The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-08-07
Trouble at White Pine.

Trouble at White Pine.
Yesterday morning. at. about 3 o'clock, n
force Of armed men. to the number Of 20 or
25, made another raid on the four-dollar men
engaged in some of the principal mines on
Treasure Hill. All of the raiders were armed
with revolvers, and many Of them wore masks
Their coming was unheralded and their con-
duct the most reckless and outrageous ever
perpetrated in a civilized community. Shafts
were visited in which unoffending miners were
Mt work, and shots and stones without num-
Der poured down among the workmen. In
some instances the men were induced to come
to the surface, and were then assaulted with
siI-shooters and stones, in the most violent
and brutal manner. Many, il is believed, owe
their escape from almost instant death to the
darkness of the night. As it was, several were
badly beaten and bruised. and enc man, a Cor
nishman named Joseph Gerrans had his right
thigh broken while fleeing from the mob, by
running into an open cut, some IL or Is feet
deep. Several shots were fired at Gerrans as
he made over the precipice, and he only sue
ceeded in evading further pursuit of the fends
by crawling with his broken leg some 20 feet
into a drift at the bottom of the cut. Mean
time bullets and stones fell thick as hail among
the terrified miners who still remained in the
shafts and chambers where an hour before
they were peaceably prosecuting their labor.
The scene Just described occurred at the Ne
vada and Summit mines, though in all direc-
tons among the mines of Chloride Flat, ex-
tending as for north as the Original Hidden
Treasure, similar outrages were attempted, but
not attended with such serious results. When
watchmen, miners and all, had either fed over
the hills or taken refuge in the friendly cham
bers and drifts of the mines the ku-kluNers
disappeared. Soon after the miners came out
Of their hiding places, when 1t was ascertained
that all had escaped, marvelously in some in
stances, uninjured save Germans. He was i'm
medistely conveyed on litter TO town, and DIR.
Weber being called upon rendered the neces-
sary surgical Assistance. BY this time the en-
tire community had been appraised of what had
occurred, and the most intense excitement pre-
vailed among all classes. Although there was
few threats of lynching or violence of any kind
the determination was cleatly depicted in every
countenance that such outrages could no longer
be perpetrated with IMMUNITY. Marshal Cole
man and his aids were most efficient in the
discharge of their duties, and soon had sus-
pected parties and some of the officers of the
Miners Union, including the President, safe
ly lodged in the station house. Sheriff Irwin
and his deputies were also quickly on the
ground, and during the day large number of
arrests were made, but some who were able to
give a clear account of themselves were subse-
quently released. In the afternoon the fol-
lowing named persons were brought down and
placed in the county Jail to await an examina-
ton on the charge of riot, which will be pre-
fered by the District Attorney: Peter Leonard
J,
(Treasurer), John Brady, VIM. O'Keere, Dan
iel Durphy and John Delanley. The records,
including the roll of membership. of the
Miners Union were also captured and are now
in the possession of the officers. All good ci-
items will rejoice to know that the law, so long
set at defiance by these riotous assemblages,
il to take its course and be enforced with the
utmost rigor Several parties that have hither-
TO played prominent part in the demonstra-
tons of the Miners Union, left yesterday by
stage for Elko. Owing to the excitement pre-
vailing, caused in the main by the prospect of
hanging show, fewer men were Mt work in
themines yesterday than the day before, and
none commenced operations for some little
time after the usual hour. II only remains to
BIO said that the Miners Union, as q body,
does not in any sense indorse the proceedings
Of yesterday morning, and il is extremely
doubtful if single individual in the whole
district does, outside of those who participated
in the outrsge.-Inland Empire, 5ti.
We regret and deplore the action Of the
miners on Treasure Hill, whether acting by
two's and three's, or as q body, but we have
not forgotten that there are two sides to this
story. We believe that the mue-owners were
frstin the wrong in reducing wages, but this was
no excuse for any violation of the laws, and
we do not believe there would have been any
trouble had the mine-owners met the miners
in any spirit of kindness or Cancellation. The
miners agreed with some of the most promi-
nent mine-owners and superintendent that
there should be committee appointed by each
side, to meet and adjust their differences, and
with what result? The miners went 10 the
place designated, stayed there whole evening,
but NOT a mine-owner or superintendent sp-
peared. Did those bosses think that because
mems hands were hardened with toll that
they were incapable of feeling an insult? Did
they think they were dealing with dogs. who
would turn and lap the hand that had jus,
dropped a. whip? If the miners are doing
Wrong, they had tho example set them. Let
the mine-owners now do as they should have
done before, treat miners like reasonable men
and not insult them ut every turn.
KILLED NJ IsDIAss.-We are informed that
aparty Of men coming from Surprise Valley,
stopped at Deaf Hole Station, on the Honey
Lake road, and seeing nothing of the men who