the U.H.". or against the P.I.-LA.
".-tfter the mine reopened, a driver, eithe __ anon came
o my room, an as e me 0 oin e,_., ;_A;;;a,_i.H ¬_ _ in ,§t
- - v . £:~i"iae::v.;92i I; - --Y"T>Ik1.I1 511110 POOITI, ~ _ 1;» "1 " era ~ ;-:",:.; 1:#;.," _j:_-_,_:_?E;L;.:_j:.:;,_f 3;, L}. - 5_ A, I-~ :..__- _.__, .. I t,_ ____;_~ *--I.-. -- - , | 92 -q -;-,92 .92-_.~_ - - ___-
re: =. I wasn 't orce - to S1 but did so v cause -92 -¬=-"=.E". gm! _Kg. to me several times, but never said anything about
jOiniI'lg the Uot :1 -0
"I don't remember signing any affidavit sayi
hat we would lose told 136 an n-Tfin the U IJ
* "qieaa¢@Qe?s£§* .
.1 ..saying t tn .mnd.==on t saying that the u.1'l
would he 1 I don=t ever remember Bohannontelling me her was use I wouldrt join the U.H.TI.Hg
we didn
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C . O
I
Re: JDH L. LLJIS, aw AL.
L»?¢./ 575'
_ INTEHYLEJ HZEE "I have no preference as to unions. The P.M.A.
te§¥fe» if treated me all right, and the U.H.U. treats me
on-1nue- all right. I'm willing to go along with the
majority of the men, am signed in the U.M.U. because I thought the majority
of the men wanted that one.
"I have read the foregoing, consisting of approximately four and
one quarter pageS, and state that it is true to the best of my knowledge.
.
/S»'
/s/ etéiftt, _ .t
A '§§ee§e¢' gents, FBI
Springfield, Ill."
a
.¢é g; !H- never paid much attention to union activities in Springfield, and sot -=~_ ¢. 1
.
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RE: JOhN L. IEZIS, 111" AL
92 Ir _ _ . . ' ../ix _1u'n21=cv_r.£".' TJITH
In F ' at wnici time he stated that:9 L_/
we
ed by S cial
and
in view of
that reason he had very little information of value to instant case.
seems to be of average intelligence and spoke in a clear and distinct "
manner. It is believed he would make a favorable witness, although his in-
formation is limited.
At the time of the interview, aexecuted the following signed
statement:
PGC A501" 13$
promises have been made to me to induce me to make a statement. I reside
at and get my mail at? Illinoisep ember 6, 1943
th of whom have identified themselves as
Bureau of Investigation. No threats or
General Delivery.
111 was bor innd started working _ l - I |_: __._,;.$,_5;_ - . ..;;.@-$": _-92. ' I '-1n the 1lD9235 in - la me I Joined United Lane "orkers. I have
never held an oflice in any union. I started Working at Hine B in 1933 or
1934 and at that
the formation of
al0n3 fine. Thetime I was a memb;r of P.H.a. I had nothing to do with
P.H.A. When I started at Mine B Progressive was getting
com any seemed to like P.H.A. and the men were all satisfied.
"I r-c1"ne:'f:b;.r that in the spring of 1937 our contract ex,ired and some01" the men objected to worl-cing without a contract. HOW¬:V;~I, actu-
board :;.e:nb.r, told us ever;'t"_-ing was all right, and that we should continue
to work. In my opinion tha men all felt that the matter would be settled
in e satisfactory manner.
II
men were working for U,M,7,I remember that some of the men kept saying we wouldn't get o con-
tract and that we shouldn't work without one. Afterward, I learned that the
There was about 12 or 15 of these men, one of
ithem was named Andy but I don t know who the others were.
"I didn't attend many
the meetings were held in Spr
._._- 92...._,: 92...,92_ ._.,.._'92"|...:| 1'...-.-. 11.U.|.b'1£ H!.<92-I Ublill l:fIL1.!UJ..L'JLl .L1U1>1 1',
On the day of the strikunion meetings because I lived iné and _
ingfield. I don't remember hearing some
._ , .. .. ' T -11- /92
A -92.LL.l
92| » .'92-an. ,.92.. ..-P4» _., 41...-.4...-.1.., ..._. -Lt-..:..111.11.; ¢1J.L|i1UL.lEl1 mi Lrbl. bllb Dbl J..I92K¢ I-|llJ.§O
e I was Working as £1 diggcrt I-iine B
rno we were
I rememberand I went down into the mine as usual. About 2:30 tnat a
told to leave and we heard a rumor that there was a strike.
hearing that some of the men were loading cars short that day. I don't know
.. 39-A i _______ ___ :7 _ _ _l - .- -- ____.. _, 4--:- - 4--er - - ----__:_ ----_ Q -.,-_ ,; 4_e - ~~-_'-1->1?-nil-4r*IlT;_r _
E .
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the following voluntary Statement to _
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C _ O
92 I
RE: JOHN L. LET..lS, as AI' A/7° 50.0
I1-IT_T=1Rv1E.',' ..1T;~: x-why; they did, no one told mo to and mr
continued! K" cars Wart all full.
"Then I came on too I was told that Elshoff had refused to pay any
retroactive wages, and I thought that that was what the trouble was. I
did not near anything at that time concerning the spies that were working
for U.X.7. being expelled from P.h.A. or causing trouble.
"I do not recall signing any petitions that summer, but I could have
signed one and forgot all about it.
"I was on picket duty at Mine B for one or two days right after the
strike, but that was the only time I was on picket duty. It was at this
time that I heard about the spies being expelled from P.M.A.
"I voted in the NLRB election at the Armory in December of 1937.
I saw no trouble or violence of any kind at this election.
"I started working at Mine A in about September of 1937 and I have
been working there ever since.
"I have read the above statement and declare it to be true and correct
to the best of my nemory."
/s/
"Witnesscd:
' #1. - ""*'.i,:'_--.'4_ "1 ?.!f;": = .-
3 " - ti
. _ ..
Soegial Agents, F.B.I.
U. S. Dept. of Justice"
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'_ L. -1 ,- rRE: JOHN L. LELIS, ET AL. "-' I *-/
l¢>2_D
Ta by Bbeciil Agents 3
He related his story in a "cT@
and a in this
He would make a favorable witness to testify to those matters con-
tained in the following statement which he signed:
ll '% Ill.
make the following voluntary statement to E
whom have identified themselves as Specie gen s
of Investigation. N0 threats or promises have been
nmde to induce me to make a statement.
' "I was born "T-'3; T and came to the U.S.
" ' I became a citizen nw l ive atI I joined the U.M.'.-'. union i and joined the P M - ' 1: -
n her Creek, I have never held a union office and started to work in
Mine B in 1936.
"'.'.hen I first started at the mine everything seemed to be good at
first. The officers seemed to be good men and the company was getting
along all right with the union.
I "I recall that our union contract with the ccmreny expired on
April l, 1937, and some of the men were kicking because it seemed to take a
long time to settle on a contract. I think however, that most of the men
felt a good contract would be signed.
"At about this time a group of men who were supposed to be P.M.A.
.T'en were really "working for the U .II..I. I heard these men were paid by
the U.I-1.15. to start to organize -1 U.!l.7§i local. I had heard about these
men before the strike, but they never approached me. I used to see them
talking to our Progressive men and they al so seemed to hand around the
company office. Bohannon seemed to be the main man E; others were Tony
Fletch, Austin 81 Carter.
I think that before the strike these men were expelled from our '
union for their actions. In rug opinion the whole mine knew these men had
been kicked out of the union. I used to attend a few union meetings, but I
.
.83
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e_ 0
ns= JOHN L. LETIS, or AL
la?!!
I}92JTT;;RVIE,'.. 11?}: do not remember being at the meeting when the
continued!men were kicked out.
"I went to work, as a digger Q on the da; of the strike the
same as usual. I remember that when I go o the mine there was a dispute
as to w1~ lor the men who were supposed to be spies would work that day.I sa-.= end a crowd oi our men com_:92lainin_; to tho company that those
men shou not be allowed to work with us. Host of the men were in the Com-
pany office. He all went to work alter a short time and took up our regu-
lar jobs. I saw cars goin; by me that were loaded only partially, but I
loaded all Hg cars the same as usual. I think we were in the mine that whole
da; and left at the usual time.
"The nxt da; I reported to the mine and was told there was a strike.
That was the first I knew of a strike goin_ on. I was told that our union
was going to strike until the compan" fired thOSu men. I then went homeand stayed there. 5ince I lived inll do not have ouch contact with
the union men in springfield. I reca t about 2 weeks after the strike
some P Y A men broug t a petition to my house and I signed it. I was not
mine and I went out to the
I went on picket duty for 5
homo almost any time I want
was served Q it didn't make
hack to work.asked to sign anythin for United. I Se t. f 1" ? thwb t '.d t t t th 1'1 P O 7! F" I"lC O S BI O
mine after the picket
6 dals and durinj that
ed to. I was there at
much difference to melino had been started.
time I was allowed to come
the time the injunction
except 3 want d to go
"I didn't go to the nine from the time of the injunction until the
time the mine ogenod in Nov. of 1939. I voted in the H L R B election in
Dec. of 1937 and to my knowledge evcrythin; went along fine. There was not
any fibhting and the men could vote for uhoevcr they wanted to.
"I received a notice in the mail to go to work in 193? & I went to
the min: to report. I was told that they were s»ort of rooms and the air
worked in because the parting had caved in so I started work in bot nhe
I went back to work I kept up my dues in rrodressivc for about 4 mon .
I could see that United had a lot of new men and we all urerstood that
the mine would only opcratc with the U H K union. 1 decided to join united
so I could keep on workin . I was never threatened bv any of the united menwas bad and that I should report back in a fen days. I--I;-' room couldit be
s
and didn't see any fights. The management seemed to favor united men and
the compan; hired a lot of strangers. I always undarstood that in order to;ct a job a man had to be a m mb.r of U. *. T, Host of the or;anizers fed
united always seemed to got the best rooms to work in. -
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; , .. ET AL RE JOHN 1 LETS, L Q,
~ ° 7_D
INT=;RVWf "I have read over this anti:-s statement sf
{¢om.1nu,Qd! five pages and wish to state it is true to
the. best of my memory."
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"Witnesses
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Re: JOHN L. LEKIS, at a1.
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92> 1NTERv1Hw11'H §P='i=~==1=1- I11i=<=i'»/ 5 was interviewed at s ome on -_=_-_ 943 bygp - Special Agents d ;g;_ lfgijffp
that he has spoken against them. If necessary, he will testify but he
stated he will always be afraid that his life will be in jeopardy after
that. He claimed to have no criminal record.
_. ..-.. . . ... ....- i
_This man speaks and understands Eng s air y wel , - in-ica e- a - .oere
fear of receiving another beating from union 'toughs' if it becomes known
The I'OllOW11lg 18 B. SIEIJBG. SlZ&'C81BIlt WHICH W35 ODU&i1'16C1 1TO1ll_
"Springfield, Ill.
September 6, 1943.
"I, §§>-a " make the followin; statement freely and volu-tarily to §! '@i if. and f;@i§@e§¬?,h H . - who have identified themselves
to me as Specia ngets of J e élera iu an of Investigation. No threat!
or promises have been made to me to obtain this statement. _
I presently reside at Springfield, 111., and
I am working in Mine A.
"I was born I came to theUnited States in- and was naturalized in n Sirinifield, 111. I
first joined a mine union, the United Mine Eorkors, in I joined the
Progressive Mine horkers of America in 1932. I rejoins e United Mine
Lorkers in 1940. I never have been an officer in any an
"In 1939 after Mine B reopened, two unions, the U.H.W. and the
P.M.A., were working in the mine together. At this time the P.E.A. was the
larger group locally. The U.M.h. watched tho P.M.A. meetings to see who
went to the P.H.A. meetings. Then the U.M.W. men started to sign up the
miners.
"Some time after Mine B reopened the officials of P.M.A. and U.H.W.
agreed to have a joint meeting of both onions to try to settle the trouble
at Mine B. The purpose of the meeting was to determine if all the miners
would go with one union or the other. They were going to have a vote to
determine which union the miners preferred. The meeting was held in Redman
Hall. The president of the P.M.A. local and the President of the U.M,,
local presided at this meeting. It was the idea that the union to have the
run of Mine B would be the union that the had the majority of the votes
at this meeting. The U.H.K. claimed it had a majority of the minors in the
state, and the P.M.A. claimed it had a majority of the miners in Mine B,
which it did. Because of the inability of the anions to agree on anything
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Re: JOHN L. LETJIS, ET 1.1.. 19 '! ¢_,.
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NTERVIEW T.I'1H at this meeting, nothing was accomplished.
the
l I I ..'| L I
who told the I
h .to get men to join
U.M.-"i. He threatenedit. The boss cal ed F , super, W o fired; ven hough
he was fires, kept coming around the mine every morning. He came
into the wash-house and into the tipple. He was fired in December 1939,
and continued to hang around Mine B until the election in February, 1941. Iwere n._
nose men who would not join '
boss in the pardon aboutE t /
- had also broken the nose oi a man known as QQbefore he threatonedq There were no witnesses to t is in--::i..en.-, but there were witnesses so she incident with = That is why
awas fired.
