The mines were increasing tonnage every week.  This caused much activity from the organization.  All of the 19th District were still idle and so all their power was centered against the Procter Coal Company.  One Sunday morning a crowd of 1500 Knights of Labor came to Procter and held a meeting just on the property line.  They were debating whether they would go up into the camp and hold a meeting.  I stood at the edge of the crowd and told them not to go onto the property as there was a guard in the camp and that they might get into trouble.  I was then living in the camp.  One of the leaders, John HOWE, said he could go through my yard if he wanted to.  I told him that I could not stop a mob, but that I could stop him.  The whole crowd had a good laugh at my remark.  They voted to go on the property.  I knew many of the miners who were standing near me.  I said to them, "Don't go, boys.  Those guards don't know you.  They would like to use their rifles on you."  Many of them did not go, but went back to the Jellico mines.

They said that there was a post office in the camp and that they had a right to go.  I told them it was not open on Sunday.  About 500 of them went on to the center of the camp.  There they opened a meeting by singing and prayer.  They sang a religious hymn.  A high officer from Illinois and one from Alabama and other from Jellico made speeches.  Then an Italian from Procter got up to speak and said we all ought to join the union.  I called him down.  He said, "Three days ago that man, BOSSIE, told me that John MULLINS had 28 names on his book of men who wanted to join the union."  This information he gave me secretly that John MULLINS would be discharged.  In closing of his words to the crowd, BOSSIE jumped towards me.  The leaders caught hold of him and said, "My God men, let's have no trouble", and they held him.  I told them to turn him loose, but they held him.  Many guns were drawn while watching BOSSIE the Italian.  I heard a voice on my left saying let me put a ball through that gray S. of a B.'s head, meaning me.  I could not take my eyes off of the Italian struggling to get loose.  Then a voice I knew said, "You just try a move to shoot him."  The voice was that of Nice HIGHTOWER, a real friend of mine.  He was the only one that stood.  All others ran away and scattered quickly.  It was dangerous for a few minutes.  But not one shot was fired, but many guns were drawn.

I never knew who the man was that wanted to shoot me through the side of my head.  BOSSIE, the Italian, left in a few days with sixteen other Italians, who came with him.  He was their leader.  After this meeting on Sunday mornings, the Knights of Labor made stronger efforts to hinder operation of the Procter mines and the company made stronger resistance against them by employing guards to guard the camp at night.  Strangers from surrounding mines would do much shooting at night and then leave quickly.

My next experience was with a blacksmith named Jim YONCE.  He had worked several weeks and then joined the strikers.  Then when he would meet a miner who continued to work, he would shout, "Scab!"  This he did often but was quiet when I was near.  I determined to stop him the first opportunity that came.  One morning, he came to the office window demanding his pay.  The bookkeeper asked him if he was moving out of camp.  He replied with an oath, "No."  Then I told him I would not pay him unless he was giving up possession of the house.  Mr. WOOD, the bookkeeper, called me to explain what YONCE wanted.  He stood just outside of a small window.  I noticed that he had two strange men with him.  I explained the contract and also read it to him.  This contract had been in operation several years.  He said he didn't care about the contract and he wanted his money.

I looked into his face and saw that he wanted to make trouble.  I had to go outside of the office to face him.  I said to him, "You have been making a lot of noise in camp and it is time for you to stop it", and with this, I pushed him slightly backwards.  He said, "If it was not for those three links on your coat I would slap you." I said, "Don't mind the links." Just then one of his men came behind me and threw his arms around my arms.  He was close to my side.  He had locked his hands in front of me.  This made me helpless.  Before YONCE noticed he had his hands in his coat pockets as if he had a gun or a knife.  I told the man holding me to turn me loose.  He did so.  YONCE was cursing.  I went up close to him and said, "Jim, you talk right and there will be no trouble."