The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-30
THE MINERS, SIDE.
Account Given by Strikers in Town
Prosecutors Called to Task.

The committee of miners who came down
from Franklin after collins for the two men who
were killed in the riot were indignant at the ac-
count Of the shooting as published in the morn
ing papers. They claimed that the miners
never fired shot; that the negro guard who
was shot in the morning was not shot by any OF
the strikers and they knew nothing about how
be was shot. They asked: "If q miner had
shot him, why was he not arrested" They
said that in the evening the guards who were
returning to Franklin on the train began firing
from the cars when midway between Black
Diamond and Franklin, aud some women who
were on the train became frightened, and the
conductor made them desst: that when the
train WAS passing the Franklin bunkers they com
meneed firing again, aud miner named Lewis
and his wife, who were opposite the cars, threw
themselves down TO avoid being shot. The
guards and negroes inside the lines thinking or
pretending to think, that the strikers were max
ing an attack en- the train, began pouring Voiley
after voIley down on the houses occ,Ipied bv
the strikers on the flats. Kidding the roofs and
wounding number OF people, among others
two women, IS reported in the papers Yesterday
morning. They said that s. number OF women
and children took TO the woods aud slept out all
night In support of the statement that the
strikers did no shooting they say that
there is not q mark of bullet on any OF the
cars, on the bunsers or anywhere around where
the guards and negroes were; that nearly all the
done any shooting there would have been some
evidence of it-some one Of the guards or
negroes would have been hit or bullet marks
have been LETT very close TO where they stood, at
least
Regarding the killing OF the two strikers they
said that they were both unarmed and hap
pened 20 get IN between the two wings of the
colored forces. Fearing danger. they ran along
path leading 10 the county road above and lust
~ they were passing Parker Robiuson's house.
Robinson ared mortaliy wouuding the first one
Z. J. Williams: that the men both
screamed end begged him not to
shoot again, bu: he took deliberate
aim at the other, Tom Morris, and SHOT him
through the head, killing him instantly. VIII
Jams rsn some distance before he fell He was
taken home by some Of the strikers but Morris
was not touched, as they Thought IL best 10 lei
the body lie where il was until TIE coroner could
he notified They said positively that neither OF
the two men bad gus or reyolyers. and that
when Morris was found lying dead after being
shot, there was no gun near him, but that YES
serdsy morning. rifle was found lying along
side him, having been placed there by some one
20 be used in evidence
The miners ana local Knights OF labor ex.
pressed considerable bitterness last night at the
manner in which kObinson's preliminary hear
ing wss conducted and the fixing of The bail AZ
$500: and Prosecuting Attorney Miller ard
Justice Won TobSl were roundly scored for fay-
oring the Oregon Improvement Company, as the
miners claim
The committee OF the Western Central labor
Union IN charge Of the miners trouble held
meeting this afternoon and passed resolutions
demanding OF the prosecuting attorney that
steps To taken TO punish those who participated
IN the shooting. no matter on which side they
were. Accordingly the following letter was
addressed 70 Prosecuting Attorney Miller:
fas western Central Labor Union Miners
COMMITTEES demand that you proceed AZ once 70
prosecute any aud Al persons guilty OF violating