◆ SpookStack

RE: JOUN L. LEVIS, ET AL & telkec tc mon but they never contacted me. I guess about 6 or 7 of the above were expelled from P.M.A. os I heard ebout that. I nover heard cf any parties ELSHOFF gave for ; U.K.W. but I used tc see lot cf wiskey bottled in the rear of the office cf Mine B & I heard that ELSHOFF & FLCETYI éid have parties at Mince B for U.M.v. mone _ ~ “In spring cf 1937 1 recoll tht the contract ran out & we were told wo wore working pending a settlement & thet it would be retro-active to April ist & that the contract would be based on the Illinois contract. The P.MeA. committee of BB =n others tcld us this. I thot things would be as they elways were in regurd to the contract. I nover heard any men complaining o- bout their wires cver this contract & there were no slow-downs cver it. I heareé that ecme of the abcve expelled men were not fired & that FLLCETTI told the }.M.A. Comittee that he would not fire thon. I never heard managenent sey & thing abcut wages. "Zl don't recall if I attcnded o meeting on 5-11-37 or note I did net lmow there wns to be a strike when Mine B closed on 5-12-37. That mcrn- ing there was some rumor uround that there might be some treuble. If I re- cull P.M.A. wos supposed tc sce ELSHOFF ubcut theso expelled nen. I loaded full cars but because of a fn1l the driver tcok out several short cars. No cne told me tc load any short nor did I kmcw it wrs being dcne. Around 2150 cr 2:45 pam. cur driver tcld us it wis quitting tine & we came out, After I pet on top I heard the mine was cn strikc. I heard wated to have the Company re~instite the contract & they wouldn't so he calfod tho men out. I Sid not heer it was over those expelled men. For several week the nine wos picketed. I never simmed any petiticn for U.M.W., but I dic sign one for + .Mais as there was a mumcr thot U.N. wes claiming a lct & petition wos rot- ten up to sec hcw moy were fcr r.MeAs & I signed it at union office. of my own free will. I heerd ~-f a UHV. petition being cut. I recsil of signing a F.HeA. petiticn in the f-.11 of 1937 & no cne fcreed ne tc sign it. I heard of UM... forming a new loer] & I heard they were going from home to hone but I never wes approached. FeM.A. held thoir regulor meetings as usual in summer of 1937 & I don't recall cf enythine unusucl heppoming in summer of 1957, I heard tho cf a fellow naned a getting bont up by CHAS. BOHANNON & encther fellow. I heard that sone Lino B men : ie worked at Jefferson Mine while Mine B was elcsed. I thi Gar OL PALCETTI being there. In fril cf 1937 I wont to Mine B first day they tried to reopen & I heard fron the cther miners I would hove to sign up with U.M.i, in order tc po dem so I didn't gc down as I would nct sign over to U.M.¥. I had not attendod any previcus mecting when they decided what to do. I read cf Mine B rescpening in the pepers, I heard a caso cr two cf men wont dewn. Both JAGA- WAYS went dew & I think TONY iLOTCH tco os I saw them myself, The law was out there too but things were quiet. Next moming the sit down strike started & the group who went ¢own first day were in cffice & sheriff lot then go out. - 188 -