The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-19
ruGIr1vEs FROM THE CAMP.
Stories Told by Two OF the Colored
Miners who Ran Away.

rUGIrIvEs FROM THE CAMP.
Stories Told by Two Of the Coiored
Miners Who Ran Away.
Desertion by the colored miners has COM
menced. So far as known only six have
left the camp, but how they reached Seat
tie they seem reluctant to tell. Two of
them were found by PosT-IyTELLIGEScER
reporter yesterday, and they gave the
reasons for their desertion.
One of them, named Daniel Webster,
said he was one of about $50 colored men
hired in st. Louis at an employment
agency, 612 Walnut street. Corey was
present and superintendent the hiring. Not
more than forty or fifty were miners, and
these only fiat miners, but most were
roustabouts. He was cook.
1.-THE reason I left the camp" he said,
twas that matters had been misrepresent-
ed to us. We were told there was no
strike, but that we were going to new
mine. We were also told that after time
we could take up land claims. In Iowa
and at Kansas City more joined us. An
other party from Chicago joined Us at
Minneapolis, making about 900 in all. Of
these there were about twelve or fifteen
women and ten or twelve children.
1--WE were well treated, and had no sus-
picion of anything wrong until we reached
Helena, and there party of Pinkerton
detectives, under Sullivan, all heavily
armed, boarded the train. We had been
happy as larks up to that time, but then
we began to sniff trouble, and some of the
men dropped off whenever they got
chance. By the time we reached Frank
lin We were about It's short.
1--WE were told we would have to repay
$50 for our fare out of our wages and 81 for
revolver. Many of US were quite desti-
tute; some had no money at all. Although
many are dissatisfied, suppose they will
have to stay till they can get some money.
Some of us went to the meeting of miners
at Franklin on Sunday afternoon and got
help from the union men. l was one of
them. We made our way to Black Dia-
mond, where we got further assistance and
made our way to Seattle. We got scat
tered. Some went back to Franklin, per-
haps. don't know what am going to
do now
The other man seen was very interest
ing type of the intelligent colored man.
Bright and sharp. ne is philosopher and
altogether a picturesque character. He
did not, however, give as connected an ac-
count of the matter as his .'chum." He
refused to give his name but said he was
born in Hillsboro, o. For fifteen years he
has worked in mines of Central and South
America. particularly in Spanish Hon.
duras. He is thoroughly practical miner.
He says:
"I can run an engine and ride broncho,"
he said. "They can't fool me; I've lived
among people all my life. How many are
coming out of the camp / don't know.
Ten said they would, but I haven't seen
them. did not come here to fight but to
work. Rich corporations can pay wages,
but they haven't much use for dead
niggers. They told me would have good
pay and plenty of hunting and fishing. l
guess our fun would be like the fun a
hunted deer has when he goes to the water
to drink. When ] go hunting / don't
want to have to run when hear a shot.
"I'm not going to take the bread out of
the mouths of women and children, white
or black These miners have their homes
at Franklin. live in house that has no
walls. don't know much about who is
right. Perhaps they are both right, but
they've all got guns and deaa nigger gets
awfully cold.
"The company says twill be my tsiend;
the miners say they want to be my friend.
You know what that means. Who's any
body's friend? While I'm in the mines
working might be all right, but when I
want TO get out don't like to expect
bulldog standing at the door.
''How did l get away? Well, the
Pinkerton men set up dead line. SulIi-
van said l NUT not go past it. told him
/ guessed it was a free country. He said,
We'll. you go out past that line and you
don't get back I said, Ditto, Pinkerton.
I'm going to be outside of any dead line,
every time
81 didn't expect any trouble. II was all
right till we got to Helena. We went
whooping till the armed detectives got on
the train. We were special till we got to
Spokane, but after that we were often
side tracked. Some of the colored men
were told off to assure US it was all right,
but when saw armed men sitting on the
steps of every car, wanted to ask cues
tons. They told Us we were pursued by
Indians. Well, I've lived among Indians.
and | was up in Leadville the time Pinker-
tons men were there, and I'm no tender
foot
II know there's going to be trouble.
These white miners are going to use argu-
ment with the colored men. Well, like
an argument, but not shotgun arguments.
l belong to the 'possum society. When
I'm up tree lie still. I'm not going
past that dead line-not from this side.
suppose there are two sides to this thing.
Which side are you on? If l dig two
bitches in a field, one running south and
one running north, which will the water
run faster in2 1t all depends upon which
end you turn the water in. I've seen a
man who was on the right side of an argu-
ment get on the wrong side of a grave
I'm an Ohio man by birth, and what
didn't know when was born I've learned
since. I'm awfully sorry the company is
ont $50 by me, but they won't have to paw
my funeral expenses"