"One day when I was working in Mine B, I heardasksome miners which In.-92.I1 was That made me suspicious. '- day
the be
T-hen I
there.
there.ss asked me what had beerTdone. The boss sent me into the mine.
reached the place where I was to work, there were a bunch of men
They got me to sign up with U.M.1I.. Bohannon and Albanese were
I heard that it was against the rules for anyone to sign up a man
for a union on mine property, or down in the mine. Bohannon and the others i ,/"present at this time told me that if I wanted to work, I had to sign up E,/'
with U.lvi.T.'. That was in June or July, 1940. I signed ui with U.M.li. at /T-V"
" Lthat time, but I did not go to any u.m.¥.. meetings. threatened to J
beat me if I did not come to U.I92.T.. meetings.
ing that I had signed up with U.Li.T.. against my will. Some way the U.M."-"i.
found out about this, even though the P.M ' lawyer told me that the affidavwould be only for government men. Latcrgtold me that he had heard
about my signing the affidavit. He threa§'E'eT1o beat me. I told a
cormnittec.-man old Falcetti about what had happened. Faloetti called a.
mcotin_"Some time later I made an affidavit for the P.l.i.A. lawyer stat-
tn was there, oven though he had been fired Faloetti Ll ii y _ 0 ltold to stay off the mine property. That night came to my ~ %a":_1r-Hr-n I ncnted nbnn+, n m-i1n an:-1 :1 I-ml-I I-|-An. mu I-92_.-...-Us 4. .-, .-..-1,4 ..-.9 ....-.D wuv--| A.v u __ vu in-|..4.v I-um M nu:-.L .LA92ll-M nu: JIUILLUQ -I01. Dbl aDl92J.L15 muwhat I was doing,h_me in the head and knocked mo out for a short[92 V /
time. I remember as I started to fall, pul ; him to the
ground with me. I came to, and s arted to yell for help. ran off,
and I followed him to the road. I saw a car which had a license number on
it, which number was listed to Bohannon. I saw three other men in the car,
one ofwhom I y- ized as Bill Sirtout. I did not recognise the other 'two men. ?.h=:nca.me to me whore I was working in the field, about
300 feet from t e roe, he also asked me if I was coming to the union moot-
ings, and if I would pay union duess I told him that I not going 4:45
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" !!% »1-1 lnue "I reported the tter to the police, and obtained awarrant against He was not picked up for
The case was called r rial about four times. The second
__..... .._..': 1 IRA 41.... 4-....: .-. 1 'r 1....-1 +.-. 1 ........ 1:4 ....-. R ..+ +1-..-. ......-.... |.....-.-WU.§ Ulicg 1U U] -LU~J. 1 J-LGLL DU LURVU IJLLIG U GU DJ-IU LlL!92Jl..l I.-l92J92ll Oseveral days.¢;_... J_1__ ___..LIHIU EH8 CESU
The boss told me that if I wanted to work at Mine B, I should work all
day. On that same day Bohannon asked me if I was going out of the mine
at noon. Bohannon asked me to ride to town with him. Later, Bohannon
told me that he had changed his mind. I left my work at 11:30 AH, and
tried to get the cage going to the top at 12 noon. I missed that cage
by two minutes and had to wait until 12:15 P. Bohannon caught the 12
o'clock cage, and reached the top before I did. Hhen I tried to start my
truck to go to Springfield, it would not start. I looked under the hood,
and discovered that all the wires in the distributor had been pulled out.luhen this case was finally settle, who was represented by a U.ll.?i.
lawyer, was fined $25.00 and costs.
"In 1940 the members of the U.M.7. said that unless a man joined
the U.M.. before December 15, 1940, he could not become a member of that
union. I then told Tony Plotch that if the U.H;T. would take me in, I
would pay dues from the start of 1941. Edmundson at this time said that
I had been a member of U.M.T. since June of 1940, even though I did not pay
any dues.
Two weeks before the election in February, 1941, I quit working
at Mine B, and went to work in Mine A. I was still afraid to work in Mine
B.
"I wish to state that at the time I told Tony Plotch that I
would join U.M.L., I paid him $2.00, because I was afraid that I would
get beat up if I did not pay some money at this time.
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Re JOHN L. LE"IS, ET 5L : n
we I don't know 11: anyone was loading
cars with short weights. I think the strike started '
because the P.M.a. wanted the company of Nine B to !COD!Il.I1'92J$!
fire some men who violated the rules of P.H.A., and
the company refused to fire the men.
:lOn¬ day before the strike
Schrelevious was talking to me about t e . .I. being a goo- ou fit. He
did not say anything about joining. '
"1 don't know what rles the men who the P.M.A. wanted fired had
violated, The men were: Joe Albanses, Sohrelevious, Dominic Pasquale,
Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony Plotch, Cotton Ananias, Sirtout, George and
Emory Jccaway, and Charlie Bohannon. Their P.M.A. union cards were taken
away from them. Cotton's card was not taken until after the strike.INTERVIE_hITH
"I remember signing a petition for P.M.A. in 1957. This petition
was to be sent to the Labor Board to show that board how many members
P.M.A. had. I also signed another petition, but I do not know whether it
was at the same time or not. It was just about the same as the first
petition, and was made so that if anything happened to the first, the P.M.A.
would have the second petition.
"In the summer after the strike started_no one tried to get me
to join U.M.., and I signed no petition for U.M.h.
"I think I saw a notice about the mine reopening in September
1937. I went out to the mine to go to work, and found out when I got there
that if I did not sign up with U.M.L. I could not go into the mihe. I re-
call that Falcetti called off about 15 names of men who were to go to work
at that time. They were only U.M.L. men. He did not call any P.M.A. men.
Bohannon said that the men could not go into the mine unless they signed
with U.M.. hll the P.M.A. men came home from the mine. I got another
job right away and did not go back to Mine B. I don't know anything about
the picket line. . _
"I voted in the election in December 1937, and voted for IP.M.A.
because I preferred that union. No one tniked to me about joining the
U.M,T, until I wont back to work in 1939 at Mine B. After I started back
to work, that's when they started to work on me.
I joined the U.M.i. because I had to_t2 keep my job, and to keep
my good health. I was willing to stay with the majority. It really makes
no_difference to me to which union I belong. If I had thought the U.H.i.
had a majority at Mine B after the mine reopened, I think that I would
have had no trouble.
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Re: JOHN L. LEETIS, ET AL A
IEC RITE This statement consisting of this an ' ther t -written aes has been read to ine 'b
ccm.1nue and I state that it is rue o
i " '3 "i ow age and recollection.
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L Special agents, FBI, Springfield, Ill.
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Re: JD}-Ii L. LJ:T'f."IS, ET AL <3 1
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Izrrsavxzm wits At Auburn, Illinois Q was interviewed by Special Agents ?/l92, -and person reads English with difficulty u9292d §} appears to b .. Many details at Mine B are well fixed in his
3 memory, particularly during that period when UH? was attempting to gain
-§ control, from 1939 to 1941. It is felt that he would make a satisfactory[92 witness to testify to those matters set out in the following statement;
a Illinois
Se tember 2, 1943 P
_y _ "I *;t§§;;Lyr __.~. e following voluntary statement to
t@g;?l; ;;;§qf1;Z an; Hf@y; Q both of whom have identified themselves
as opEC13l agents in the reoeral Bureau of Investigation. Ho threats or
' " - eme 3 omises have been made to me to get me to make a stat nt I
efjn;§§$%Ei§§FFTJf 1.1, Illinois, and was born in-,4;»?.; =92._e._g;_:-'92!!'-"1._%.92hr.--92 ~ ' _ --- "P:-Ion e o eh . . in = I became a U. S
I first started mining in -and joined the United Tiine Workers
that year. I have never held any office in any union. I joined Progressive
in 1932 and started working at Fine B in 1954. When I first started at
Kine B everything seemed all right at the mine with the Union, P.M.A. I neve:
.~ on-1 .-J n" +..-.-.n'v-.1». ¢.+ Q11L Li L/J. I-4|.klJ' U1. 'J924L7-ND U I-Id-J-I
"I do not recall much about any contract expiring on March 31,
1937. I never went to many meetings of the union and I just barely remember
that there was to be a new contract.
"I remember that about this time there were men in the P.M,A.
that were supposed to be working against P.N.A. and for U.M.} Andy was
one of these, also Charles Bohannon, and Frank Austin were others. I heard
that there was about twelve of them ind that they aer: working for U.M;¥.
trying to organize P.H.A, men into the United. They never talked to me
though.
there was some kind of an argument about these
these men had guns in the mine office. I never
heard that those men were kicked out of the union but I know that there was
some kind of an argument about their working. -"I remember that
men and I also heard that
"On digger inB:-ac As I remember the P_.T1..-.. men didn't want these men, the spies, to
go to work. I loaded thrce cars, not full, and the driver would take them '
away. As I remember, I worked until my regular quitting time and went on
top. hon I got on top I found that there was trouble, Some of the menthe day of the strike I went to work as usual as a
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INTERVIEW F said they wouldn't work with those men who were working
for U.M.'-1'.
con inued
"I went to work the next morning but nobody went down. ht
that time I didn't know there was a strike and that is why I went. hen
I got there I found out there was a strike and I remember there was some
discussion about a contract.
"I don't remember signing any petitions during the sumer of 1937.
I might have signed, but I don't remember: it is too long.
"In September, 1957 I heard the mine was going to open, I think
there was a notice in the paper. I went out on the day it was to open,
ready to go to work. We didn't go to work though because it seemed as
though the U.M.T. men were going to work. We started a picket line then,
the fellows said we had to stay to protect our job. I was there until the
injunction was served by
while, I was free to cone home whenever I wanted to,
miners were on the line.the U. S. Tarshall. I would come home once in s
'__ Nearly all of the
In one way I felt glad when we were told to go
home, I was getting tired of staying there. The only one I was mad at was
U.K.}. for I felt that they were the ones who had made us get out.
"I voted in the
I went to the Union HallNLRB election in December, 1937 at Springfield.
and a few of us went to the Armory and voted.
The election was nice and quiet and there was no trouble of any kind,
ll
November of 1939. I was
was notified. I went back to my same job and for quite a while things were
quiet. After I had beenI did not go back to the mine again until it opened up in
notified to go to work, I don't remember how I
working for a while Sam Albanese tried to get me
to join U.M.T. He told me I would be surprised to know how many belonged,
He didn't threaten me, however, and I told him I wouldn't join. '
"Later another fellow named tried to get me to join, and -
I told him I wouldn't. He tried to get me o join U.M.T. and followed
Fls last name was gn g me around where I was war
or something like that.
doesn't.work there now.
by the neck and pushed me
cut my head off and I was
the mine. I told the pit
Faleetti what had happene
Falcetti asked me if I knHe did not work at Min e o twmi e B b re the s r1 e and he
I told him I wouldn't join and he grabbed me 1
clear to the ground. He told me he was goingto
scared. I grabbed my lunch box and ran out o
b>ss that had happened. I also told Oscar 92 I
d. This must have been in the fall of 1940.
ew who the fellow was but at that time I didn'tIJ
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K92 JOHN L. LETIS, ET 1-.L ,7
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"About the last of 1940 Tony Fletch told me I should sign up for
for U..T. The next day I heard that so
beaten up in the wash house. I was scare
if I hadn't signed up. The only reasonU.K.T. and that night I signed up
fellows who hadn't signed up were
that they might be looking for me. .
& IIIIIIJ-L ].TH "¥'-lip L-,'-"H" "I E135 ti? 5tat¬ on i cu. "" '
my h end tried to get me to join . .
con inue and old me I wouldn't work in Min
. didn o1n. I told him that the "overnm
--av-A 6-Auauuw vu
... I refused
e B if I
ent was behind
I signed was beoanse I was scared I would be beaten if I didnlt sign!
I
"The above stltement was read to me by Agent gene! I declare
it to be true and correct to the best of my memory.
Q1}: r_=,__;92- ~ *= "
*Iitnessed:
signed!
Spec agent, F.B.I.
U. S. Dep't. sf Justice"
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL 5 7 C/
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T92| WI: TFFTJLAY J. ' ii I .L
L3 92 had difficulty in comprehending some of the ouestionsput to him, inasmucL as he oocs not speak or understand the Englishlanguage very well. It is believed that=.rou1d only make B. fair
witness.
Ihore is beinz set forth below the sinned statement executed byét the time o? instant interview: Q -
% I11-
Sept. 2, 1945
the following voluntary statement to
oth of whom have identified themselves as
Federal Bureau of Investigation. No threats or
promises have been made to induce me to make any statement.
and came to the
mining coal
ve held an office"I was born in
U. S. ir. - I became a
in I joined the U.H.Y} union
in an ion. I started working for in about and worked there
until May of 1942, At the present time I do not have any job. _
"I remember that it was sometime in 1952 when the P.M.A. was formed
and I joined the P.M.A. union at about that time. I didnt have anything
to do with the start of the P.K.A. and so I don't know the reason why
P.M.A. was formed. I have never gone to many of the union meetings and
never paid much attention to union activities.
