Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-04-26
Newspaper Mans Evidence.

An interesting circumstantial story of
the labor troubles in the Occur d'Alene
district, eliminating in the destruction of
the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mill, has
been given to the military affairs COM
mittee of the House of Representatives
by Conner Malett, a newspaper reporter
of the Spokesman Review of Spokane.
he was sent to Wardner on April 20. On
arriving there the witness said he found
a serious condition of affairs. Relations
between the union and non-union ele-
ments were seriously strained, the former
abiding to the latter as 'scabs' and the
latter calling the other faction 'dynamit-
ers. There was no neutral element, and
open hostilities threatened at any mo-
ment."
An opportunity was given the non
union men to join the union, of which
the latter did not avail themselves. There
upon an all night meeting of the union
men was held and early the following
morning visit was paid TO the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan mine and the so-called
'scabs" were driven out, amid boots and
pistol shots.
The witness said he asked President
Boyle of the Miners Union if any fur
Their acts of violence were to be attempt
ed by the union. The latter replied that
there would not be, and expressed a fear
that the strike was not to be successful.
The witness said he had been approac led
by Sheriff Young, who had requested him
to color his reports favorably to the union.
About that time Sheriff Young. -Prssi-
dent Boyle and others of the miners IN
ion went TO Wallace, and there was an
absence of union men for two days from
the town of Wardner but on the Sa.ur-
day after, the peace and quiet of the
town were seriously disturbed by q report
that the miners of Canyon Greek were
coming down to clean out the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan.
The witness went TO the station, where
he found quite a crowd. Shortly after
ward he saw a train coming filed with
armed men, part of whom were MASKED
1t stopped and took aboard large mum
Der of the union men of Wardner, who
had been hiding in the bushes. Proceed
ing to the station the train discharged
its load Of human freight and Immediately
those that were masked formed a process
sion and marched to the mill, leaving
those that were armed but not masked
to guard the powder and dynamite Icing
unloaded from the cars. Sheriff Young
appeared, mounted the pyramid formed
by the boxes Of explosives and command
ed, as an official of the county, that the
mob dispense. But. nobody except the
sheriff dispersed. ~,
The explosives were then carried to the
mill. placed under the machinery and the
buildings were fired. The witness was
seized and taken 10 bluff overlooking
the scene. The innocent spectators, close
ly guarded as himself, were cruelty treat.
ed by their guardians. Some were or
dered to run and Immediately the order
was countermanded, not, however, before
two took to their heels and were shot at.
One of these subsequently died. Asa
result Of the fire and explosions, he said,
three large buildings and two smaller
ones were destroyed. No official attempt.
ed to preserve order OF prevent these acts
of violence. So - iLs'
Terror reigned in Wardner for three
days following this attack. or until the