The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-13
.CGUR D'ALENE STRIKE,
Five Suits Against the Helena
and Frisco Mining Com
pany Filed.
HEAVY DAMAGES ARE ASKED.
The Strikers Fired on the Men Who
Took Their Places and Blew
Up the Mill.

sequel of the dramatic strike in 1893 at
the C9ur d'Alene mines, in Idaho, is now
being unfolded in the Federal courts 1t
will be recalled that the outbreak was only
suppressed after serious interference on
the part of the military arm of the Govern
ment.
When the striking miners went out they
warned all and sundry not to take their
places. Any "scab' who did so took the
risk on his own shoulders. The miners
were armed to the teeth, and, forming a
camp. prepared to fight to the last.
In spite of the warnings sent out broad
cast the various companies succeeded in
getting men, and among the successful
corporations was the Helena and Frisco
Mining Company, known as the Frisco
mine, and doing business in Shoshone
County, Idaho. ftcontracted with "scabs,"
as the strikers called them, to pay them
50 so day, and put them in one of the
mills to guard it.
The strikers raided the mill and for sew
eral hours kept up fusillade upon it. The
adjoining mill was blown up by dynamite,
and number of the men who took the
places of the strikers were permanently in
jured. Since then two of them have died :,
but their administrators have joined with
three Of the survivors, and yesterday suits
aggregating 1925, 500 were begun in the
United States District Court against the
Helena and Frisco Mining Company.
The outrages complained of occurred be-
tween the 1st and 18th of July, 1898, and
Eugene N. Deuprey, the attorney for the
injured men, let the matter go over until
the last day in order to give the mining
company time to settle. Had the suits not
laH who how ha CT f1tn of
limitation would have interviewed and the
claims would have been thrown out of
court. In all the suits Miss L. H. Condor,
clerk in Mr.. Deuprey's office, had to
stand sponsor for the plaintiffs, and in one
she sues as administrative of the deceased
miner.
The first plaintiff is Samuel c. Coils,
and he asks for $1,000 for medical attend
ance and back pay and SIS, 900 damages. In
his complaint he sets forth that he was
employed by the Helena and Frisco Mining
Company on July l, 1898. He worked nine
days as miner, and on the 10th was or
dered into the mill with number of 9TH
ers. They demurred, but the managers of
the mine assured them it was all right and
that they would be protected. They re-
manned in the mill all day and were then
ordered to stay all night. The strikers in
vested the place and riddled the walls with
bullets. They also blew up the adjoining
mill, and Coils and his companions were
all injured. The conclusion knocked the
plaintiff down and injured his hearing and
Jared his spine to such an extent that he
has been an invalid ever since.
Miss l.. H. Condor, administrative of the
estate of NJ. 1. Halcrow, also sues for
5000. He also had his spine, hearing and
sight injured, and died some time after
ward, supposedly from the effects of the
explosion.
f. K. Adams only asks for S21, 800. He
is deaf and partly blind, from the effects of
blow on the head. In his complaint he
sets forth that after the explosion the
strikers broke into the mill and drove them
out at the point of the bayonet. He was
struck over the head with the butt end of a
gun and received his injuries in that way.
Frank West and Sophie Johnson, as adj
ministratrix of the estate of Johnson,
deceased. both ask for $4,000 back pay,
expenses and damages. West is partly
deaf. his spine is injured and he is Slightly
paralyzed. Johnson's injuries kept him
confined to the house up to the day of his
death.
The company is preparing to contest the
claims, and the chances are that the cases
will be before the courts for the next year.