"I recall the strike at Mine B in the spring of 1937, but I do
not know what caused the strike. ow there was some question about anew contract and I remember t}-mtg our" union man, told us to go to
work as usual and the union would see o it that we would get a good
contract. I remember that before the strike some of the Progressive men
didnit want some of the other men to work with them. I believe Pasquale
and Bohannon were two of the men that the other men didn't want to work
with. I hoard that these men along with about fifteen others were on the
company payroll to act as organisers. I don't know who they were supposed
to be organizing for though. I heard some men had been kicked out of the
union, but I don't know the reason.
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G " O
Ra. JOHN L. LE.'.'¢'IS, ET AL b 7 Q_/
b?_/3 ~
NTER Y T TH driver came along and said,'*everybody out', so we came
out of the mine. Fe loaded the cars as usual and I
- con inue don't know anything about any of the men loading the
cars short. When I got on top, somebody said there was
a strike about money on wages. '
"I remember about two weeks after the strike some young fellowscine t; 2; house ir. end had me sign a petition. The men didn't tell
mo what it was for toey gust told me to sign so I did. I don't know if it
was a Progressive or U.M.T. petition.
men who lived in had to stay on the picket line all week long. The
men in Springfield co id co home once in a while, but we never had a chanceto get home. I askoc? a couple of times if I could come home, but
he said I had to stay On .9 picket line. Kc never said anything about
what would happen if I left the picket line. I stayed on picket duty
until some time in Dccembor of 1937 when the Marshal came with an injunction."In the iil of 1937 I went out to the mine on picket duty and the
"I voted in the NLRB election in December of 1937 and to my
knowledge everything went along fine. I didn't see any fights and don't
know of anyone who was frightened or threatened.
"I heard the mine had tried to open several times, but I dhin't
go near the mine again until after the mine opened in 1939. After the
mine had opened I went to see Oscar Falcetti and asked him why I hadn't
been called back to work. He told me some body had reported to the office
that I had died. Ihen I told him I wanted to go back to work, he toldme to start the next day. Box ad caved in so I went to work in box,Nobody was allowed to go in bO!$13.S there was a sign there for everyon
to keep out.
"I believe I paid dues in the PEA until about July of 1940 and
a short time after that some non came to my house and asked me to join the
U.M.T. I joined tho United because I figured the majority were joining
united and I didn*t want to lose my job. Fobody told me I would lose my
job, but I figured I would do like the rest to protect my job.
f1 have worked in different mines as a member of both the PMA
and the UMT. I have never had any trouble with either union.
"To the best of my knowledge the strike at Mine B was called -
by the men because the company wouldn't agree to a contract and wou1dnt
give us our back pay. _
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1"92 ¢*92 I
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26: JOHN L. LETIS, ET AL19 > <;/
E-7QI192TTVIf' "" "' "This statement has been read to me by Agent?
.L;1%f$]t* s - and I wish to state it is true to the best 0 my memory.
I n 1n e ,. .. . .co u I -~~P.?'- f '.!f"--L.-' -
<S='~@md>
Witnesses
L Signed
=1-W.»
"~*"""Special Agents, FBI
U. S. Dept of Justice
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L70
Re: JOHII L. LEWIS, ET AL 0
92-
1.. '. i IT
" .i 3 l u SP9 °
' ' ' his residence, , n
ptember 2; 1943. He appeared wil to him and
I11" inoia
September 2, 1943
" make the following voluntary statement
*0 whom I know to be Special Agents of the.-
Fede Inve P on, t of Justice.
rre sentl live or. @_;.~.,_ I I 1111015, y nu.
01 first joined e vine union rst Illinois
under the ited Tine l'.'orl:ers of America. whio will e re erred to herein-
after e.
"I have worked at seven mines not including Line "B". I worked
under Uil/T at all the mines I worked at until I joined P11 at liine "B" in
1932. I started working at Tine "B" in January, 1928 under the U11"?-
"I eti ended an _occa__s_sionel union meeting when I worked both under
the UT!" and the Progressive fine ilorlcers of America which will be referred
to hereinafter as PTA. I never hel a ' I -_ de:r'_UEl'|' or l"*"A exce t " and P,1 _ -1 sh -, ._= ea,» ,. - ~! .. - .. ._ . _ ~"' '
apt .! -. .!,-= I V * ., '-_:'F""-"?,l=.':I':£-§';=~'-' I~-?_$1.&.=-"_.:-1; 1- - l E; 4-is - -'-' i . -aw-" L1»-'*" .- -- " I: :.=: - --=: - -- = 3 4: - - __~- -=-.-- _, V.-M,-_<_ - -;=.- -. -A-* - 92 xi: i->=.zé".=-;:m'" L -2-1' " --1;-" - ,.~*~-".-~"' 1 Q» '-F-ii.-...;-3;" " ' '., 1.1;.--,;-:'--W ;<i§=¢_,'=;.@--=,;_ yr ix =~ ,.f;,..w92'd we,- - _ 1&5! ,'s.."--~ .;<~*-I -. -I -...92_ ; .. -- -- - -.~
-' . '
"The last day I worked at Zine "B" was on llay 12, 1937. I did
not return to work there at any time thereafter because I did not went to
get involved in the trouble I thought was coming in 1939 and l940-
"I was not en ective organiser of P31. in Iiine B's
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he: JOHN L. LMJIS, ET AL
3_;'_7c;,- J9; :3
11:'1_ERV1"-.'f PITH opinion Elshoff from then on appeared to be side
"2 z -" L tracking the I-RF. offfieials.III!-mi
"1 saw nothing deeper than this which would cause
more strain in the relations between F115 and Elshoffe
"I was always satisfied with the PILA officials-
"I believe the special assessment put on wages of FILE; members
during the first year of the organizations existence was meant and was used
to finance the net: P11 union.
I never heard of any L77?! picket line at Line B from 1932 to 1937.
I felt that r'DO1~11~IC PASQUALE and FR.:'d'K LUSTI1¬were trouhle
rtakers. I felt that Charles Bohannon could not be trusted and that he would
a';"gitate for or against any union for money.
B; word or mouth I heard that the following men were paid by
'u' " ' for agitating in Tine "B" prior to *3; 12, 193" on "e"""" "" "" '. ii. .1 -' ill I U LLIIKLJ. UL UJJI .
It was the miners opinion that U1.T.. was paying these men: -lxIld.I6'92'J S0hI'61BV'1092.l5_.
Dor"ini;c Pasquale, Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony Plotch, John Cotton!
Ananias, John Sirtout, G8OIgB Jacauay, Emory Jana-way, Charles B0119-nnon,
and James Hale-
I did not attend the P11. meeting of Ilay 11, 1957. ,
Ky job at this time at lline B" was a digger» I did not
lean! an-..-.-. .......-.,92 1».,-.4 .-. .-I-rw--I-.=A v-1+-E1 "la-l-aw nn -In +1-1|; Ru-.r {Tn-1r bQl E WU U KJ§Llla, D.l»92JJ| UULI K111-lnl--l 4C192|I¢i- 92-Jl-J J-J 9559 3|".Jknow
19370
I dn not ro:t:.6:1b6I' the facts vonoerning the "wage controversy
in +110 spring of 1937.
"i do not remember the PIA petition of Llay 26, 1937, but but
I did sign some P111 petition that summer. -
T Hn7nn.r1 v92§r92'L"n+ Train: "Ru Prue '21:: 1* -Furn 1 i+ want!- --v-t-vu kid-W -RJU --441$! -.1 ¢v4 92-u.-uqu uivv . -v "us.-nu
on str ike .
The only fire I remember at Tfine "B"' happened during the winter
strike in 1957. It was put out Overnight. I never heard there
fire there while the nine was closed-oefore the
had been a
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Re: JOHH L. LEWIS, ET AL I
1
92-
1~$.L'f'l.=~§i§1'.H I -: :-I- .-. - -:.= . _ _92 H _ .: -. H . _: .:.§._' - continued " '
Special Agent F.B.I.
cial Agent F.B~I. Fitnesseéu
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92 T» p _11nO3.5 as inteiewed home by Special
a net ' "bi n on lt isif _V_¥_ i_ if ____ i_ if A __,_____..__.. -__»_ _ -- -l - _-- -4*-~ -_ _....,f
G. Q
£99 JQHT L, L-_Ei'JlS, ET AL;- b?C./ $73
that he would make a good witness lity
has no known C1"il'1'Ll1'.8.l record. He supplied the following signedio sieak English and his lack of knowledge of what went on at Hine "3'.
sta ement.
"Springfield, Ill.
September A, 1943
21. % also known as do vo LII make
the following 1 ed statement to
gof the Federal Bureau of
promises have been made to cause me to make this statement.
nI was born irand came to
_ I became an .-sican citizen a pringfield,
_ and I am presently residing in the rear of
Springfield, Illinois.
"I have worked in the mines almost ever since I have been in
the U.S. and first joined the United tiine Workers of smerica. I
have never been an officer in any union. I started working at Mine B
about 7 years ago coming there from the Jefferson Mine. While at
the Jefferson line I joined the Progressive I-line lforkers of America,
"I liked the Progressive Union and they seemed to get along fine
at Mine B before the strike 19 don 't know what caused the
strike, all I know was that . told us to go on strike. after
the strike I picketed at Liine = or about two months. .1.b092.1t B Ulhl
tried to open the mine one day while we were out thre, but they only
stayed for a couple of hours.
"I recall voting in the N.L.R-B. election in December of 1937.
It was a fair election and the Progressives won. After the election
the Go. shut down the mine and we couldn't go back to work.
"I remember Signing petitions for the Frogressives. These
petitions were signed by nearly all of the miners.
""-{hen the mine opened under an open shop agreement I still be-
longed to the Progressives. I joim-.d U'92&i.'. because I was soared - the
UM-¢,, were beating up everyone in the wash house. I ":1;-_-to-5 to '-York atI92
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0 . 0
Re: J01-N L. LE-TIS, ET AL.
"1 voted for UMHA in the secod government electionw Tim?-.1 urn
I !Ol'.92 EIDUE! 3
PIOgT£S§!;;§{______ -___-_ __;__ J._,.J. .-Q-.__ T] béCE1uS<i: I SE11? tht DS_i Of the: men ere going uxuu 1rmy¢
If I had a free choice I would rather belong to the
"I don *t1- nor: zn.ythJ.1.g about any spies being expelled from the Pro-
gressives but do know that Dominic Pasquale, Tony Plotch, John Cotton!
_.na.nia.s, and a few others 'H¬I'u causiyg some trouble at the mine.
. . . '1IIT N51172: nr: 1'.-ma nPv92-92rcn rm Q-nr'1 nha :5-=92 nn:-rot: hf;_ 14.-vs. A-lCl92-4 v1u.- Jun/92J'92n u uuau vuv 92-_ ; tn-bu-I 92--
I do herejoy sign my name. ' t
/ /S1
vitnesscd:
statements
true and
/S,-"t ' 5 ecial gent , F.B. I.
/Q *~ =* cc =1 -. :1 -:. t , F. B. I . ".;- __-. ..,-.-,;-9 .h_~_-. ' 1 * '
2"-- - H-~---~-~---- ----as-~~: -as a~~----~1~~~--- = ';~~-;_¬*+ - ~ . cl
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l ' JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL / 7¢
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. 92--*- ._.
__....._.. .... -,....... .. . ... .. .=i"n-1 "- i>1Ii1IlEI'18 11:1,
~ .» rem. - d 1; the ad em. -,
~ " Special Agents and _~.is _.'-
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_!.7':4. -I--who has difficulty speaking and understanding the Ehglis 5 ->. ; stated
that his memory is quite vague as to the events which took place at Hine B
as one of those men who were arrested during the course of thedurin the course of his employment at that place. It is being noted that
U?§~/srou 1. in 1936- Fives arrested on a charge of having dynamite in hi5.i
possession and wa n ined at liilan penitentiary from May 10, 1939 toti $e1Jtember 12, '0 at which time he was released on parole, is a result or4; ;_s this Sentence, iS quite bitter; stating that in his opinion he was /
framed and that e a nothingtwhatsoever to do with the bombing which took-- place in the vicinity of Springfield in 1935 and 1936. In view of é
criminal record, it is doubtful if he would make a good witness.
executed at the time of this interview. also expressed the
ILwF -£"Ps
-*3-£3;$1-
~13
__ gen s o e edera Bureau of Investigation
_ been made to induce me to make any statement.
I - '.>.__ - We; ** 'L ». _, !!I has §Q}-33 15 _. |_H_.
"- -. B1 PBPe1$- I PI"¢$@1'11'»1Y live
at have never held any oi ice in any union
F.- '51 " Springfield, Il1_
Sept . 4 , 1943
~__- _. _ In U _ g _ " make the following voluntary statement togM _. -. oi whom have identified themselves as Specie
" ii 3 ' ' . No threats or promises have- There is being set forth below the si ed statement which-. that he would hesitate to testify in insgan! mal [ler for fear of reprisal.
...,: ...-.....-. .. .-. tr .. .. ..Eiuu uuum: Irv this U0 S. llzabut
I have applied for my . . have not yet obtained
m ringfield . I started9' to mine coal in about? and joined t '4 'l' a ant that time. I _
' - "I first started to work at Mine B in about and worked there
" off and on until the time of the strike in May of 1937 -joined the
y 1-git K! v
"u£3 ,Progressive union in 1932 when I was working at Mine B. I never had any-
thing to do with the forming of the Frogressive union. I was not satisfied
with the United because they were spending our money for big buildings and
"i then we couldn't even go in the buildings. I think that Falcetti was pretty
"" friendly with the UI.{W men, but I never saw him with any of their men.
