STRIKE SENTENCES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 5

STRIKE SENTENCES.

EIGHTEEN MONTHS. FOUND GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY _ ;; BY A JURY. BOWLING'S TERM CUMULATIVE; (liec. February 10, 9.5 p.m;) ; ByTelesraph T Eress'Association-CoDyrl2ht. ."'" ■,-.'.■! Sydney; February 10. !" The trial of Peter Bowling, William Brennah, Albert Burns, Aniram Lewis, ,and .Andrew Gray, on a charge of conspiracy in connection with the coal strike, which has been proceeding for some time in tho Central Criminal Court; before Mr. Justice Pring and a jury, concluded to-day. ':.'.; ..' The Charges.' !; The-charges contained in .the indictment against. 'the 'accused were that, 'T)eihg persons of evil minds and dispositions''and not regarding the.laws and' statutes of the State," they, on September U, 1909,, and,divers other ■ days thereafter, "did . unlawfully; and wickedly! amongst themselves conspire,' confederate, and agree together to. 'instigate certain coalminers, engine-drivers, .wheelers, /surface hands; and other persons employed in' and about certain coal-mines, in, the Stateaforesaid,/to. take'part in a.strike; to' the evil example of all others in the like case offending; and .against the peace of our ■ lord .the King,' his' crown, and dignity." A second- count charged [ th<im with conspiring to instigate. certain persons : employed in certain industries in and about the .coal-mines,; in .Newcastle, v Maitland, : :western. and southern" districts! and the Sydney; and Newcastle wharf,. labourers,'' coal-lumpers, and'trimmers to take part m tho strike;'A third count'ehargod them; with ■ conspiring.. to counsel. and procure certain coal-miners-and .other colliery ■ employees (being!s.ervants;ivho had: entered into: contracts to serve certain colliery' proprietors for certain' times and" had entered into, that; service) to absent themselves from such service without reason.able :.cause. before the ternr of their contracts had expired, v and .to .neglect to fulfil; the. said .'contracts.'. \ ;.

Verdict: Recommendaiiontto Me>cy. ; . 'All the five, accused were found, guilty,' and each,, was .to 18. 'months' imprisonment. ,•',The:Court: ordered ; that Bowling's., spntence should be "■. cumulative pn his;previous sentence of 12 "months' imprisonment (under.: the, Industrial Disputes Act). ■■•. ■-') ■"-.-. ■• '■'-~■'.: "■ •■•■• .'.-.■■

Justice Pring,. in: summing .'up; said it wasno defence for accused 1 to say.ithat they .wore in the.service 1 :of . the". Miners' Federation and as servantswere carrying out the .Federation's orders.: : : ~ ° The jury.in finding accused guilty, irecommended them all to. mercy on the ground of previous,good character; ,: vV ■< Each of -. the accused. made a statement claiming that he was innocent as he was unaware ho was committing breaches of tho.law.. 1 : ~:: ;. : ;, 1 ;' ;' •:. ■ ■■'~...-.:.-,.

Accused's Pleas-Unions to Become "Secret Societies."

: Bowling, declared; that .'tho : lawi as it' stood, mado the: carrying, ouf of .the,duties of,an officer of.a/union impossible. and unsafe. ; Tory ■ few unionists know -what tho law meant;-he.:.did riot. If. this was'what' was.dono in. a/free-: country,'.ho wished .to, go back to Siberia or some.other country wher's they ..did. not'.talk about free-. dom. .."■.■■...■.;■.':■'• ~:"..:'■•■'•.■,,'...'■ ■:'■:'■ '.-<:■;■ ''■ : . .'Brennan said/he 'doubted if any 'men in_ future would be.' willing:,to pay, the pricej. of maintaining.,: the ' position' ofworking .men in, the. country; .-Unionists " would:be.like.sheep .without shepherds.-'- ( _Burns. declared;'that' he, had - always,' advised: non r acceptarice ■; of'. the .'lndustrialDisputes I 'Act, and would-do so as long as' ho'.lived, 'because' it incapable of ,gov-' iernirig the. work of miners.- '•■'.". .Lewis said:. This is the, end of men who 1 interest ■ themselves \ dri' behalf ; of unions in this State, r :Unions will 'become secret societies. ;■ V ; .' ■77 ;'V'; .'.;;';' ■;' : ■.(}■'■';.!.::' '■'.■'■:':■ The Remedy:: Obey the Law. 1 .; 7 • .The, Judge', in ■ passing ..sentence, Fti'd that.each of the riccused.'knew'he'''-wm'' breaking .the law,,';arid;did it. ddiiberateiy. As ',to:'no. one;accepting office in a 'union ii future, 'all,.that'such men'"had.;'to do was .to 'dboy the'; laivj and they -would then .be-perfectly;safe.;'.He could;not,uri-' derstarid how; the acoused could make the claim, that in. throwing, .out'many ■ thousands of workers they were acting for the benefit of. humanity. He. had. taken the jury.V recommendation '.of .mercy into consideration, in'.awarding the' sentences;'