Matewan Page #3

It ain't against the law

to talk, is it?

Depends.

I take care of my people.

You bring them trouble,

you're a dead man.

Sleep tight, Kenehan

Hi.

Well, look at this, Griggsy.

They got up

a little reception committee for us

What is your name, honey?

- Bridey Mae Tolliver.

You like to watch the trains

come and go, Bridey Mae?

Yeah.

And the people what come into town.

There been a lot of new people

coming here lately?

A few.

- Fella named Joe Kenehan show up?

Maybe.

Are you married, Bridey Mae?

I was.

He got killed in the mine.

That's too bad.

Did you hear that, Griggsy?

He got killed in the mine.

It's a shame.

Was your husband a union man

while he was living?

No. He said it wouldn't never

take hold down here.

He sounds like a smart fella.

I think that you are real pretty.

You know that, Bridey Mae?

Thank you.

Don't you think she's pretty, Griggsy?

You are the best looking

mountain trash I've seen

in a long while.

We'll see you around.

Let's roll, Griggsy.

The sooner we get

out of this shithole the better.

I was putting up blackberrys

when Tremel Blankenship come

shouting up the hollar that

the #5 had blown.

I remember I took

the pot off the stovetop

and washed up my hands

before I went down.

It took two days to dig through.

Then when they brung 'em up you

couldn't tell which was which.

They found blood on the walls

from fellas trying

to claw their way out.

Mrs. Elkins, Mrs. Mounts,

Bridey Mae, me...

we all lost our men in that fire.

Danny was 7 then.

Now he's back in that same hole.

How did it start?

Coal dust gets hanging in the

air down there

and there's a spark.

They could spray the walls down

but the company says

that'd cost too much.

Hey, was..uh, was Sid Hatfield

ever a miner?

Not for long.

He don't like to be closed in, Sid.

He's always real friendly,

smiling Sid.

Then the war come.

Cabell Testerman got to be the mayor.

He made Sid chief of police

and then the girl

that Cabell married... Well...

I don't want you using Danny on

no crazy union business.

A man has to stand up

for what he believes in.

Danny ain't no man..

Look it mister,

you gonna be movin' on.

Win or lose your gonna

walk on out of this hollar

and we gotta stay here.

I intend to leave a union when I go.

My husband used to talk union.

I seen where it got him.

- Mama. People out front mama.

Sorry mister, we're full up.

- Not anymore your not, sonny.

Stone Mountain sent us down here.

- We're still full up.

Can I help you gentleman?

- These two are trying to push

their way in here. I told them

there wasn't no use.

- I don't see where you got any

say in the matter.

If my mama says you can't stay

here then you can't, that's all.

Danny!

Keep out of this.

Look, I only got one room left.

Well then, somebody is going to

have to move, don't they?

Let me see your register?

- You ain't seen nothin'.

Lady, we're here as guests of the

Stone Mountain Coal Company.

They own this house.

- Good mornin'.

You fellas movin' in?

Yeah.

- No.

Well, you wont find a better

night's sleep anywheres in town.

It's a shame I got to move

over to the hotel.

It's business you know.

So you mind if I settle my bill, ma'am?

Danny, you sign these

two gentleman in.

Don't think the company isn't

going to hear about this.

Boy, sometimes you got to bend

so as you don't break.

Food's awful at the hotel.

Mattresses got lumps,

probably cooties, too.

I'll be all right.

I'll get my things.

-Thank you.

Now, if you want to

stay alive down here,

you got to listen up, get a

hold of something solid,

and give the top a little poke.

Now, if you get a nice ringing sound

you're all set.

Got a nice solid top over your head.

You get a kinda hollow sound,

like a drum, that slate's

sagging a bit,

and you gotta put in another post.

You dig coals a long time?

- Since I was 10. And you?

We make a shoe. Everybody in

same fabricca Milano,

make a shoe.

- Shoes.

You make-a shoes?

As soon as they get that union

they'll send us back.

It could be.

But, you try and head out of here

now, you be owin' all that money,

like they say, company

shoot you for a thief.

We just some slaves up here.

They own our black asses.

Gentleman.

- Hey, Few, I got

a question for you.

Yes...

Now suppose they let us in this

union like they say.

We gonna have to work

with them Italian people?

C'mon babies

C'mon and get it now,

c'mon, c'mon

C'mon now.

Oh, boy.

Taking a walk?

I'm going up to the coal camp to

meet those new fellas when they

come off their shifts.

Your doing union business,

ain't ya?

How you like Mrs. Radnor's?

Well there wasn't room.

I'm at the hotel now.

Isn't she a sourpuss though?

- Mr. Kenehan! They's evictin'

in town, Mr. Kenehan

It's Baldwin, them Baldwin thugs.

This is town property.

Who are you?

I'm the mayor.

Well, pleased to meet you.

My name is Bill Hickey.

This is Tom Griggs. We're

carrying out an eviction

for Stone Mountain.

You can do what you want

up at the coal camp,

but this is town property.

- Stone Mountain holds the deeds

on these houses, Cabell.

- You need a writ for eviction.

You the law around here?

Well good.

Then you can help us.

Now these people are trespassing on

company property.

They all signed a contract that

they wouldn't join any union.

You uh, you Baldwin-Felts agency?

That's right.

- Presently employed by the

Stone Mountain Coal Company.

This is from Mr. Turley here,

and this is from our boss,

Mr. Thomas Felts.

I've met Mr. Felts.

Well good, we won't have any problem.

I wouldn't pee on him if his

heart was on fire.

Neither of these will do for a writ.

You'll have to

see a judge in Charleston

What if we ain't got time

to go to Charleston?

Then you better find some.

Now I can't do nothin' about what you

pull outside town limits,

but you bother these people

under my jurisdiction,

I'll put you under arrest.

Yeah?

You and whose army?

All you men own a gun?

Go home and get it.

You're deputies as of now.

The rest of you people stick

close, we'll need witnesses.

I'm giving you 10 minutes to

get those people's belongings

back in the house.

If the rest of the boys was here

you wouldn't be so cocky.

If the rest of the boys was

here, I'd give you 5 minutes.

Now move it.

You can't win you know, this is

going to happen with you,

without you.

You can't stop it.

All right boys,

let's put it back in.

This ain't our day.

- That a boy, Sid!

I never seen a law man

buck a company gun before.

He's mostly a real

nice feller, is Sid.

I may be mayor of the town,

but I'm gonna be mayor of a cemetary.

Contention makes him nervous, though.

We got a motion

on the floor here

and this is coal miners only.

All them in favor of keeping

them scabs out of the mines

tomorrow morning using whatever

force it looks like is necessary

raise your hands.

It's settled then.

Pass them peas, boy.

Pass the peas, Danny.

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