"I remember that there was some question about wages that came
' up in the Spring of 1937. We were supposed to get a
Elshoff refused to pay it and we never did get our ba
that there was about twelve men who were sgpposod to
gressive, but who were really working for vnited. Somebe
-110-pay. I
members
of theeraise of 10¢, but
ck lcnow also
of Pro-
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C ' O
Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
icontinuedgi b?Q* baa ~
Bohannon, Pasquale, Andy and some others. I heard that
these mei used to have meetings before the strike, and I
heard that they were trying to organize the men for United.
About three or four days before th strike I was talking
going to go, I didn't answer him and he walked away and never saidto'Falcetti neir the prop pile and Falcetti said, "You know how the mine
anything more a out it.
"I remember that Bohannon, Frank Austin, Joe Abanese, Pete Carter,
a man by the name of Cotton, Pasquale and somebody else were kicked out of
the Progressive union, because they were trying to organize for United. I
think they were expelled from the union for 99 years. I don't think I was
at the meeting when they were expelled, but I think it was about a week or
two before the strike.
"I was working as a digger in boxat about the
and remember that one day in hey or June of 1937 the mine
To the best of my'memory I loaded two cars the day of the
cars were loaded full. I had a bad place to work that day
more. I didn't see or hear of anyone loading cars Short.time of the strike
went on Strike.
strike and those
so didn't load any
When we came
out of the pit I heard that the men were going on strike because the company
had refused to pay the lO¢ raise. I know that our men were sore at the
Company because the Company was letting the United men work with us.
"I can't remember signing any petitions in the summer of 1937,
but I might have signed a Progressive petition. I also remember now that a
few days before the strike, I saw Dominick Pasquale with a police special
gun sticking out of his pocket. Dominick & Joe Albanese went in the company
office together then I saw that Joe also had a gun. The sheriff wasaround there so alled him told the sheriff that Dominick § Joe
had guns. The sheri went into the office and Qominick_tried to hide the
gun in a waste basket. The sheriff then took Dominick Q Joe into town and
I never heard any more about.it.
"I went out to the mine in Sept. of l937 when weheard that the
company was going to open the mine with United men. I stayed out there
about scyen wicks on the picket line with the rest of our men. I had gonehone ythe night the injunction was served by the marshal.
"'-Then they held the mas election in Dec. of 1937, tried
to stop me from voting, because he said I hadn't been working a" 'e'm ne.
The labor board man had my name down on his list of employees so I was allowed
to vote. I just voted and walked out. I didn't see any fighting and no-
nobody threatened me in any way.
"I have no knowledge of what went on at Nine B between Hay of 1939
92
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1 - ,92 . F 3
C , O
L?-Pg,
_ and Sept. of 1940. In about Sept. of 19&0 I went to see
Falcetti and asked him for a job. Falcetti said he would
continue. give me a job as soon as he could. I found out that the
mine was putting on new men so I went to see John Kane, the
union lawyer. He said he would send a letter to the mine asking them to
give me a job. The Company sent me a piece of paper saying "no job".
This was signed by Elshoff & Falcetti. The lawyer sent this paper to
Washington and I never heard any more about it.INTERVIEW WITH
"I started working for Panther Creek #5 mine in about October of
1941. I am a member of Progressive at the present time. Somebody told
me that Falcetti wouldn't give us our jobs back because we had been on
picket duty. Falcetti never gave me any reason for not hiring me.
_ wghi-= -=+.».+.s....~nr. 1'1.-sq 'h.=u=>'n r~..d tn me! bx- and it is true LI 92J92"-1 92l92-!lH92wA-IV l-In-I II92-II-I¢- - "A-~ ~v --92 -1 * » ff »
to the best of my knowledge.
/E
Titnesses 92wn;m:;;#w%y n Special Agents, F.B.I.$§p@5s$§§§fTi_ 5 U. S. Dept_ of Justice"
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~ , O
JOHN L. Lntxs, ET AL
l"7<-/ Lwub
I11 inois , was
l A__gents<¢- I
§ '_ n ant September 6,
/1 - .§~92 92 speak an understand English and would make a fair wi
u'!able to 1943 stated he rec
provided the following statement;
#1.,Sap e er 6, 1943-
meke the following
:1 whqnl
know to be Special Ag ' Bureau 0 nves gation, no
force threats or romises have been made in obtainin this statementI Pand I know that whet I may say may be used in a court of Is:-Is
'1 was born in I Memployed at I-Tine A es c. cos igger and have been Bmp oye at
Tine "A" sinoe June 6, 1942.
uI first stated mining cool at ll inmot which
time I become 2 member of UIM.voluntary st;
as employed st Line "*B" in sbougin which mine I
worked until Nay 12, 1937-
I remained u member of UIW until 1932 at which time I
changed to PIJIA because my looel [HM changed to PEA.
Prior to 1932 the m8.n£.gem6n|; of Iiine B seemed to have
been on good relations with UZ,'1'92'. _
1- ' , 1 -~» -r--»='1.'=-. I . -= __ . 4. ,;s.;._.;.i-.~:= "= is *§
I never neld any other ofilce in any union.
Between 1932 and Iiny 12, 1957 there were no strikes at
Tine "B" and the management did not close-down I~-Tine "B". During that
period of time the management did not attempt to discredit PI-LR end did
not seem to be hostile in settling grievance.
"'I thought PI--ZA JFELQ e good union operated for its members,
no unusual special assessments 1*-ere mode against me. _I never took
any interest in union affairs. '
I took no interest in the bombing cases and I do not know
if the tridls "."*33O fair or not-
-113-
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_ O
Between 1932 and lay 12, 1937, 43117 did not let
I ___ .._. .-.,.._:.._1-...4. 14.... -1. 1,':..... Ini -..-.-. .16.: 1' Q15; -5-...- ._ -I up 5"-PLDLUU .a..Luu nu :~u.uu u uus ua.u 4. uu r..;.q!cog!inued: IRE? literature being distributed at Mine B .
. Prior to Hey I2, 1937 no one asked me to change frm: PEA
to UliJon-' L. LE-'?1s, ET AL
I never saw any offieillef IHH'with the mangement Of
Line B . " """
In April 1937 I was told by Plie offioels that Pk}; had n
temporary contract with Mine "B"; that upon the -eqpiretion of the
temporary contract the miners were to get retro-active pay to the date
of the expiration of the original contract. I never obtained any
information about the temporary contract until the morning of I-Say 12,
1915'? when I was told by some miners that Elshoff of Ifine B made a
statement that morning that he did not hove a temporary contract with
PEA. Someone told me to load the cars short and see what Elshoff would
do at -ut the contract. I did not loed/any cars short, but I heard
some cars mere loaded short. So for es I know there was no intent
to strike that morning. About 12:00 noon I-Eny 12, 1937 I was told
the mine was on e strike. Nb one told me why PEA was striking, but I
thought it nuts because PIIA did not have/n contract.
I did not attend K PEA meeting ihy ll, 1937 and do not knew
if I received notice of the meeting. _
I do not know of any members of PHA being expelled from PMA
because of their activity in UMW.
I think I may have signed a FHA petition in the Summer of
1937 but I do not remember. I know I did not sign e U29? petition in
the Surmer of 1937.
I did not know c new: IJMT local wee formed in the Sinrnzner
of 1937. " -.
Sometime in Sept. 1937 a member of FILE came to my home and
told me FHA had e picket line at Fine "B". I voluntarily went to
Pine "F" to act as c. picket for nbout one week. No one told me I had
to cot cs s. picket. I was not present at Fine "B" when the injunction
'.'-was served to prevent the picket line and I know nothing about the
injunction, There was no violence when I was at I-line B"". No outsiders
were brought in as pickets.
I do not know of on C-ttempt to
Pond Jon. 1938. _open Iine ""B"' in Dee. 1937
-114-
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_ ______ ____ _A_ _______ ___, ,_____V___,___ _ __ in ._.____i____.__ ~~ -- --- _ -p,_;r ;A~ -- ,_7; __-1 ¥'i<1l'.-A -; 1- - _ . _ __._,. v
0. 0
IN'1EHV 1" v '1 voted in the mm election Del». 15, 1931
;1P *T,5*; for PEA. So far as I know the election was
" ' con inued fair and I voted the way I wanted to-
In Dov. 1939 I received notice that Nine B' was to open.
» I returned Tine B to work twelve days after the date of the notice
* and Oscar Fe1cetti,informed me I reported too late for work and-I
was not given a job at Mine B'-
1 Since I did not go to work at Kine B after it opened in
; L965 1 can lurnlsn no lnlormatloh as to wnut occurred at th Hioe
Fe? I received employment at Kine A June 6, 1942 as a member
<4 ~ of Ik '
'"-.~a- o ..
":4-.i_ Qegaj It makes no difference to me whether I um n member of UH? or
PL V1: I
£,; I have had this statement consisting of five pages read to
-# .A '+ ' +" -w-=@ ma and 1» 15 crue and correct to the beet of my knowledgei
I; » 'f.2: Yr:$11' -"If?1 ».' ' '
-":w / §Jf@U?@f@W.'the illglll
W
Special Agent, FBI-
. C:-LC]. Agent, FIBIII
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
1 C, 1
£9? £5
jointli intiiiiiwed by Specialin at his residence,
September 3, i515. He appeared
willing to answer questions put to him and would be willing to testify
to the facts set forth in the following signed statement which he executed:
_ IIIIIIIl. -... .H ll.LlDO1BSep em eni 3, _945
the following voluntary statement to
whom I know to be Special Agents of the
S. Department of Justice. ' Bureau of Inves GT3. on,
Illinois, and I
Illino s. I was born on
-I +=.:-7|
joined
UMT, about , I r. I also worked in other local mines near thore. I _*..*'.92r i e mi es in Illinois front-to about 1934. About 1955 I started
working at Kine E and continued there until the mine closed on Hey l2, 1937.-3.» 31'?"new .3... '1 0'1"
ted Kine Workers of o he
"After Mine B closed on Fey 12, 1937 I helped the PMA picket for
about three months in 1957. I worked as a driver end dig;er at Mine B.In 1952 when PMA was organized I joined it voluntarily atlll.
ht this time, I mas unemployed and I remained unemployed Gg%¥!.!!!t 1955
I went to work at Mine B as a PMA member. From 1955 to April 1937 the
rclotions botwO6D Elshoff and PEA were good. I never heard Elshoff or
Felcetti sly they favored PMA, which is the Progressive Mine Yorkers of
America, or fever the UH? but I thought they liked UEW bettef. As for as I
know, the FHA is e good union. I am still a member of PMA. The officials
of this union got along fine with the rank and file. I did not take on
active pert in organizing FHA. I never hold an office in e mine union.whEn
HAbout April, 1957 the following men started aggitating for the
men to join the U25; Joe Albinese, Pate Carter, John Cotton, uominic Pasquale,
Frank Austin, Tony lotch, John Sirtout, Andrew Schrclevious, Cudge Bumgarner,
George and Emory Jaccway Charles Bowlingreen, James Hole. These above listed
men vented the PEA miners to join UET, but they did not ask me to join and
I did not hear them talking to the other miners. I did h_ar thut these
men went to the miner's houses it night to got them to join Uh.
an active part i Un n affairs. I did not attend the MA meeting on the
night of Hay 1 , 1943 when some of the miners were expelled from the PEAfor aggitating foi:h, but I heard this by word of mouth the next day at"I only djtended union meetings about once a month and did not take
CL ?
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C ' O
Re: JOE L. LEWIS, ET AL
IN 77 The
4 had
con inue dan
on,
_L___J.EIIUFUQQ _ 92 1.1 __i_J..OL92Cl CHE Cl.-I-F5
Elshoff would not discharge the 'PEA officials asked Pslcetti to discharge the men who
been expelled from PMA and Falcetti refused to do so,
he let these men go down in the mine to work. Later
when I was in the mine, some PEA official told me to
I loaded the cars below average. Ye did this because
who had been thrown out of thesggitators
union. The cars were not shorted because of any wage scale matter.
"In 1932 John L. Lewis wanted the miners
end the miners did not want it, Te won the first
John L. Lewis claimed
sway from Lewis. As to the wage scale matters in
understood from the PIA officials was that we were
-..-.-.- .-E.-.4-.:..-.... I"...-.-..£_:a,' uuului: J..[U1|L
would never pay it.to take a lower wage scale
vote and on the second vote
joined the PMA, to get
1937, the only thing I
supposed to get back
+1» -F + ncrv-nnrd an T92n+. V1 §11nf'f'the ballots were stolen. I
A-92 "1 1Q'1'7 -1-. -. nn:'I'l4, 4./aw, ¥r.uCn V11-L vOn..I'.'1c... Ii-'3-S ~¢-92w92-aw .1 ; - - v ~ _ - . . v--
"I only signed one petition in Hey, l937, I believe this was the
PMA petition on HdyL 26, 1957 to show I was o PEA member and I believe I
signed it at the FHA Hull in Springfield. I signed it voluntarily.
