The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-03-15


House Committee on Military Adairs
Is now investigating:
Tho trouble nj The Occur o. Alene
mines was caused by the refusal Of the
company TO have anything to do With
organized labor and the discharge OF
men aa fast M !; was discovered that
they had joined the miners onion.
Finally. on April 30, 1899, a 10, of
masked miners from other sections went
10 Wardner aud blew up the Bunker
Illli mine works. They at once dis
persed. II Is true valuable property
was destroyed, bu, there was NO iloI-
ing, no rebellion and no Invasion.
Within three days martial Law was de-
clarcd and all the rights snd privileges
Of \ free people were Withdrawn and
the strong rule Of the military snbs'I'
lu,cd.
Tue very next day after the explo-
sion kilograms FROM capitalists Of the
Pacific coast, Of Chicago and New
York, and other large eilies, began 60
reach the President, urging him to at
once seud troops to Wardner. The
Governor Of Idaho joined Ia the re-
quest. These requests were needed
and the President promptly pat himself
In the hands OF the men whom he visits
when he gucs to New York and who
contribute SO literally 10 bis campaign
funds.
The appeals OF the miners aud other
men unfortunate enough to have been
living Ia Wardner were unheeded. For
months they were confined ia the now
notorious bnll pen, subjected TO inhn-
man treatment aud cruelty. and COM
PEELED to await the pleasure OF the OIL
cials who owned the mines before the
mock justice Of The coroner was deaH
Out TO them.
Editor Stewart of the Mullan Mirror
had the temcri,y To efiIieise the whole
sale arrests aud the eTuclty Of The troops.
he was sent to join the rest, aud re-
manned there for weeks Ills wife, a
plucky woman, got oul the paper three
weeks. aud exercising that freedom
which the Constitution guarantees to
speech aud the press, continued the
criticisms her husband had commenced.
4 captain Of the Federal troops visited
her Office aud threatened her with ar
rest
You would not dare put me In that
bull pen. I've done nothing for which
can be arrested, " said Mrs. Stewart.
mo, wont put you in the bull
pen. but will baild another pen far
you" said the officer, describing the
proposed pen with vulgar adjective
Mrs. Stewart was not Arrested, but
her printing press was seized AMI the
private property Of her husband conhs-
Gated.
Four hundred men, when first ar
rested. were put IN u twu-stors frame
building with the thermometer at the
freezing point.
| Two hundred were put upstairs and
200 down stairs. They were packed
like cattle. For days they remained
eooped up in n prison that daily grew
iouler aud fnulcr, those below more
unfortunate than those on The second
door, for the prison 9th descended
from above, spreading disease and in
| sanity.
Many days elapsed before the com
moncst facilities were provided, while
the negro troops, with Instructions to
shoot anyone fleeing from this vile spot,
kept guaod without,
The situation in the bull pen horror,
as described to the House Committee:
In and around Wardner, Idaho, 49,
000 miners are suffering FROM the bull
pen iniquities imposed by General Mer.
Ram, on the orders Of the President Of
the United States indorsirg the declar-
alton of martial law.
Old soldiers, citizens Of means, per.
sons who could not have had anything
To do with The explosion, were thrown
Into the bull pm aud kept for months,
without legal advice, without trial, and
denied all tho rights guaranteed by tho
Constitution Of free Republic,
Wriis Of habeas corpus Suspended IN
violation oi section OF the first article
Of the Constitution, which declares this
writ shall not be suspended save In
cases of Invasion or rebellion, neither
Of which conditions existed.
Civil authorities were removed from
Office and men appointed - civilians
to succeed them were the puppets oI
tho Governor and the tools ot the mill
,ary.
The mining company's contract sur
ge0n, acting rs coroner, held court
and committed prisoners, the compa'
Hy's attorney acting as prosecutor.
Juries made up Of company employees.
The court without authority aud iray-