◆ SpookStack

RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL. br Ce LI) INTERVIEN WITH "r am not able to recall anything about a woge scale controversy at Mine "B" in continue the spring of 1937. "T have no knowledge of any meeting before the strike in which a strike was discussed. “Ite morning of the strike I heard ihe men talking, while going down in the mantrip, ebout the Mine B co. not firing the “spies” who had becn suspended by PA. The men talked about going on strike until Mine B discharged the suspended men. I 180 learned about the dismissal of the "soios” from a notice on the Bulletin Ucerc. at Mine B, On the day of the strike I ceme out on tov at noon bcccus. tle ceiling was cracking and fell-. ing in my room in Box I wes loatint +1 top waiting for my ride home when ebout 2:15 I sev run cur oi the 20. cffice and go to the Enpine Room where he yelle to stop blasting coal as the mine was on strike. J then tea ~ and he told me that he wes calling a strike >.cause the Co. refused to fire the suspended men. saig that Elshc?f fleti. refused to fire the men and didn't even wert to teik about it. 48 soon as ny dad came up out of the mine we drove home, "TI remember signing a petition for Pus. It was brought to my home by I alse believe thet I signed another Pls petition later. “These alleged spies formed a new UMA local in the summer of 1937, Charles Bohannon & Tony Plotch were officers in this new union. Charles Bohannon, Joe Albonese, and “Cotton” Anenias ceme to the house to sce me end asked me to go to work. I said no because I mew I have to join UM.4 to work with them. "“Cne day I read in the paper that Mine B would resume work and I took my lunch pail and went out. ‘hen we got there Oscar Falcetti came out of the office with about a dozen men, Mostly the “spies” mentioned above. Falectti ran bell personally to lower the Pirst men in the CREC « told us not to say anything & y urned to Oscer Falcetti and gave him a good cussing and suid, "Look what you've done". I remember that "Cotton" Amanias got scared and ran into tho office. Falcetti told that Uif..4 had promised him 50 men to open the mine - but ha feiled. I went back home. “Shortly afterwards some miner came to ece me end asked me to go up to Hine B and picket to protect my job. at first we picketed for about ° week out on the old Jacksonville Road for about a woek. Later I went back and stayed on the Mine B property and stayed off and on until we were put ~264~