Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1900-06-22
JOHN F. McDONNELL


Virginia City attending the Grand
Lodge Of Odd Fellows the people
with but one exception had treated
the members with the courtesy and
hearty good will SO characteristic Of
the genuine Comstocker. The e1ccp-
uon WAS John f. Mcdonald. Vice
President Of the Western Federation
OF Miners and Secretary Of the Nir-
ginia City Miners Union. We use
these titles merely for the purpose OF
Identification and with no intent to
bring any iiscredit upon the niganI.
cations to which this contemplate
piece of humanity belongs. lie is
but one OF many and does not reflect
in the smallest degree the honor aud
manhood Of the membership Of
those organizations.
While the editor Of this paper was
standing on South { Street OF Nir.
giuia City Tuesday nor ming engaged
III conversation with Mr.. Fillcbrowu.
an old Comstocker and friend. and
MIR. Juri OF Eureka. John r.. Nc.
Donnell came along and Interrupted
the conversation. We stood on the
edge OF the sidewalk facing the men
with whom We were talking. When
accosted hy this scrub. we supposed
it to be some friend and instIuctivcly
turned and extended our night hand.
His first words We did not hear. hut
on looking up we saw Mcdonnell. He
refused to shake handf, for which we
are thankful, Us we thus escaped he
contamination Of his touch. He then
without Il word from us began Il
TRADE Of vile abuse hat continued
for five OF ten minutes. His Ian
guage was vile and his WIS
devoid Of the instincts OF a gentle
When he had vented his
spleen. he walked off with the swag-
ger OF a bully remarkmg that IL we
were his equal physically he would
smash us i'll the face. but that Colt
had made all men equal and for us to
get a gun. We paid no attention to
his abuse further than To remark
occasionally that he WAS "A gentleman
and was acting like one. Not salts.
fled with his first attempt to- provoke
a quarrel, he came along the second
time while we were talking with Mr..
Reinhart and began again. rhis
time no attention was paid to him.
Abuse from the slimy. filthy mouth Of
John +. Mcdonnell. or any of his
kind, ID more to be desired than their
friendship or praise.
The cause OF the scrubs niger can
only be ~coniectured as we have not
met him nor spoken to him for nearly
two years. but it probably grew out
OF the criticism Of his speech deliver,
ed Ill Elko ON the evening of the l5,L
Of October 1858. In order that the
people may know what We then SAID
We republish it today. Every word
OF it was tru then and is true now
and We will stand by it, the abuse Of
this worthy to the contrary notwith
standing.
The following report OF his speech
WIS published the day after its lie
livery:
The last actor to appear was Johr
T.. Mcdonnell, Secretary 81 The Vir
ginia Miners Union, Il paid emissary
ct the Silver Party State Committee
travelling under the guisc of the Vice
President OF the Western Federation
OF Miners, under the prctensc OF es,
t~ablishing labor unions throughout
the State. He told how he had or.
ganized a Miners Union at Tuscarora
Thursday night with 81 members and
then launched forth rs a paid advo,
cate OF the Silver Party ticket. lie
told his few remaining hearers that
their duty was to support the Silver
Party ticket at the polls in Novem.
Der. lie failed to show, however, nh,
connection between the Western Fed,
Grafton OF Miners and the Silver
Party ticket. lie then with his DC.
culiar sickness told his listeners
that tho resolutions OF the Virginia
Miners Union endorsing Mr.. McMil.
an for Governor did not express the
true sentiments Of the Union. lie
then drew on his vivid imagination
and said those resolutions would he
rescinded before the election aud the
Silver Party nominees endorsed and
that the Union would support them
ut the polls. The IrDErEYDESr
wnrns the lahoring men OF the State
to give this slick individual u wide
berth when he comes u then with
labor unions in ono hand and Silver
Party gold in the other
In commenting upon the speech Of
MIR. Mcdonnell tho following Mon.
day the lSDEPESDEST published the
following editorial, for which we
alone are responsible. 1t expressed
our sentiments then and expresses
them now: