The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-05
A PRETTY TOUGH STORY
Of Military Rule in the Ceir
d'Alene Country.
TOLD BY w. ]. WALKER
The Labor Leader Says 1t Is a Disgrace
to American Governm ent-A War
on Women-Cannot Con-
vlct Anyone.

W. j. Walker, editor of the Freeman's
Labor Journal. published at Spokane,
and an organizer for the Western La
| Dor union, who is in the city for few
| days on business, tells pretty tough
story concerning General Merriam's
| and Governor Steunenberg's military
| rule in the Occur d'Alene country. Mr..
| Walker, being one of the principal
| leaders in labor matters in the North
west is kept posted on the progress of
affairs in the Occur d'Alenes, and he
says he knows whereof he speaks in the
| assertions he makes:
1.-THE manner in which things are
| done in the Occur d'Alenes under the
pretended authority of martial law is
scandalous; it is worse, 1t Is a disgrace
to the American government" said Mi.
Walker in an interview yesterday. II
will tell you a few things that have
been done under the orders of General
Merriam, which l am assured on the
highest authority are absolutely true. !
am informed that the inquest held on
the pretended remains of James Smith,
the union miner who was said to have
been killed, was held on coffin full of
rocks. The military could not get pos
session of the body, and knowing no
one would dare raise a question as to
what was in the box, they filled a cof-
fin with rocks and proceeded to hold an
inquest on assumption that the pro-
ceedings would stand anyway.
During the inquest they went to the
wife of one of the miners in the bull
pen and made her induce her husband
to give evidence. The woman was in
delicate condition. They knew she
needed the attention of her husband,
and told her the only way she could Sc.
cure his release was for him to give evil
dence for the government. They told
her they intended to hang at least so
men under any circumstances, and the
only way she could save her husband
was by making him tell what he knew
The woman, thoroughly frightened
went to her husband, but he was inno-
cent of having done any wrong and
was not afraid of their threats. He re-
fused to have anything to say and tried
to allay her fears, but did not succeed,
and the strain was too much for the
sick woman. She went home, was ttken
critically i'll and the chances, 1 am in
formed, are, greatly against her recov-
cry This placed that man in just this
situation: He was required to swear to
lot of lies to save his wife's life.
In another case disinterested citi-
zen was arrested as witness. He had
seen the men who took part in the
demonstration in which the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan mills We're destroyed,
and as he occupied a neutral position
he told the officers when arras I'D that
he knew eight or ten of the mel vel
enough to identify them, which he
would do. Accordingly, a squad of 80
oy,n1a Jn., 10
to recognize any of them md another
so was brought out. He knew nol.e OF
these, and 80 more were marcled ext.
Again he was unable to pick out a man
he remembered and told the otii ,acs to
keep marching them out and If there
were any he remetnberd he would lden-
tify them, but because he had not been
able to recognize any of those he had seen
they came to conclusion ne did rot
want to identify anyone, and threw
him into the bull-pen, where he still re-
mains. With him it was case of iden-
tify someone whether you know Tim or
not, or go to Jail.
''One day a fire started in the bull
pen. One of the men smoking had
dropped a spark into the straw given
the men to sleep on and it caught fire.
The men had quite a time putting it
out. Because of the danger there was
of a recurrence of such a fire, the men
asked the officer in charge to report to
General Merriam and ask to have better
water facilities put in. In response
Merriam issued an order directing the
soldiers, if a fire occurred, to shoot down
every man who tried to get out. Now,
just consider the result if bad fire
should occur. The prisoners would have
to remain and be burned up or be shot
to death trying to save their lives, for
the soldiers would obey orders. Can you
limo Io, Ia
issued by civilized government?
Il could tell you enough of just such
instances of inhumanity and abuse Of
authority to fill your paper full and still
have more to tell, for they have been
practiced every day since the trouble
commenced. Whatever may be the mer-
its of the case, I think every one will
agree with me that nothing can war
rant so unnecessarily stretching the
authority vested in military officers
under martial law
Mr.. Walker made statement which,
If based on correct information, puts
the blowing up of the Bunker Hill &
Sullivan mill in an entirely different
light than it has hitherto appeared, as
he states that the Miners union had
nothing to do with blowing up the MILL
that such thing was not contemplated
when the movement on Wardner start
ed, or if it was very few knew Of 1t,
and that he was positive no more than
20 or % men had anything to do with
it. In speaking of this, Mr.. Walker
said:
II am sure that the Miners union
as a union, had nothing to do with the
destruction of the Bunker Hill & Sulli-
van mill When the miners started for
Wardner they had no thought of such
It thing and l do not believe it was con-
templated at all. If it was, it was
among a few hotheads who conceived
the idea on their own responsibility
But do not believe it was thought of
by anyone. 1t was the desire of the
union men to get union men employed
in the Bunker Hill & Sullivan mine,
and their purpose in going to Wardner
was to make a demons tratiQn for the |
benefit of the non-union men, When |
they got there some of the hotheads |
lost their judgment and, undoubtedly, |
finding the means at hand, conceived |
the idea of blowing up the mill and