Washington sentinel., 1900-05-12
Pull Pen Inquiry Indfets Mckinley


charity
Pull Pen Inquiry Indicts Mckinley
The Mckinley Administration must
assume the sole responsibility for the
Idaho bull pen and the outrage upon
organized labor, or it must shelve the
blame by ordering the court martial OF
BrIgaGier General Merriam. That is the
result oil the investigationJustc concluded
1t is certain that there will be two
reports The action Of the Republican
members OF the committee throughout
the investigation indicates that the
majority report will be in the nature OF
whitewash In that event the minority
report will make it clear to the people
of the country that the party in power
not only excuses but sanctions the acts
of the soldiery, performed under the
guise OF martial law, and as proof OF
illegal action and outrages committed
the testimony adduced during the
investigation will be summarized.
Attorney Robinson. who has repre-
sented the miners side OF the case, said
OF the investigation;
Individual acts Of cruelty towards
miners have been proved against the
soldieTy.
Il has been shown that men marching
to prison work, guarded by colored
soldiers, have been knocked down by
their guards,
II has been shown that in the tempo.
rary barn used as prison when the men
we're first arrested the suffering was
extreme.
Innocent men against whom no
charges were made were denied the
privilege OF talk ng to their wives unless
overheard by sentry.
Civil courts we're ignored, although
ready to perform any business presented
to them, and men we're in etinitely
imprisoned at the arbitrary will OF the
martial law" people.
General Merriam sent Lieutenant
Lyons into Montana, IN company with
deputies. who indiscrimi atelY arrested
citizens of that State upon the allegation
that they we're iugiuves.
Without any search warrant, every
house in Wardner was entered by
deputies and soldiers.
The entire miners union population
ol the CHur d'Alenes was denied the
PAAFAAN6 VI WI MA - "AA~NN~@ = bN'ANI -
innocent,
The Cosur TAIene mining trouble
and the suffering of the imprisoned
Idaho miners, who we're confined in the
''bull pens" were Vivldly pictured at a
mass meeting last Monday night called
Jointly by the American Anti Trust
League, of Washington, aud District
Assembly 60, Knights Of Labor. The
meeting was held at Odd Fellows Hall,
on Seventh street northwest, and was
called to order by Mr.. Charles w. Slater,
a member Of the Anti Trust League.
The speakers ofthe evening we're several
members of the Committee on Military
Affairs OF the House OF Representatives,
the attorney for the Coeur d'Alene
miners, and one OF the men who had
been incarcerated At the conclusion Of
the meeting, resolutions protesting
against maintaining martial law in Idaho
were adopted.
In reviewing the situation in the
mining districts the speakers severely
arrsigned President Nc KinleY, by whose
order Federal troops were sent into the
State, and The State officers Of Idaho
The act of proclaiming martial law and
maintaining it for over a year was
characterized as an intolerable infringe.
me 1t upon human liberty and menace
to the future Of organized labor. Gov.
Steunenberg and Gen. Merriam, too,
for the part they took in the troubles,
were handled without gloves, and these
utterauces were frequently interrupted
by the applause OF the audience.