The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-15
Vivid Recital by Dying Man
OF the Alleged Murderous
Attack.
Foreman Monaghan and Shift Boss
Ward Turn Up Safe and
Sound
Refugees In CBur d'Alene City
Add a Chapter to the Cory
Tale.
Who Did the Shooting Will Never BE
Known-Keccived Notice to Leave
the Country.

Who Did the Shooting Will Never BE
Known-Recoived Notice to Leave
the Country.
WALLACE, Ida., July A.-lspecial. III
the story told by John H. Abbott, to Judge
Angel and The INDEPENDENT correspondent
last night is true the peaceful fields of the
Catholic mission Of Coeur d'Alens were on
Tuesday evening the scene of a slaughter
as great and merciless as that of Mountain
Meadow. The recital of the cruel massa-
Gre sent cold chill through the little
audience and was rendered more impress
sive by the broken voice and labored efforts
Of the only witness willing to speak. He
had been shot through the left lung end
was believed to be dying. when the Judge
secured the ante norton statement. On
an opposite cot in . ward full of patients
at the hospital was his father with
tears streaming down his face
as tho story was told. The mans name il
Ed. Abbott. He came here from Denver
some time ago and Sunday evening was
joined by his sons. John aud Will. John
is likely to die before tomorrow and
William may be lying dead in the grew
some recesses of the Fourth of July canyon.
Both boys came to Wallace to work in the
Frisco mine. They had been told that
everything was all right, but arrived here
only in time to take their places behind the
breastworks of the fort. When the capitu-
lation was made they we're marched down
to the union headquarters and told to gel
out OF town. The next day they left on g
train for Mission, along with eighty other
non union men. In the same train were
Thcs. Monaghan, foreman of the Gem
mine. with his wife. a son and daughter. It
was dangerous situation for him. He was
particularly offensive to the union men, and
as one of them afterward said it is probable
that he never would have left the railway
station alive had it not been for his family.
Secretary Finch, Bookkeeper Kinney. of
the Gem company, and John Ward, a shift
under instructions. There were many NUT
terings but no outbreaks, when the ''scab''
train. as the boys called it. left Wallace
over the narrow gauge railway that runs
TWENTY-FIVE miles to Mission landing, where
the men were to meet the steamer that goes
to CBur d'Alene City. At Mission station
they learned that the steamer was bringing
troops from Fort Sherman and therefore
was delayed. Abbott tells what happened
after that. He said:
II was seated in the car with perhaps
twenty of the boys. The others we're out
side walking about on tho platform. Sud
denly some one called, look out, they are
after u.s. We jumped from the car and I
saw a band of men with Winchesters point
ed toward US. We scattered and ran and
did the best we could to get away, but they
we're too close to US. They they began
firing and the air was full of bullets. They
whizzed by my ears and I saw four or five
drop on either side. l heard one fellow
say. - them, kill them Another one
said, drive them into the canyon 1t was
then almost dark. One man on horse
started after me with six-shooter. He
der the fence aud into the grass. He rode on
and looked for me when he came back, but
could not see me, for the grass was thick
and it was quite dark. tried to walk back
to tho station but was very weak from the
wound and finally dropped down in the
grass. 1 laid there all night and until l
was found yesterday. | think some of the
men who picked me- up were miners.'
Abbott was somewhat better this morn
ing. but his physician does not think he can
live. He did not act like man who was
lying, and he fully appreciated his condi-
tion.
A telephone message that the mon were
being shot to death at Mission caused
intense excitement at Wallace. A special
train left for the Mission very soon after
ward with Coroner Sims. II was after 10
O'Clock when he arrived there, but only to
learn from armed mon that he would not
be permitted to search the canyon. He re-
turned at midnight, and no further efforts
were made to secure evidence until this
morning. and then five men and two news
pnper men went to Mission. 1t is a place
admirably adapted for either an open or
ambushed fight. while the Coeur d'Alene
river threads along the valley within easy
distance for the quick disappearance of
dead bodies. Beyond on the hill 10 the Lit
tie Mission church. founded by the fathers
in 1882. The fields i'll the reservation
about from this point OF view are now
plains Of ripe waving grass.
The hills from the Mission railway sta
ton on the east wind in Il semi -cirole until
they merge together in the Fourth OF July
This IL several milea from the
railway, and il used by tealnste,s as a
short route to CUur d'Alene City. More
than sixty non union men went up here
under orders. accompanied bv . shower of
bullets, and just how many got away alive
will never DO fully known. l visited the
Mission steamer landing on the river and
talked with men who heard the firing and
saw tho men run, but they were unwilling
witnesses indeed.
II this reign of terror continues much
longer the non-combstsnts wall be out Of