"In September, 1937 I noticed in tho paper that Mine B. was going
to open and I wont out there. I heard Falcetti tell the miners that the UMR
members were the only ones that could work. Qnly about twelve men, who I
mentioned in this statement, ind who were UHF sympothizers went down in the
mine end the mino did not open as they did not have enough men. Later in
the summer of 1957 I got a job on the PMA cs e member in Kine A and I never
did go back to Nine B until November, 1939. At that time, Mine B was
operating on on open shop.basis and I worked there one day in Order to get
my tools, and then I quit.
"Tho men whose nnmos I have mentioned in this statement as UH?
eggitetors often met in Elshoff's office with him, and from this 1 believe
ilshoff favored the UMW. I dont know why Elshoff did not like the PMA.
No one over threatened me or boat mo about mine matters. I voluntarily
joined the UH? in February, 1941 at Nine
1942.A end worked there until December 15
"I have carefully rand and fully understand the two and one
pages of this statement and it contains the truth to the best of my knowledge.
*»{rn..¬..i92_t_. u.- 92 - -D--' ' I
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Fa 1'f921"|'92'l Ye : 1F92Jl'll92i .Lvo
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INTERVIETI tire .-1- _ ; _ ' rviewe b Special Arentsqe
' " ' . ' " es him elf ndQ" ' and A f ' " ppears to be above
average miner in in e igence, express s well, a
is cooperative. It is feltthat he would be a satisfactory witness to testify
to those matters outlined in the following statement which he furnished:
"eiz./1.3I11.
_. n ,. "I make the following voluntary statement W?Ew§§f%e#T§m_ -oth of whom have identified themselves as being pecial
Agen s of the Fedora Bureau of Investigation. No threats or promises have
been made to induce me to make any statement.
.__"I was born the U- 5- in
Wout _i~.n.o _ ~. JL I c1 izen in aiou §%?%3}*= ' and rcsently I2live ;_1l_;I:I=.:-34,-:_q~__;-,_.m' I started mi * -5 iand never
held an office in any union.
"I joined te Progressive Union in about 1932 and do not know any
of the details as tohow it wis formed. I started to work at Mine B in
1936 and when I first started to work everything ws going along fine. Both
the officers and men in
getting along fine with
"I recall that
a new contract with thethe PEA seemed to be good people and the union was
the company.
in the spring of 1937 the union was trying to negotiat
company. I dont remember any of the details, but
I do know there was some question about wages. I know that about this sane
time some of the men started talking about joining the U.H.T. I don't recall
even hearin that any men were expelled from the union at that time. Ilived ingand so didn't attend many of the meetings.- I just heard
that some men rem United were causing trouble at the mine. I think there
was around 20 men who were working for United--I think Bohannon and Pasquale
were two of the men. These men never said anything to me, but I know
they used to hang around the office and talked a lot to the others.
"I was working as a digger in boxat the time of the strike. I
recall that there was some trouble with thes men before we started. As
I recollect, we only worked about half a day that day the mine went on
Hn -. 41..
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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ALL19 rt! ¢1,/ Z5,-?H£> a I
1-. -1 rm!-921"92r92L10-Izru Iiwixlucr uu-u
_ "1"'|"'L1'. Ir I1
!con!inue!l
"I remember that about two weeks after the strike I signed a
petition for the PI0gI¬5SiTe union. I can't remember under what circumstances
I signed the petition and I can't remember whether it was at my hone or in
Springfield. I believe I was on a picket line which had formed in the road
a short distance fro the mine in Hay of 1937. This picket line only lasted
for a couple of days though.ed us out of the mine. I came on top
and then went home. obody told me the mine was on strike,
so I went to work the next day as usual and I was then told
that the mine was on strike. -
I started to work for Mine A in about Uctober of 193'? and am still
working at liine A.
"I believe I voted in the NLRB election held st the Armory in Dec.
of 1937, but I can't say for sure that I did.
"I have been e Erogressive for n long time and want to stay progres
ive, but it sens as though you couldn't be a progressive at Mine B. I have
no information to back up my opinion, butl think the company favored the U.M.W.
I do not know for sure what caused the strike in 1937. I joined the U.M..T.
in -
"This entire stitement of four pages has been read to me bya
I wish to state it is true to the best of my memory.
/5/''
fitnesses _ Special Agents, FBI
ew¥=rmwe$#Jwn H ~ -"I.'~_;;=;e;";.e:_-,_-¢ U. S. Dept__ of Justice"5-
I ; is
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F__ _ _ __ ____ ___ _ VAL _ J_ _ _ ,_____"__, ___ - _.._ i_ ;;:,.,.;.-;_____j;._- ----,._..qq~--_-,4|;A;---,¢;~; __;-J»; Ad ~ §-_--_- -3-q-_~s .»- -~¢:-F ~,
f .rl _»_~-. .
0 _ 0
HE: JOHN L, LEIIS, ET LL
IN'I"I-RVIE,. . :1 :
K Q
Springfield, Illinois. n
criminal record. It was noted during
man's recollection of pertinent events was very hazy, that because of his
soar understanding of the Enélish Language he did not know a great deal about»-92
,/c:../ /==>.-3
Agents
course interview that this
that hiypened at union meetings an what he was told there. He was entirely
cooper.tive and is believed reliable. It is felt that due to his lack of
understanding and recollection he would not be a good witness.
it the tine of this itcrview g£'.v¢ the followingsigned st+.t-inemassistc as an in erpretcr.
w%a%W="3§¢¥ ynat-" '-'--,=="~;. -. 92 .":si..-:- " 1;,;;'.-.::**.=.,- -H _ '_'-' ,-=_'a.., . -I. .- .-" 3.. H
the iollewing statenont to Qggiay
to me ta bc "pee. agent of
have b:QD made me to get mat e
to_H92-,§;"_ .-:1; 92 - -i
u
Live this statement. I was barn in
%¢wi§;§@t§§__ I cane to U. S. frgr ad became a U.S. citizen i;
,,lt '3' c .F T irst irim ' and came to U S. 92W¬Tu a I 3 ined tn U L. . 1 " . aj 3%; . *4
was good. I never held a unisn office. I 1ave been at Mine "B" about
yrs. as a coal digger. Befare 1932 Elshaff and the U.2,7. got along:
I chanced over to P.M.;. because the majority went that may. BetweenL ~1-~. - '-1.,{,: 1*. .i k"Springfield, Ill.
5@Pt- 4, 1943
' jrinrfield I11. give
BIL " F - ho are kn awn
. N! ._92 ,1.» . 92 _ V-=.=..' , ' '
D .
and the time the nine clesed t era was no trouble between Elshoff and the
P.N.n. Elshoff made no remarks cincerning the P.H.A. at that tins.
The miners were always satisfied with the P.H.h. I wont tn the meetings
while W0 had a Progressive UHi!- I was satisfied with the way money rmtters
were handled by the P.H.". I dnn't know anything about the guilt or
inscense of the P.E.n. miners sent tu jail for bombing.
"n.=+"' L-YQ!92 '1'-X1! av-921 -1-J; 92J'9292-¢924Kl 51-llul -. -
wag sn far as I know off.
1: I! ' -in n-an-04 -11- . .|.u uug
"I don't know of any jartics held by Elshuff for the U.H.T} in this
period.
.54
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P-
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In . 5" 1-I.
C , O
PE: JOHN L. lE IS, ET LL
é7c"__..- 757.3 -
_mINTERVIE'.' :.'1'r:~:: Hay 12, i937 we figured there might be some trouble
' rout didn't think there would be an strike. The
whole trouble as I remember it was due to no contract.
Some of the men loaded short ears the day the mine
closed, we were told to load them shortl I don't know who told us.
'"I don't rember signing any petition for either the U.M{W, or the
F.M.l. the summer after the mine closed.
"I did not know that the U.M.N. was forming a U.u.w. local in Spring-
fhdtb wmwrofl%7. _
"I heard something about Falsetti running the Jefferson but I knew
nothing about it myself.
A "In Sqpt. 1937 we heard that ue mine was going to be opened with
U..1. men so we Hut out to picket and keep anyone else from taking our
job. The first day a few men went down one of them was hndy Sehrelevious.
nftor this no one went down at all and we Sttyud there for about 60 days.
There was n trouble during the strike, there were no strtng;rs out there,
we behaved ourselv-s and no one bothered us. No one forced us to stay at
the nine, we were just there to protect our job. I was there when the
Marshall came an told us we had to l-ave this was about 9 00 pm when he came
we all left peaceful.
"I was not there when they tried to open the mine a few days aftar
the Earsheil made us leave the mine. '
"I voted in the first N.L.R.B. election. This was an honest election
15 far as I know. Nobody told mt who I had t92 vote for.
"I did not go to the nine when they tried to open it in Jan. 1938.
of it but I was working on T,P,A_ and did not go over there. I heard
"During the time between the lst N.L.R.B. election and the time the
nine opened for geyd I know of nothing unusual that happened.
"hen the mine opened for good I got e registtd letter telling me to
back in 10 days. I went bzck toxry old place. I never saw anyone just
got my check and went to work at once. Nhen we went back there was supposed
to be no union in the mine both unions were supposed to work in there to-
gether. It makes no difference to me which union I belonged to. I paid
my duos to P,U_;, until I sew the majority was going to U.M.T. then I joined
them. Nobody ever threatened me to make no join any union. I just went with
the majority. I do not remember signing any cards for either U.H.T. or
P.U.n. in 1940. I saw a lot of new men when I went back to the mine. I didC-.1r3¬
- -121-
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RE: JOHN L. Lsiis, ET AL
J47c/
;g=i§1§;.-' ?.'I'lIl
i CO1'iT,l1'1'L15 ll/21!
not know which union they'belcngcd to. I have heard. .- . . . 192 U. --1-oror men being beaten to get them to Join tne u.m..
but I never saw any of it
"I voted in the 2nd N.L.R.B. election and voted U.H{. as far as I
kH!W the election was an honest one nobody tried
know what the goneral condition
satisfied with conditions in my
in 1939. '"I don't
reopened. I was
a fire in Nine B
"I don't
kicked out.know anything about the meetingto make me vote either way.
of the nine was when it
part. I heard nothing about
at which "alas
I have ha-;=IC2.d this statement of '7 pages to me and to
the'bost of my knowledge 1 15 all the truth. I am therefore signing
it of my own Will."
S1 rned! ' - - ' ._e'*r'i 1' 11- 5U "'_;_.1-._§"::.-;_j-'q__k ._ -_. ' "'S I-.-",.;:¢.~ ~,'F-§:'a.- -. .--.,. ., -- ~ -:-.».»-..' - u-. »= --0 .-- -_ .1 _ M-. _ - J1. r H ¢~1_q,_92_,f-_~: ...-__
IIIEHIIIiaaaalllnlinallilllllll
"itnesses
-F P». ' - -
I f§{§wT:dunvcst. Milw.!
-at , F . B. 1.
St. Paul, Minn."
"Springfield, 111.
Sept. 4, 19.4.3"
-122-
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1-.- e . __.... - .. _ _ »;-»_1'_4 '_,i_i____.i _ ... -_,...-. .. . _. e,;:.,_L __ .....__,,___:_,_:_"_;3A.._ ,, __ M____ _ _- - ,1 r*- J '?"' " e
C , O
Rel J01-11¢ L. IEWIS, ET AL
1"7¢/ -1? :/I!
IIITEV? _ The following -=- -- as conducts b-P"-= - , E. eciel Agents ._ andét Springfiel, inc s n Sop e 0
5, 1945.
At
well
adviseas an
has neverinterpreter.been arrested e around 1950
or 1951 by the Springfield Police Lepartment at e. mine strike at Woodside
and that they were charged with inciting 1:. riot and were let out on
'§500.00 bond. However, he said he never appeared in court after that
and never was prosecuted and wasn't finierprinted or photographed.
froth appeared to be very cooperative and snid he would
be glad to do anything for the Government that he can connection with
this investigation and it is believed that he would make d fair witnee
' ' " ~ 1 11 v r 11" tn t stimonv of If his testimony were neoestnrg. -4.0 :eve , e e _, 9:Gigi"-ere needed on interpre-t0! would have to be used.
Agents obtained from them the following joint signed statement:
Sept. 5, 1943
give
who arethe following
known to us to
made through,
stand the Engle to under»
worked at
not beenuage any great
line E for about 2 yrs on 19 u until thebee}; -to work there since.hes been working there for
_¢ e coal digger ndms _ 0 employed. I was born in '
and no to U.S. in __'beoa.m s. U.E.citizen aboutat Sp nfield. Wits b01" d 15 $75he came to the U. 11 me and comes cihenin I fi t joined- i- ners union when I was app rs. old this was .1-.'92'.'. at S ringfield.joined s Union ~: nd joinedthe U.r!.1"I. inM v? e he first cone to Ln. . neither of us have ever ed;offices.
of no trouble between the 11.11." . and the
,,. __lI
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-hike
sis
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917 .4,1, .._
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_ . . P.4 ,*' '* *' "Jo ' - ~~ ' ; _ ~~ ~ * I _ -_--ig ' ' -- i_ .. t. A _ , ___ __ _~ *1 -. .. - s 'F*_7II sees-v
O - O1 _- -
126. JOI-111 L. Lens, er AL
mane ement of lline B prior to 1932.ent with the Progressives as soon as
ey were organized, there was no force used
5-en and he went of his own free will. So fer as
we know there was no trouble between the F.l§.A.
and the mine management up until the strike in 1937. So fer as we are
av-are there was no real indicatio of trouble or preference on the partof the raanegement for the U.1'.¬T. doee feel there these was
some slight indication of this but e ion know too much about it.
while the Progressives were in we had no trouble with the officials.
la lt they were honest and We could always be heard when We wanted to.
id not attend many ' -eetings while the Progressives were in
as he oou d not understand but I attended most of them. As far as the
finiances of the nion were concerned we were always satisfied the money
FEE spent properly. We '-"ere given a report at the meetings as to the
expenses. le do not feel that those F-.1i.£L. men who were sent to prison
for the bombings if ere the guilty ones this was the general feeling among
the nan at the time. Prior to the strike the U.'r'.~"-. never came to the
mine or bothered the P.l'.A. wen in any way so far as we know". Prior to
the strike we had never heard of there being any men in the P.1.'.1'i. who
'-fore trying to 5"_'.'iI1g the men hack to U.Il."-l. -
Teither of us have ever heard anything about Elshoff or Fulsetti
giving Lny parties for U.l;". officials.
