The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-07
What He Heard and Saw Among
Idaho Union Miners.
MURDER PLANNED AND DONE.
Hugh O'Donnell in Boston on a Secret
Mission for the Strikers.
The House Subcommittee Find Much
to Criticise in Frick's Course-Unions
Denouuce the Pinkertons-Union Pa
cific Telegraphers Victorious.

BOISE, Idaho. Aug. 6-The most impor-
tant witness today in the contempt case
was Charles A. Strings, Pinkerton detec-
tive. who. under the name of Allison, be-
came member of the Gem Miners Union
in September last. After short time he
was elected recording secretary of the or
ganization. and he WAS enabled to watch
its inner workings. He was present at
one meeting several months ago when
Sweeney. union miner from Burke.
asked the Gem men if they would CO.
operate with them in an effort TO
work the pumps in the Tiger and
Poorman mines at Burke in or
der to food the latter properties.
This was agreed to, but the plan was
abandoned. The recording secretary was
afterward commanded to mutilate his
records so that the minutes of this meet
ing would not appear. Previous to July 8
Dan Harrington and other agitators told
him that bloody trouble would soon come.
On the night of July 8, at Gem, he heard
Paddy Burke, Robinson Demoville, John
Olsen and other union men plotting to do
away with certain non-union guards.
Some of the men said that after the guards
had been finished they should be thrown
into Canyon creek. 1t was understood
that Guards Parker and Putnam were to
be assailed as soon as the lights in the
dance house were extinguished. When
the lights were put out Parker was beaten
nearly to death. The next day Putnam
was terribly beaten. On July 10, William
Black and other union men told him there
would be trouble that night. During the
day he saw G. w. Dallas, the Butte agent,
carrying a rifle through the streets of Gem.
He also saw Thomas Whalen and Charles
Trimble with rifles. One of them fired a
shot and said: II aimed at the nose of
the - of -, and I'll bet didn't miss
it two inches.
He saw the first shot fired near Frisco
on the morning of July II. They were
fired by men on the hillsides, from behind
rocks and trees. The Pinkerton man saw
non-union guard named Bean coming
toward Gem from the Gem mill. A
voice cried out "Go back" and
then a rifle shot was heard and Bean
dropped dead. The detective. who had
for some time been suspected, heard
threats against himself and he cut a hole
through the floor of Mrs. o. ]. Shipley's
room and crawled under the house. While
there he heard remarks about traitor" :"
presumably himself, and heard union men
threaten to burn him at the stake. After
the gem mill had been surrendered the
Pinkerton men took to the hills to evade
the vengeance of the union men. He
testified that Judge Beatty's injunction
was treated very lightly by the union.
The hearing will be resumed Monday.
WARDNER. Idaho, Aug. 6.-Colonel Car
lin left here today to inspect the troops at
Wallace. Gem and Burke. The war de-
partment has authorized the use of regu-
lar troops to guard prisoners in transit
from Wardner and Wallace to any
point they may be ordered
for trial. Supplies arc being
shipped to this point by the military au-
thorities sufficient to subsist the present
command until September l5, by which
time it is expected the prisoners will have
been disposed of. Martial law will be con-
tinued until the main body of troops is
withdrawn. Guard is still maintained on
the powder magazine of the Bunker Hill
mine, the troops refusing to work unless
troops are kept on guard there.
BOISE, Idaho, Aug. Ga number of i'm
portant witnesses were examined in the
contempt proceedings against the Cnur
d Alene rioters yesterday, and some re-
markable personal narratives were given.
Frank Esler testified that he was at the
Helena and Frisco mine on July H. At
$50 in the morning he heard a shot fred,
followed by others. He told the
men not 10 reply, and it was eight or ten
minutes before any shots were fired from
their side. After the shooting had been
going on Tor some time he started for the
nd bod tt,at fk "A l.
the mill was blown up. He especially
identified Daniel Harrington as one who
was prominent in the attack. The latter
fired many shots after the surrender
Harvey Harris testified TO being at
the Frisco mill when the shooting
occurred. The firing was begun by union
men. After the surrender he saw Peter
Breen acting as master of ceremonies in
the negotiations that followed. Breen is
the Butte Miners Union man who is now
in Jail at Wallace.
Mrs. 0. J. Shipley, of Gem, testified that
union men had been about her house for
some time, and the fight was begun by
them.
Van b. De Lashmutt. of Portland, testi-
fed TO the negotiations he had had with
Breen. Poynton and Others. The men de-
manded that the non-union men should
be sent away. This was iiatlv refused.
The same men demanded that when Col
onel Carlin was approaching the troops
should be stopped. and threatened to blow
up other mills and attack the men if the
soldiers came in.
Percy A. Summers, one of the non-union
men, testified to having been driven out of
Gem. He was one Of those attacked at the
Mission. He gave graphic description Of
hls escape by swimming the river.