The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1896-09-23
DYNAMITE AND BULLETS.
Strikers at Leadville, Col, Use
These Weapons.
Miners are Attacked at Night by . Mob
and Five Men are Killed. All but Ono
Of the Victims Being of the
Attacking Party.

LEADvILLE, Col. Sept. 92.-Five men
lost their lives in attacks upon the Co
ronado and Emmett mines at o'clock
Monday morning, four being of the at
tacking party and the fifth city fire.
man who was shot down while in the
discharge Of his duty. The dead:
Jerry o'Keefe. foreman Hose Co No 2, shot
through the body.
Bert Meier, aged 50, face rlddlcd with buck
shot.
James Benson, aged 20, shot in abdomen
John Mahoney, shot in the abdomen.
William Higgins, shot in the abdomen.
1t is believed q number, variously es-
timated Mt from six to so. were wounded
during the attack upon the barricaded
miners, but they were quickly taken
away and secreted, even the physicians
attending them being careful to make
no report OF their patients OF the be-
sieged men no one was injured, except
one slightly wounded in the foot as he
escaped from the Coronado mine.
That there was to have been trouble
Sunday night was clearly understood
by the mine operators and many Of the
miners. The report was that the EN-
nett mine, being located farther out
of the town limits than the Coronado,
was to be assaulted and the men there
were warned to be watchful. At the
Coronado two officers were on duty and
they were warned to be vigilant, while
within all preparations were made for
warm reception of the strikers.
Until midnight no evidences Of
trouble were apparent The streets
were deserted and all was quiet But
midnight was evidently the time set
by the assailants to make an attempt
to stop the Coronado mine from work
ing. The residents near by were
warned to get out of harms way.
The first indication of danger to the
20 men within was the dropping of a
dark object within the enclosure near
the oil tank. There was moment of
fire and then terrific detonation. 1t
was a stick Of giant powder. Another
stick followed the first and then
third and with these fusilade of small
arms. Volley after volley was poured
in from both sides. The high outer
fence and the inner barricade were de.
signed wisely, for no one within was
injured. The giant powder soon ig-
| nited the woodwork, broke the pipe
which conveyed the crude fuel oil from
the reservoirs to the battery of boilers
and, the oil igniting, great sheets Of
fame illuminated the scene. There,
amidst rain of bullets and giant
| powder, with the immediate danger Of
the oil tank and steam boilers explod-
ing, the 90 men fought as only men
under such conditions could fight.
The shooting continued until LAS
o'clock, when the flames Of the engine
house spread so rapidly that all of the
defending party had to take refuge in
a tunnel under the cribbing, where
they made last stand for defense.
They were caught like rats in trap.
1t was certain death to remain, for fre
would consume them even if they were
not murdered by the enemy There
was only one alternative and they took
it. Some leaped the fence, others took
the trestle across the street, running
the gauntlet Of CALLING fire to the
dump, where they made their escape.
The explosion of giant powder and
the rattle of small arms aroused the
whole city and the glare of the flames
brought the fire department to the
scene. One line of hose was laid and
Jerry 0'Keefe, foreman of Hose Com.
pany No. 2, slipped the nozzle, when a
bullet fred from behind sent O'Keefe
to the earth, bleeding from mortal
wound. Armed men were hidden in
various places about the Coronado shaft
and prevented the fremen from work.
ing,
AT this moment an armed force ap.
peared on the scene. Citizens of the
town, each armed with Winchester
came to protect life and property.
Then commenced the battle with the
flames. There were plenty of hands
tomove the hose now, and the depart
ment could work without hindrance.
The attacking party disappeared But
while the Coronado was the scene oi
excitement the 80 men at the Emmett
mine were in danger. About 2:3(
o'clock the sound OF musketry was
heard in the direction of the Emmett
mine and soon the thunder of dis
charged giant powder followed. The
fight made by the defenders was SC
terrific that the assailants were glad
to retire. The only damage done at
the Emmett was the destruction of a
fence enclosing the property. That
several we're wounded is certain.
The Coronado shaft is the only evi
dence OF the terrific struggle made
/ just before dawn. The boilers, steam
engines, fans and powerful hoists are
mass of tangled ruins; pipes and
twisted IRON lying over the massive
machinery in tangled confusion. The
Coronado property is surrounded by
small residences. Three of these were
| destroyed
The band Of dynamiters had not
overlooked the Maid OF Erin. During
the fight Of the early morning some
one set the shaft house afire. Sam
Cummings discovered 1t and extin-
guished ths flames before serious dam.
! age was dome
| The state militia, which has for the
fourth tiine intwo years been called
out 70 stop rioting In mining camps, is
arriving and will merely do patrol
duty, for there Is now no evidence of
rioting in the entire camp
SIX IInndred Were KIIled.