As we remember in the spring of 1937 we worked from the first
of April until the strike under an agreement that when an agreement was
finally settled or any increase vould be retroactive. We always felt that
P.l.A. voulé be able to get as good a contract for us as anyone else.
There was some slight feeling of unrest during earilz Ihy and April of
193? over the fact that the mans pay raise was not coming through but
there was no trouble over this. "e had no idea at all of the nenagenents
attitude on the wage question at that time. *e renember hearing of some
action taken a short time before the strike, by the trial board against
"Cotton" Ananiasas and Chas. Pohenon. we dont recall the nature of this
action.
"1 recall going to 0. meeting the night before the se~n<@¬% did not attend this resting. As I rememborthe rweeting dealt W h
at o do about Cotton and Chas. Bohanon and also our back "wages.
There was no strike talk at this 1 -eating and when they called us up out
of the mine the next day it .308 a suprise to me. The morning of the
strike there was some dispute at the mine about the P.li.A. men ~.-sorking
"lth theoexpelled men. The management had refused to fire certain "men
and the P.?'.A. men did not sent to Work vith them. As"."e recall some men
had been trying to get the P.I".f.. men to get out of there union and l
-124-
_-.
I
;_
'.92__--92
F;
w
.1 J..-'% .
lg, '52"ll
-
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_i_.i________..i -._.,_._____. P4,! -___,_;,_,__ ,___L_____A_____ _::_ _ _¥ _; if ___ A _ l W i iY ' 1 ti
of 0
Re: JOE-III L. I..E-l'IS, ET AL
92n 1? . e. W ""
continued!é7° i Bin
join the U.I;.'.'.". These men we remember were
Sammy Joe Albenese! Andy Sohrelevious, Ilominio
Pasquale, Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony
Fletch, John Cotton! Ananias, John Sertout,
Geo. 5. Emory Jeoawoy, Chas. Bohenon 6: James
1-1816, Je also remember some tell; about wages but the Chief cause was
over not 1.'ancing to work with these men. We dont recall anything about _
cers being loeded short on the day of the strike, nobod3,ce.me and told
us to load their that T-mfg. I only loaded one ear that def; it was ill
and es fer as I knov: is still in the mine. Shortly before quitting time
some company man told us to cOrr928 out of the mine. .-hen we got on top
they told us werwere going on strike. It wnsooizfty then vce knew there was
to be e strike. After the nine lose th icketed out at the minefor e short . Neither ever signed any Petition
for U.'".' . but both of us ' r 1-.1 .n. These were always
signed of our ov'n free "ill and P6 were eetified with P.Ir'.A. Tie knew
that there was 2. U.192.~--. local formed in goringfield the sumner of 1937.
neither of us were eksed to join but we heard that othere were and
ttwectened if they didn't.
There was nothing L1I'1L2EL1".l that h£.ppBI16d during the summer
of 1937 as far as we recall.
' -. T V"1.. .
1957 no ¢e 'ent out to go o or
= 1" th th wine was to bethe mine was to reopen in Sept of
There was 1: dispute at the mine that
Q Bnd BE Polish. OI Us-1'--01:0 "76"1 c ho rc at the I1. ll thrt
c - 1: t W 1c.
coy e.. to v: 18 er e t p
go the nine that day and dont remember anybody working.%%"e@;; » . ~ *- x ere ct the "me most of the time the picketing went
on. l.-.n -- . vorj peaceful, he were just there to protect ourrjobs.
A couple of U.IL.W. men did come to the mine one day 6: stayed for about
15 or 20 min. around noon there was no trouble then. All of the men who
tool: pert in the strike were from our own locsl. Nobody forced us to
stay at the mine and we cine and vent as we wished. P.E-.?.A. furnished us
1-"ith everything we needed. Te were both at the mine when-the rr~:.rshs.1l
come out and reed the injunction. The men left peoceftilly, tho miners .
.. - .--1..._.1-. *1 1..-:_ ._- J. ,. .. - Pui u --nuln: l'..u.'l'. L ."u:|l.n, dufut {OT Eo;...;t-3.;
"w 0 heard that they were going to reopen the mine under the
U..'F.F. right nfter the mP.ISh¬.Lll caused us to leave. '*-Te didn't go
book because of the pending l~'.L.I92.B. election. We both voted for P.lI.A.
at the first 192'.L.R.B. e1eotion., this 92-"as an honest election and we
voted the 1':-y we W1-Anted. There v ere sane leaflets pziseed to the group I
*-"£1: in by U.1'."'. men urging us to vote U.I'.?'. I heard that the U.E'.Yi.
had contacted some men trying to get them to vote U.§l.W. The
____.._ __~_ _..._ : .: _.. -._.. .-. A-.. .-.g1uuD ii1'-~'-Q ? wu in did uu"C get r_.u_y uf Chose leaflets.
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O , O
2/b Res JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL
N
fr IIITEWV I ID ____ - --.. 92 -; e92- .:__,, -R . ,;_.'@_jf"-""'=.1..- =
because we heard it was to beU.1£.W.
92§L70 A510
We heard of the attempt to open the mine
in Jen. 1958 but we di not go to the mine
and we
con 111115 also had the injunction against use
/q_fH'92 _ ' "J. LE!1C Dprlnglliu Lnu Euzruzlcu ui J.
; that mine B had taken over the Jefferson mine some of the men fro = "" ; = working, there I em sure but dont know who. Neithe:knev: anything first he-ml about this. -
"'"o cone beck 0 I went beck to the nine and talked to E-froFeleetti who told me I would be better off where Ihwes. rent
I U 'I L.-.n-A --. 'r92-enJ. iiuuiu Prlui ts
back to iline B to work vhen he got his letter. nobody as e
.e.bo-at the union to which he belon-redo & got his old room book, Prior
to th 2nd 92T L B nobod eskeo to oin the UJT-o Three men 9 is n I Y J - o1::*.e to get sign over to the U.!-1.1-H this was wayafter" ne n .. £1.13. e e o These men said that iiididnot sign over'=_oU.E~T.-7. he woulr not have any job. They i "-"-- ireeten
b t we o t k on on ~ n w re He Si nod over ea 1. . 5;; "A oee 110 now ' o e me e -. g
to ieoi his ob. saw e lot of strangers at the mine vhen he
ent bee" to vork. 2- does not Lznov Tho these men vere but they wereb Ixeit igned any cords for U 1. o or IToA-
the s92.1:1r~or of 1940-Bo - ot letters from the mine co. telling us
to .' _. '$»'92:__:.'_, S. .
I:-I 0 I I . A O" -F Pl
voted in the 2nd 192?.L.}-..B. election voting for
P.I'.:'~.. he does no kno»92=1~.'hether or not this was an honest election.He 1-"ne not forced to vote either "my himself though. ?92'he!1§WBI1b
beck to mine "B it was in kind of bed condition one pure e- =., ea
never evened, e k110"921£ of no fire in ine B "hile it was losed oneneither do I § does not recall any nesting ct Whlciwas kio ed ou over sore argument about roney mutter-
e s at conditions were much better under P.I ..n. than they are under
U.3..Y.
_ _ -.1 .~' have rend this joint statementto and soier as eit r o us are av-ere it is the truth in
its 11-y_ fie are therefore both signing it-
itneesea:
Si;ned|
,,._~- 'L t if
Spei¬:"i'i-"1 gent, . .1. ,
e St. Tinn-
|.
. or
g.
1;-_,=_r
F
4' -'&-.11-E.-i - 92
I-"<"1lr§='1_$;7:-
c"_p;.. " '~
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C-* .. .0.
Re: JOHNL.I.E"-'IS,ETAL_ I
5
observed th:
whiCh occurred a
coo rotive and___ _ _ _ _ __-__::__T _ .-_._ -_ e__..__. __ ____., l,_. _ ____._ .._.___-____l_._ -J-_ - --7 V; _. ___+_._. . F.
ERVIE, ,11'1-1 oer , 1943, Special _ _? - . and
=rVii?=8HY; } ' ' I at his om in©~ 5 " ' I 1S 11"]
he has no>1 ". " a . advised that
During the course of the interview it was
had a much better than average rgggllggtion of events
* h ' d ' o t " durin t e perio in qu-s ion. ins entirel
liev J to be honest and re abl t is elt that pe _ he is be ' e I '~ .he would make :1 ITIIICI better than average witness. Q turned overto a'ents a letter received by him freq Charles Bohannon, esident of the
Ugf looei in Sprin field, telling him 92 to report st the UHF buildingfor initiation into the JMI. This lettergbeen properly iientified
by agents and is being retained in the exhibit file of this case.
G gave the following st:-tctncnt:
_ , 1943.
. uI,' %;RtEi§ifn»'|
st etement tc '. i
Special Agents a FB , U. S.De}
have been made me to give this stitement.
2. bou t
not
about at Springfield, Ill. I never have been an officer of any uni
Before the UH? union was more of a company union and they_along wit
Elshoff fine and pave him everything. It was just like ad ictator then
UM? got anything they wanted. About 1932 or so I joined the Progressive
Union vith the rest of the men and that was when John Iewis wanted us to
take a cut and he was supposed to have stolen the ballots. I did not ta
any active pert in starting the PMA union. Between 1932 and the time th
mine closed PA got along fine with Mr. Elshoff and nothing was wrong at
then. I don't recall of any little strikes or walk outs during the same
period before the mine closed. I never heard anything about Falcetti U1.
Elshoff not getting along with PEA officials during that -pehiod of time
before the mine closed. I never heard anything about anyone wanting PLEA
nen to change back to UHH. The Progrossises was s good union and it was
run by rackote rs and everyone woe satisfied with it except for a few me
swere who were for UHT. I-only went to meetings once in awhile as it wasthis free and voluntary
who are known to me to be
No threats or promises
"I have been employed at Mine B in Springfield, Ill., fam still there as a coal dig; I was bornand c-me to the United States izrawand became =1 citizen
field; Ill. I w.s a miner in e old country and did
to any union over there. I first joined the United Mine Yorkers
on.
h Carl
and
kc
e
all
0
not.
n
too far t0_go to Springfield, I11. to attend thém: I never paid any attention
_ _ ____ _ ___ ___________ ______ __,______ ,___,_=_.__-,,..,_..o._. _ ¢- ea-----~,-- - ---~»1;§5n.-a¢- -- : -- ;:;:-;-:|I,- J'*f:l_ _ I~, se _/ ._
O . O. F '
Re: JOHN L. n-1:.-.15, ET AL
1/7Q Q71!
.to those men who were convicted for those bombings and IH have no opinion about them and I never heard anyone else
con inue talk about it. I never suspected any of the FLU. officials
of doing wrong with the money. The local was a man's union
and not a slave union. Before Lune B closed UH? never sent any men out-to
picket the mine nor do I recall of getting any literature fro UM? then.
Before the mine B closed there were about 12 men or so in the PMK who were
for UMT. I recall on one time while I was in Hogan's Saloon in Springfield,
I1l., Andy SCHRELEVIOUS asked me there to join over to UMF and he took my
address down and he said he would come over to see me but he never showed
un. This was before Mine B closed. These 12 men were to my knowledge
Sonny who is also known as Joe; Andy nent oned above; and I heard that
Emory?Jhcaway carried the tales back to the company. These and several
others were the ones I heard to be men who liked the UMIL they were, Pasqua
Sirtout, Jim Hole and several others. I just heard that. I never heard a
thing about any parties given by Elshoff or URI men.
é "I recall when the contract expired in lbrch, 1937 and I think
that or some other official of rza told us that they had a
temporary agreement and that if they got more PB? it would go back. I
never hove believed anything until I see the money itself but I felt that
FHA could make a contract but I heard that Elshoff was against making a
contract. Before the strike_ miners never complained about this wage
nun:-hirwn n -rvnr 4-1' UR nnd izhrerm was: rm n+.h|=<Y l.'r'r92'|1'h'IQ nviar 1.'|"1Q who-e Question 92-192492_| l_l92nIJ- J14 all Q J:-I hangs: 92-nnuro w -u-_92r ll-Y -;.-- wp - --wx - w - - - -~ _: 1-@ -1 ---
and I think that things went along pretty nice and steady. I heard that these
12 men would talk both for and against the PIA just before the mine closed.
