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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL . Me REINTERVIEW WITH Mr. ROBERT C. SOLOMON, President of Panther Creek | ROBERT C, SOLOMON Coal Mines, Ing,, after some reflection, advised b Special Agent ay he had called “2 for the facts concerning the attempted purchase 6 © Panther Croek Coal Mines by CARL H. ELSHOFF and desired to soe Special Agent again, Mr. SOLOMON from his attitude and coonveration is well-disposed toward this investigation and is willing to test.fy. He advised that he got along very well with ELSHOFF from 1932 up until the time that he became involved with JOHN L. LEWIS in 1937. Sfinse that time, however, Mr. SOLOMON has oxperienced considerable difficulty in dealing with ELSHCFY and hes heard that ELSHOFF biamcs him for thc success of the organizational efforts of the Progressive Nine Yorkers of America in the Springfield area. At WAs reintervicwed and the following statemen | WES int nate ~ ir. SOLGMON w submitted by him: "Springfield, Illinois September 9, 1943 "STATE ENT OF ROBERT C, SCLOMOY, PRESIDENT OF THE PANTHER CREEK COAL VINES, INC. tt s Fresident of the Panther Creek Coal Mines, Inc., I recall the AK fa ake oet>4 aoe amd nancorantione relativ te the attempted following acs, circumstances and conversations relative to the BULEmptEea purchase of these properties by CARL FE, ELSHOFF of Springfield, Illinois, during the years of 1941 and 15942; . "It is my understanding that the original approach to purchase these properties was made by “'r. HARRY ALLEN, representative of the Alton Railroad Go., to Mr. HARRY MORGAN, Secretary-Treasurer of the Fanther Creek Co. during the summer of 1941, It wes these two gentlemen who eventually brought Vr, CARL H. ELSHOFF into the picture as a possible purchaser. In the carly stages of these negotiations they were carried on more or less secretly with. ir. MORGAN. However, due to. Mr. HORGAN's j11 health he was not tble to continue actively in the business, and these parties wore cventu- ally forced to come to me. ° "T had several telephonic conversations with ELSHOFF concerning the possible purchase of the Fanther Creek Vines, and eventually I told him that if he werc actually intcrested that we should sit down and go into the dctails in a serious and business like manner. Consequently, a conference was arranged on Junc 11, 1942, which was attendod by myself, my attorneys, wr. CLAYTON J. BARE=R and L. G. PLFFLRLE, and CARL H. ELSHOFF. 2 434 6