The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-20

ened with arrest should he dare enter
protest. and over 100 witnesses for the
defence have been driven out and warn
ed not TO return.
PAYING ALL EXPENSES.
The Standard Oil Trust is paying all
expenses Of prosecution to ensure con-
viction. A rigid press censorship has
been established and no mans life is
worth word Of sympathy. Men have
been murdered and women outraged by
the colored troops and no heed has been
given these things by the military
rulers. The Governor Of the State is
charged with being in the employ OF
the Standard Oil Trust and the accusa-
tions are backed up by his own defy in
which he states that 1.-The large mine
owners will run the State in the future,
and that he the Governor will keep
the county under martial law during
the balance Of his term. "
All this and more. il is claimed, has
been proven, and President Mckinley
has promised to begin an investigation
at once.
The troubles leading mp to the pres
ent reign Of teri IT began on April "a
last, when a small band Of union
miners struck for higher wages at
Wardner, Idaho. Several days later
large conoentrator, the property Of the
Standard OIL Trust, was destroyed by
an explosion, and Gov. Steunenberg de.
clared martial law in the county, Cen
eral Merriam was despatched to Ward
ner in command of 800 colored troops.
the Twenty fourth United States lnfan-
try. Shortly before the arrival OF the
troops there had been some rioting be-
tween union and non-union miners,
during which two men were killed one
a union miner and the other non
union man.
to go to wnrdner to quell disturbances
and to keep order, but according to the
affidavits these were the least OF the
duties he imposed upon himself. 1t is
sworn that Immediately upon his ar
rival he began wholesale carnival OF
arrests, which continued for several
weeks. Every man who was known to
have been connected in any way with
a labor union was arrested without any
charge being made, and as the county
iail was considered too soft a place, the
prisoners were placed in large barn,
known as the dull pen, " and were
strongly guarded.
THROWN INTO THE BULL PEN"
In a short time over 700 men were
packed into this pen, and were forced
to sleep on filthy floor, and were
given no attention. Nearly all OF these
men were charged with no crime, and
were arrested by order Of Governor
Steunenberg because they had at some
time belonged to labor unions. The
sheriff Of the county and two members
of the board Of county commissioners
were arrested among others, because, as
the Governor said, they were sym
pathizers " The county attorney at
tempted to secure the release OF the
sheriff and was threatened with arrest
IL he dared offer protest. The prison
ers were cut of from all communica-
ton with the outside world. and were
allowed to see nobody. Their wives
and children were allowed to starve
and were subjected to the most revolt
ing outrages by the colored troops and
the lawless hangers-on, who had sworn
that they believed labor unions to be
criminal organizations.
The conditions inside the pen are
sickening, according to the statements
Of those who have been imprisoned
there. Scurvy and slime were every
where, and several cases Of insanity
were developed among the prisoners
Every able. bodied man in the town Of
Wardner had some experience in this
place, and every miner who refused to
sign an application for a permit to
work was arrested as 'sympathizer. "
CONFINED FOR TWO MONTHS.
Hundreds of these men have been in
the pen for over two months and are
hardly fit to move. The affidavits de.
clare that the homes of the prisoners
were entered By the troops and ran
sacked for evidence. " There was no
privacy, and anything of value was
stolen or destroyed Complaints were
made to the Governor, who at once ar
rested the compliments and declared
that "the county was too good for the
and that The would
see them in hell before this business was
over. "
Persons troubled with diarrhoea will
be interested in the experience OF Mr..