The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-07

of the Recent Troubles in That
State.
"Tm now on my way back to Swe-
den," announced B. Benson, an Idaho
miner, yesterday, as he chatted with
several Minneapolis friends. II like
the country and all that, but my expert
ence in Idaho has not been such as to
fill me with JOY"
Mr.. Benson, stalwart, broad-shoul-
dered son of the Norseland, was one of
the men arrested by the soldiers at
Wardner during the mining troubles in
Idaho last spring, and with several
hundred others he spent 10 weeks in
jail, no charge of any kind being made
against him all this time.
Il do not believe many persons out
side Of Colorado understand the situa-
tlon among the miners there" said Mr..
Benson. "The trouble which preceded
the arrests Of nearly 800 men, some Of
them miners, some of them storekeep-
ers and clerks, and some of them men
who were working out their road tax.
was precipitated by the mine owners.
who desired to break our union so they
could pay smaller wages.
IMPRISONED IN A BARN.
''The soldiers came at night and
marched from mine to mine, arresting
the men as they came from the mines.
Many other persons were also arrested.
and the entire party was hustled into
an old barn at Wardner, where the men
were kept for "a hours without food or
water.
Finally, this barn hecame 50 crowd
ed that the soldiers were forced to pro-
vide new quarters. Empty box cars
were run onto sidetrack, and into
these cars the prisoners were loaded.
Three weeks were spent in the barn and
In the box cars, and while two meals
per day were provided, the food was of
such poor quality that but few of the
prisoners could eat it.
In all, about 900 men were arrested,
and Of this number it is safe to saw
$50 were wholly innocent of any wrong
doing. Hundreds of them did not even
know what they were arrested for.
During their Imprisonment they were
guarded by negro soldiers, who used
every means within their power to an
noy the men, in the hopes of bringing
On a conflict.
TEMPORARY JAIL ERECTED.
AT the end of the first month a tenn
porary jail was erected. 1t was onlv a |
trif1e better than the old barn into
which the prisoners had been first
'nrown, and as result of ill-treatment
poor food and insufficient clothing. % |
men died. More than 100 we're sick
All OF the letters of the prisoners
were penned by the soldiers in charge
u the prison pen, and anything written
n relation to the trouble at the mines
vas enough to cause the destruction of
ne entire letter. 1 managed to get one
'r two letters to friends in the outside
world. but could not manage to receive
my missives from my friends that had
lot been opened and read.
After the 800 men had been in nrison
hree weeks, the soldiers began to let a
ew go every day. 1 was a prisoner for
% weeks. and then only secured NV
elease by reason of knowing nothing
I the original trouble. There are now
bout 18O men left in the Jail.
"A large number Of Missourians were
imported to take the places OF the men
q prison. They did not know unt,,
hey reached the mines that there was
rouble there, and when they tried tn
cave they were prevented the railroad
ompany refused to sell them tickets.
The whole trouble was caused bv tho
ndeavors Of certain mine owners tn
reak the union and cut down wages
ne move was inaugurated by one Of
ne strongest and richest concerns in
he country. with the understanding
nat II 1t were successful the owners Of
ne smaller mines would follow su,t ;.