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26 sonpohtes der, Board Member {] Progressive Miners of rica, Springfield, Illinois. Office phone- 2722, home phone-5075. ~ 3. Fullerto ton, ColeO- Regional Director, Chicago, Tllinois. Vv 4. John WA Hindmarsh, C,1.0. Representative, Springfield, area, (Can be reached through Fulton's office.) From these several conferences and interviews, Mr. Coleman makes the following observations: l. It is apparent that the alleged violation is of broader scope than was first thought. The following picture begins to emerge. Sometime in 1936 or early in 1957, Lewis and Edmmdson, fearing that the Progressive movement would spread beyond the confines of Illinois and challenge Lewis! national control, resolve to destroy the Progressives in Illinois piecemeal by buying out one mine after another, using Elshoff as the "front". Mine "B" was conquered between 1937 and March, 1941, A month later, Elshoff begins negotiations to purchase Mine “A” with $0,000 of U.M.W. funds. A victory was achieved in this case in the fall of 1941, Soon there r, tentative negotiations are begun by Elshoff to purchase the: ther Creek Mines, also Progressive, with fi00,000 of U.M.W, funds. In my memoranda to you of Jume 24, and August 11, you were requested to investigate these three cases fully. In his interview with Mr. Coleman, Mr. Ryan indicated that Elshoff had told him recently that he (Eishoff} proposed to buy another ming, also Progressive, in Bond County. Mrs Ryan stated that Charle lloy (who can be located through United States Attorney Doyle) knows the exact name and location of this mine, It ig requested that the circumstances of this proposed purchase be fully investigated. These four transactions suggest that Elshoff may have approached still other Progressive mine operators with the same purpose in mind. It is requested, therefore, that the principal Progressive mine operators be interviewed to determine whether any such overtures have been made over the past several years. It does not appear from the evidence now available whether these cases will constitute, in law, separate conspiracies, or whether they can be joined--as would be highly desirable--in one indictment as parts of a single continuing conspiracye It will be highly valuable, therefore, to disoover any evidence which indicates that within the three year statute of limitations there