I did not go to the meeting night before the mine closed and I don't remember
if they had one or not. hen I went to work on the morning the mine closed
I did not know at all of an' trouble out there and I never had any idea therewould be any trouble until called us out of the mine that after-
noon. Thot day I heard a lit on hing about several men, including
Frank Austin, being expelled from FHA but I don't recall of the company
refusing to fire them. I heard that the reason why the strike was called
was because we did not hove any contract then. we PIE all respected the
law and felt if those 12 men wanted to leove they could go back to UHF.
On the day the mine closed I heard something about cars being loaded short
but I did not load any short and no one told me to load them short. I was
_.._._v__-__. .1... 92..__. .¢L...... .._.4 .|.1_.____ _..__ .L_11_ ._zv .____- _4.._;1-_ .|.92__.|. _1..-_ ____ _1____¢T_!I.]_IlE: .LI.l 1.11!}. 'lJHL1H. dllkl L|iiUI'B Yi'?'92.§ I-HT! DI-1J_.K. U1. 111.! SIJFLKB bfliib Uy HUI BUDUU
the men being expelled. Several we ks after the mine closed I signed a
petition for PEA and I think it was to show the labor Board or someone we
hld 1 majority of the men and no one forced me to sign it and I did sign
it because I wvonted to. I recall tho- phonetic! a committeeman,
brot it to my home and I signed it. 1 ied an tition for U153"
TTuT'l heard about it but they never C1218 t-.*o_%
g Q 0was all
PMA. I think that same fall another petition *5 y PMA and I
T2?CF '3 r>=!
Re: JOHN L. LETIS, ET AL
157:, £71!
INTERiiii@iTHcontinued
me to join it.also signed that and I think I signed it in Springfield,
Ill. and no one forced me to sign that either. I heard about
UMW forming a new local but no one came to me and asked
"During___summer of l937__ I don't recall of anything unusual
1"_._.opcnif1g at lne B. I once heard something thg of some men from Liine B
roing over to the Jefferson lfine and also there was some talk once about
Elshoff being the owner or something of the Jefferson Mine. During fall of
193'? I went out to Mine B about a week after the picketing st "-rted. I
never had heard they were going to reopen. The men there were all local
IRE men and there were no strangers. I went out of my own free will and I
went out because I heard that others were out
I hoard that we never would have picketod the
Yorkers had not started over there at Mine B.
a week or so end then would go back out again
quiet and peoceful out there and there were no fi
work while I wos out there. I was there when the
said we would h;ve to leave and he put some paperandthere protecting their jobs.
nine if those United Mne
I came home about one night
help them. Everything was
hts. No U1.-*3 tried to go to
I.I'11"5hnl1 came out and he
out but = "v . I never rend itAll of us were willing to leave and we did and all were satisfied. ?
cane out after the Marshall c>me and said it was right for us to lea e.
The Marshall came out between 9 and l0 p.m. and Iw-s the last one to leavethere about l a.n. When the Marshall came out I think thatiand
a committeeman was out there. I never heard a thing about the mine ying
to reopen a few dnz later after the Marshall came out. I voted at athe
Armory in Springfield, Ill., at the first FILE election and it was by secret
ballot and no one told me how to vote and first I met at__ hall and then
from the ahll went over and voted. Before we weht over and voted we had
meeting and the big president of the whole PLIA gave us a talk and told
us to vote how we pleased and he did not tell us to vote PIBK or any special
w-ray. I voted and it wes :1 good and honest election and I heard that
PI-LA. 1'.-on that election. I-don't rec-all a thing about Kine B being reopened
a short time after the election of UM?-'rr1i_r1e.
1'! C -. _r. -I ...». -. 6"-L AmQKJCIU .LI11'!'J:_ F11 DUI
i-Hr 5- I"-.=_-:_i_;_ -_ ' _. .;,__ A ___»_.,_ _;._¢,lv.:;_._~_;_¢:.-. .0: ....-.+ 921T1'JD I-.1»»~@&: /.- _t.,-....~.+:..,92 @a .L.L.{Dlr ui4u.> c'.1.c:92.o_|_u;;uu1.|cui92..,w
visited no at my hone an e o d that he
once '>. e o .-1 n a saloon and that Falcetti told him that when
he has his money invested he wants to get the benefit of it, I also heard
during the last week that Elshoff was in Washinit-on and that when the PLEA
walked along they had their heads hanging down btnhen the 11113-I men walkedT!'l¬-I1
alo the had their heads hi oh up i he air. '- ~ *- ="':r"*'**.-<.,- ;=-~"-.-is-'" --:4"-T .1 -.-:*- " -' -11 ' . e ' - - ~- - ._ 1| _ K -, _ >_ -., _ A .- . r- -..,=,.-.--+-_~ ,. ,_ ~.¢,- r. _ -- »,-,-- -.;,-.,_ - ;-, ,eew ieiwt _ thncyree _v_w tm$.%=@=-mMn%*I~ heiewwexéhhx ion-
"I never got :1 registered letter from Kine F1 but heard about it thru
-129-
~11 '.»J9 3
;-A -I
.'-ir .~
ET F
1: .: :5?
..; _,,.1~ Z. __ __ __ _ ____,.'--. ___ A_ ________ .l___ A_ V_ _____ __ _i. -_ _.__._._._._....___ if v_.~-- ~ ---r-if-H ---- -- 5-.5 . .
.. O
7Q lé7@T3; or so later.
Oscar Felcetti
he put me back He 1'1'.'>t Say 5.".
about wlnt union I bell -ted to. Nothing W115 .319 @895 but I L191
it would be the regular Illinois wage scale. The gossip around was that
when the PLEA went over to U111? we would have a contract. I did not see many
new men st this time but after 21 couple of months they hired a lot of new
Ul.1'.'I men from Mo., Indians and other states. About one quarter are still
there but r-. They hired onl IJl..""-H men and wo d not hireonetic! oi" Ill.-and _
nd th men over o-2 PLEA mn.
phonetic! e ., both were m no ey_ ' _ _ __
_ they were told they had no openings but the
next .-tiff the hired 1'. 'f 5 U1.-TH men.Re: Jam L. _LE-T15, ET AL
Kine B and asked for
"At the mine a track layer and a fellow named "Cotter" or some-
the tragthin: _f that tolked to me about joining over. I was working in box'2; - who 1-ms in send Bill,
"Ti in an 1 o - me I shoul U15-7 because the shot firer
hed __- ed nd that the chock weight-m:1n 1'1"-d olr:-ody signed. I told Billtheta}; weigh-man had not signed and Bill
then went back in andsm-5 and asked him and Bill can:-eabackand told me that I In Ii at I ms right and that Ehad not
joined. This happened it 1:._i.- . got beat up. I told B en thatwhen :ould sign up I would sign too. Bill did not threaten me.
"About o week Later this "Cotter" asked me to sign up and he said
that he would protect me and I told him he woulr.'nt have to protect me as
I cian protect myself.
"PLEA did D312 do anything in regard to getting men to join over as
they felt they still had the majority. No one c-"used me to be i d nordid anyone bother me but stole tools from my buddy, ANDY frurr. I1l.,
were stolen from him but they never stole mine. Later on when a signed
over to TJIT.-' this some "Cotter" told me that no one would lose any more
toils. In __sum"1er of 1940 I never signed any membership card for Pl.-1'.A or
Ul. When I went beck to work I kept on paying dues to PI.-IA and no one forcedme to pay those dues. -- to sign over to phonetic! told me to tell rm n~=_LmgHt to sign up with um-rthe bricks tart to fly and TBT.-3' 'I.Y:}N_£§R%that I would Sign up onlywith this v.?.s 1.h' .=_'_e:$ t<>"1a me this a - this took place _.n>>ut "5 month or so before at bent up. I toldab-out thisand he cared and never wen ock to work ofein, fore a month andthe-.-:e:1t b-ck to Mine B office and seid he '¢.'1:.' coming back to work
-139-
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C - .. O
Re: JOHN L. LETJIS, ET AL 1,, Q C,
5'? iTH and that night G BEAT gm up. *
cantinued "It Wis gossip araund the Mine B that if we PMA men did at
sign up by a certain day that it would cost us more money
up on the lest day; I signed up because I felt thst if I did
not get aver ta UHF that I might get beet up and I would lose my job.
nI h s h to '~ents swig a registered letter No. ave s awn ' nu -
18668 we srked at Springfield, Ill., Jan. 29, Al which is addresses me
tn as and it is from Chas. Behannon, P.O. Bax 10951 Springfield,Ill. This Ietter is dated Jan. 2 1941 and I have given the envelope and
letter t'- ancand I signed
The abnve letter told me that I shvuld get sworn in but I did not
e down to get sworn in because I still did not want to become connected
with UMI. Hanever, after I get the abqve letter I went down and pot sworn
in but then and even new I still am a Elm men in my own heart.
Armory in Springfield,
hen I get ts the Armory
and carried a big pistol- "I voted at the next NLRB election at the
Ill. but I don't think this was an h-"meet election.
this "Citter" was in there and he was partly drunk
and he grnhbed me by the arm and wilked up with me and ssid he wented to see
how I voted se he stood along side me and watched me hew I voted so I hnd
ta vote for WEI altho I still wanted to vnte for PHA. I did not vote the
way I wanted too and I figure I was fvrced to vote UHF because of the above
facts. I did-hgt see the government man nroud. This "Cotter" is still
at Mine B uni he is Check No. 18.
"When I went back ta Ine B it wis in bad shepe and had bad air.
The snuth side never W15 reopened. I think it cost them nbwut $15,000 or
¢20,000 to fix it up. I never h¬1T§ e thin; about a fire at Mine B when it
wns clased QT in 1939.
"I heard that Glzscew had some trouble and that Edmundson kicked
him eut and that Glascow was on the right side. '
I never heard anything at the time Mine B was clnsed as ta haw
Elshoff wis able to ke=p the mine going when it was closed.
"I cnn't read the Entlish language very well and I have had Agent
_¬p reid this 3 page typewritten statement to me and it is true and
correct and I have sicn it of my own free will.
'HHBSSES:
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' 1
Re: JOHN L. l.E.'.'IS, ET AL »; Q
F _ T; H
QY92'*'. 71110 . Special Agent, FBI,
St. Paul, Hinn.
Special A;ent, FBI,
Milwaukee, is."1<><>@ ~
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t
Kl
i- if these unions.i.I
92 - -
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_1'.'!'N| T. we-nu JJ .
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at his Iurzavls-i; "sin: I I Smrield»
Illinois on Agents
and He did not appear to be willing to
; enswsr t e ques ions pu 0 Jim, and would not willingly testify on
behalf of the Government, being hesitant because of his present employment.
Ht furnished the following signed stetement:
~ "Springfield, Illinois
September é, 1943
the following voluntary statement to
an I know to be Special .1__1:nts of the
of 0. Department of Justice.
was born in maxed came to the United Statesie , 1. inp, and presently
Springfield, Illino s.
"The first mine union I joined was the United Mine Forkers of
A1-1-;ric:. st will be refarr rd to ;1er;ineftc~r as the Ulif. I joined this
union in at Springfield, Illinois and I started working in the
inc under the UM-.'. This nine was in North Springfield, but is
no opera ing at this time. I worked at four other mines under the UM.live L
., ...<92-
.34: /_ __- -n--n- __...:* .:__~.._A _ V; - - -- _- *41T'; e-_4:_4e--__ - -e~ 21--' sf I - - 7 L ~r' ' -1» ~ ~ -~
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6- J
B3: JOHN L. LEYIS, ET AL_ .Zv'i> Q / JL9 7~£>
IN ? -- -..ITII_ "I knew the following miners who worked at Mine B at
' this time: Andrew Schrelevious, Dominic Pasquale
1 '_ ' 0 Tcontinued! Pete Carter, Fran? Austin, on Plotch, John Cotton!
Lnanias, John Sirtout, George Jacaway, Emory Jacaway,
Charles Bohannon, and James Hale. -
"As far as I know these men did not aggitate for Uh? before May,
1937 when the strike started.
I an not amiliar with the circumstances involved in the wage scale
controversy.
"I did not attend the PEA meeting of Nay ll, 1937 and it was at a
later date that I learned about the miners who were thrown out of PlM.on that
night. I did not hear about it the next day. However, on the morning of
Hay 12, 1937 I was told to load the coal cars short by a member of PEA whose
name I do not recall and I did load nw'cars short.
"I helped picket nine B for about two weeks.
"During the strike geriod when Mine 5 was closed I was unemployed.
"I believed I signed a 1l$.petition shortly after the nine closed.
I do not remember anything about details or purpose of this petition. I do
not recall any other petitions. »
"B' word of mouth I learned about the attem ts to o en Mine B in5 In - r-1 - np
oept~mo¢r and uecenoer o1 id!? and in uanuari, l9j6.
"I thought the N.L.R.B. election held in December, 1937 was fair. I
was in favor of the FHA and was not approached by any person to influence
my vote.
