The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-05-12

agent for the Cooperative Milling and
Mining Company, reported organiza-
ton through which men could secure
employment by signing an agreement,
as follows:.
$.... VIRGINIA, New. ...lS7..
For value received. promise to pay to Co.
operative Milling and Mining Company, or
order, 500, in manner to-wit: One dollar per
day for each day said company shall furnish
employment for me. until said 500 is paid in
full.
The agent has been for some time past
Offering these agreements to men out OF
employ and has received several sigma
lures, and, in some instances, employ
ment for those signing.
knowledge of this business having
como to the Miners Union, they held
meeting and entered their protest against
the proceedings. as virtually reducing
the wages of those who thus obtained
employment to SO per day. A note was
therefore sent to Mr.. Bodwell by the
Union. requesting him to desist in his
efforts, but Offering no threats other
than what might be conveyed in the
single sentence, "a word to the wise is
sufficient"
About II o'clock yesterday morning
Mr.. Bodwell interviewed some idle men
in front OF r. Cochran's hardware-store
and tin-shop, on the east side of G street,
and solicited them to become members
by signing the above agreement. In an
illtimed endeavor to secure their names,
he read the note received from the
Miners Union and commented thereon.
This led to dispute as to some matters
which he alleged to be true in regard to
tho benefits OF becoming members of the
company.
Immediately crowd of men began to
gather. Some of these who had been in.
vestigating the affair, alleged that the
company had no legal existence here, as
no articles of incorporation had been
filed. This greatly increased the feeling
of those who had gathered round, and
who now saw not only an attempt to re.
duce the wages of miners but fraud in
the mans representations. One of the
crowd, whom he had endeavored to i'm
plioate in the transactions in which he
was engaged. gave him the lie direct,
aud then the fun began.
The crowd then began to press closer,
and open threats were made. One man.
who alleged that he had been swindled
by Bodwell, pushed his way through the
mass OF men, and, as he neared the place
where Bodwell was standing, was seen to
be armed with big knife. At this juno.
ture some one who was friendly to the
swindler gave him shove into the tin.
shop door, telling him to leave. As this
movement was made pass was also
made with the knife. which barely
missed Bodwell's retreating form.
In the rush that followed the door was
30 closely blockaded with swaying forms
that Bodwell obtained few seconds of
time, during which he put several turns
and two flights of stairs between him and
his pursuers, who failed to thread their
way readily down through the store
room under the tin.shop, and thence out
10 u street, on the lower floor of the
building on that side is small bedroom
TWO stories below the level of G street,
and into this Bodwell lied for safety. He
was imm ediately forced out as an in
truder. by this time some OF the crowd
nao run round the plock, and there was
quite gathering near the Gould and
curry works on ID street. Bodwell had
scarcely been elected before those who
nad followed through the building forced
the door open to make sure that the
fugltive was not there concealed. They
finally found his tracks as he had crept
partiaiiy under the building and thence
out and on.
Then commenced lively race. Crowds
ran down washington street to head
Bodwell on. During the foregoing move.
ments ne had, however, managed to gain
about l0O yards the start and was soon
seen fleeing for his lie down the noun
tain. de ran like deer, while the boot.
ing crowd pursued. Cries of "Shoot
him, String him up" etc., were
heard, and each cry seemed to redouble
the fu2itive's speed. He jumped down
into the cut OF the railroad track and for
a few seconds was out OF sight. When
the crowd reached that point 1t was i'm
possible to tell which Way he had uona