"The second N.L.R.B. election in February, 1941 was also on a secret
ballot and I voted in this election. '
HT .._..¢_._.._-.1 1-- -....__1. _..4. 92:-:..-... D .:... 1'.Y_"»_.92.-.._ ,-.-_ -. ...-.-: ...-.-t"J. It-bluilitfu DU 92lUI'Ii CID MLIIU D L11 1¥UVU1l.llJ92,1'! I:U.HU
again'under the open shop aareement.-_-_-;uyumsu
"Just before the second N.L.R.B. election I signed up with UFT. No
one ever tried to influence me to sign up with the UMU. I joined the UHE
because some miners told me that the majority were going over to UME and
that Iid better join UEH. '
r
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Fob?-92
__ ______ __, L_____ __,__ _ ________ ______{ _ ___ i_ H ii W__A__ 1, --H, ,-- ,_~__ - -ff-if o L .. _... i______,___.. ___.__ iii _ i
6- O
I .-.
RE: JOHN L. 1:s..'1s, ET AL O /Q
lmo
fr V ' "I know nothing about the activities of the men whose
names are mentioned above in this statement.
continued! -
"I know nothing against. the HI}. or the U1-H.
Fiiitnossed:
5pecial Agent, F
Special went F.B
-135-
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C - O
an-.: JOHN L. LET- I5, ET AL L7° $20
-
1. ?3I1VlL"'.7 "IIT Springfiel 11111101:
was Tntl interv ewe y Special AgentsXQ and n Scpte r 3 194-5 atQ D. y Springfield, Ill, T s in ividual is ears 0 , eX no reed nor write and 1"&S no understanding concerning e matter under6 inquiry. He executed the following written statement: ~
"Springfield, Illinois
September 3, 1943
the following voluntary statement to
whom I know to be Special Agents of
, U. S. Department oi Justice.
Springfie _ A _|_o - =_-~ am
born on ~ .-p_:,_f-_}=,1:_ _ -" e ..
Lnited Mine Yorker o er: , re erredto ercina er as the Ul about atglllinois, where I worked in
the local mine about three years. werke in coal mines continuouslyand started working in Tfine B near Springlield about and worked there
continuously until that mine closed on Ii-iy 1?, 1957. lg t after Nine B
closed down in Fay, 1937, I wont back to e. place near the
Progressive Ifine Torkers of America picket. I will refer to this latter
union hereinafter as the FHA. I never 1-ent back after that time to work
at 'ine even "1 en it t . to rc-oen. 'eder
~ "I resideI t o*:_ miliod .
mine to help the
, I _ : _ -= . h ' ,_ ' 1 I did not tr to o bac to work
3 Z3". 1, =1, , " -=3" j I-'-5!? 1-L... ""-='w,"§=*~*92"" ""7~ 7-:"".=e=F -" "-""""""=.-. 4 7" _I e, W . ..A W ,»
"I ':.'er1-zed at }ino B from to 1932 as e. member of the UTE. I
was e digger in this mine. I voluntarily joinedP]'iA in September, 1952
when the rest of the miners at E"-Tine B. joined that union. I did not like
the UM?- because John L. Lewis did not favor an increase in wages and when
we voted, he claimed the ballot boxes were stolen-
"I thought the PMA was a good mine -union and that,it's leaders and
the ranlc and file were satisfied with the PEA union and the way it was being
run. I did not take an active part in the formation of PLEA as I could
not read or write and just went along with the rest.
lllshoff appeared to get along alright with the UM; prior to 1932
but did not seem to be on such good terms with PLEA from 1952 to 1937-
I think he liked UM"- better than the PLEA, but I never heard why. I knew
nothing about the details of the wage scale problem but I just wanted an
increase in wages.
"I heard in the Spring of 1937 that had some organizers in
Nine B but they l'1GVuI contacted me. I heard that they contactedother miners
AA-- _ ..'....n___ - ~...___ .._n_---...._~___'__.A _7
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C_ O
Re: Jorm L. mans, ET AL 57 ¢.- -,__
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" read the newspapers to
me commen lng on . 0 not recall signing a. petition
con nued of any kind in 1937. I did not attend the PMA meeting on
' the night of May 12, 1957 when the PIA minors were expelled
The only reason I know the mine was closed down on may 12, 1957 was because
the men Rented more money and Els hofi would not pay them more. I never went
beck to work in the mine after that, and I-mow nothing about the mine from
then on. This stat-err-ent his 1-voen rzad to me by
zv-1'5 it TB CYUO.
"His X Mark
2
"u1tIl2SSC*d2 H15
/W01a go ,F.B.I.
d --.gcn , F.B.I. /5 Ma rk
"T- have the t.-:o names of this stat-:.m-ant to*¥-"-'_":; i-:";+. " ° ? whose mark appears ab eve and he acknov: e gas
that the statom:-nt is rue and correct. '
-137-
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f'- O
Re: JOHN L. LEWIS! ET AL
.1] I-Na
* Al!
iannvIEw IITH l 'Springfield,
I inc s, was; ervi om on ember 7,943 by Special Agents and &
speaks and understandsiE§Iish'7VEry IeII_EH____'
when he remembers facts can express himself intelli ently. He said he has
no serious objections to testifying if necessary. admitted that hehas_been arrested for drunkenness, but claimed to hav! no other criminal
rec<3'd. _furnished +119 following signed stategnt:IIIIIIIII
"Springfield, Ill.
September 7, 1943.
the following voluntary statement to
whom I know to be Special Agents
ion, of my own free will, with no
threats or promises made to mes
, Springfield7WlA__ V:|I
I was born ?F é§_ #4-
States in-
I joined the;$_._=1" y was
lni ed Mine ?orkers
of that union until 1932, when
rogre Yorkers of America. I started work at Mine
and joined the P.N.A. when all the other men at Mine B
did. I part in the organization of the P.M.A., which was organized
because the men were not satisfied in the way Lewis was handling their
interests. Lewis had something to do with the disappearance of ballots
of an election held by the men. I was never an officer in any union.2* in92-In . L11
B about
"From 1932 until 1937 things went along smoothly at the mine,
I dor't remember any strikes or shut downs at the mine, and was
satisfied with the way the P.M.7. was being run. The P.M.A. officers
always gave the men a square deal as far as I know. The men always seemed
to be completely satisfied in the way the P.M.W. was being run. Before
the strike in 1937, I don't remember of hearing of any trouble between
the P.M.A. and the mine management. The members seemed to feel that P.E.A.
could do as much,Ior the men as the U.H.T. could, as far as wages and
conditions were concerned.
"I don't remember any instances of picketing by U.M.H} men,
or any literature put out by the U.H.U. before the strike in 1937. Nb
one ever asked me to join the U.M.W., before the strike, although I
heard that Austin, Albanese, Hale, Bohannon, Plotch, Carter,.ananiasmy - 8 icaways, were trying to get men to join the U.M...". _
and took» coal from Alhanese's room, and I heard that h
was agitating for U.M.W., although he never said anything to me.
Bohannon was also a mule driver at this time, but never said anything
about U.H.T. to me before the strike.
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Re: JOHNL. Lame, ET AL
é 7 c./g is '29
INT *92 TH "I don't remember any P.M.A. meeting the night before
the strike. On the day of the strike, at the end
con inue of the day, I heard there was a strike, and didn't
go back to the mine the next day. I think the strike
was over some wage dispute, but I'm not sure. I did hear that Frank Austi
and a couple of others whose names I can't remember were kicked out of
the P.H-A. because of U.H.W. activities, but I don't know anything more
about it}
¥ "I remember that I signed a P.M.A. petition just after the strike.
As I remembe th' 't' ' . r, 1S peti ion was to find out how many men favored the
P.M.A. It seems to me that I signed one at Mine B, but I don't remember
who took the petition.around, and I signed it because I preferred the
P.M.A. to the U.H.W. Ho one made me sign it. I don't remember signing
any U.M.U. petition this summer.
"In the summer or fall of 1937, Bohannon came to my home at
Springfield, and asked me to join the U.H.W., saying
e mine was going to open up U.E.U} I told them that if they opened up
U.M.K. they would open up without me, because I didn't like the U.M.W.
He didn't threaten ma or try to force me. There were some other fellows
in the car, but I didn't recognize them. I started to work at my
present job shortly after that.
"I remember getting a letter from Elshoff that the mine was
going to open, and giving me a certain time to come back to work. I
don't remember just when I got that letter, because I had my present
job and wasn't intending to go back to the mine.
"In the fall of 1937 I was out at the picket line at Mine B,
when I wasn't working. I wasn't forced to go out, and never saw any men
there who weren't Mine B men. We were picketing, as I remember, to
keep the U.E.W. men from going to work. I think the injunction was
gotten to get the P.H.A. men away from the mine, so the U.M.K} men
could get into the mine to work. '
"In the election of December, 1937, I voted for P.M.A. because
I liked it better than the U.E.U. I don't remember any strong-armed
tactics at the election, and think it was a fair election. After
this election I had nothing more to do with Mine B. I had made up
my mind not to go back to the mines, and I will never mine coal for
Lewis 0
"I have read the foregoing, consisting of about three and
a half pages, and state that it is true to the best of my knowled e.
Slgn£d;¥ *»~. _ -92 _ z - '
hitnesses; H,,,VI!
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3"!_________#____ i._,________._...___,.__ -..._.»--' __..~;A-_- - -vi ¢- ~*- = --- _-_-:~_:-~¢#;,J3_,-;_-- *- --1» - -4|I~'-1?.-1-ni~~**~~ ~ ._-
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0*. o
RE: JOHN L. LEIIS, ET KI.l9? C./ £5 1115 -
INI'ERVIE.. 1:11";-: Q was 'ointly interviewed by '-QS pecia gen s_ wet his residence, -ifQ] ' on eptcmber 4, 1943. He 1n,;.; n J. e
'92 9292 5
-1@W%%§ - .n¢J|!!|||!f- I pr n icld, inn s
e 011 owing signed tatement:
92 = 0|:-.___-__._..l92_--|_l '1"'Il_-__.|_":>pring1:|.e4.u, iilinols
September 4 , 1943hW III,
o era Bureau
nI reside at Springfiaosentlv a diiferl emp oyee a Mine .. was born
__ _ _' r a.......: -..,-,..1 .-... +L92!'= U-1-;+.,..a :4. ,+.a_.-J. cu..1.Lv92.u ..1...u out. 1 _u92.U. Db:-.U¢DI was natura zed a prinjield, Illinois in Q
"I first joined a mine union ir. -at Springfield, Illinois atth-:?l-iine. This unim was the United I-line "horkers of .unE2IiC3, which
will e referred to hGTCiDft¢T as the USU. I worked there for about one
year at which time a tipple fell ' end I we work at Mine é. I didnot return t?> Mine 33 until about EFr.:r; I continued to work at
Min; B until Kay 12, 1937 when the mine closed. I ter the mine closed on
Hey 12, 1943, I did not go back to picket and did not go back to Hine B
when that mine attempted to open on three different occasions. I knew the
mine was attemptin; to open from a notice in the newspapers an bk word of
mouth from other miners. I did not go back to work at Mine B. until about
December 1939- I Worked at thimqge ' 0- I quit:
th= and started working for tr... ; '
I never did W.! back to war at Mine . In eceml ~ "-1
time.rsake the following voluntary statement to
, whom I know to be Special ngents of the
tion, U.S. Department of Justice.
st_rte Working at Kine a and have continued working there until the present
"In SUptwmb r, 1932 I was working at
wanted the miners to take 2 reduction in wag
vote txken was aginst the reduction and on a second vote, the UH7 officials
claimed the ballots were 5t921en, and Lewis declared an emergency and pro-
ceeded to sign up with the Operators at e reduction in the wage scale. I
voluntarily joined the frrgressivo Mine orkers of hmorica, referred to here
inaftor as the PM , with the r.st of the miners in Mine B, in September, lQ32.
I never t!Jk an active port in orgonizin; PM . Inever have held an office
in any nine union= I ieel thet the Pin was e good union and the rank and file
were satisfied with that union and its officials. .L. Lewis
The firstMine B and when Jwhn
.s, a vote was taken.
-140-
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Q 9
RE: JOHN L. LEXIS, ET LL
lap,
"Prior to 1932, Elshoff had
with the employees at Hinc B and he dis-charged the following men;
and about three others. Elshoff c aime =
n+ These n all mINTBRVIEI TITH
continued!4
11'; fl,.;__J??-j
O
bu:
some difficulties
these men were creating disse .ion. - me were ember of the UMT.
at this time, Elshoff did not belong to the Oweraters Association. The UH?
arbitrated the case with Elshoff and he had his way. These men did not re-
turn to work. This was prior to any thought of organizing another union,
namely, the Pm , TUE relations between Plshoff and the PEA from 1932 to
april 1937 War; good as far as I know.
"about a month before the mine closed down on May l2, 1937 there
were a number of men in Mine 5 who began organizing for UHF. These hen
were Lndrew Schrelevi~u5, Dominic Pasquale, Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony
Fletch, J>hn Ananias, also known as John Cotton, John Sirtout, George Jacaway,
Emory Jacaway, Ch;rlcs bohannon, James Hale, I heard that these men were
cantecting PML members to get than to join the UMT. I'm referring nae to the
period before the mine Wut on strike in Hay, 1937. Both James Hale and
Tony Plotch t lked to me favoring the UH? and wanted me to join the UH? as
it was e larger organization. I did not sign up with UET because I felt that
these men were being paid by U? for their organizing work, Halo and Plotch
hinted two or three times that it would be better if I joined the UEJ.
"About a week before the mine closed, Fete Carter was seen by me
passing out UHF cards out on top of Mine
before the mine closed, the FH
…[truncated]