Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-05-02
The GRUC|F|x|0N Of PHILIP STRONG
BY REv. CHARLES ri 8! n. SHELDON.
8 Author Of I'm His Steps," Etc.
CONTINUED. |

Copyright, 1899, by the Advance Publishing Co.
CONTINUED.
There had been a growing feeling of
discomfort in all the mills, and it had
finally taken shape in the Ocean mill,
which was largely owned and control
led by Mr.. Winter. The discomfort
arose from new scale of wages sub
mitted by the company. 1t was not
satisfactory to the men. and the after
noon of that evening on which Philip
had gone down to the hall a commit
tee of the mill men had waited on Mr..
Winter and after a long conference
had gone away without getting any
satisfaction. They could not agree on
the proposition made by the company
and by their own labor organization.
Later in the day one Of the committee,
under instructions, went to see Mr..
Winter alone and came away from
the interview very much excited and
angry. He spent the first part Of the
evening in a saloon, where he related
part Of his interview with the mill
owner, and said that he had finally
kicked him out Of the office. Stu later
In the evening he told several of the
men that he was going to see Mr. Wiz
ter again, knowing that ON certain
evenings he was in the habit OF stay
ing down at the mill Office until nearly
half past 0 for special business. The
mills were undergoing repairs. and
Mr.. Winter was away from home
more than usual.
That was the last that any one saw
of the man until, about 10 o'clock,
some one going home past the mill
office heard man grooming at the foot
OF new excavation at the end Of the
building and climbing down discover
ell the man who had been to see Mr..
Winter twice that afternoon. He had
terrible cash in his head and lived
only few minutes after he was dis
covered. TO the half dozen men who
stood over him in the saloon, where he
had been carried, he had murmured
the name of MIR. Winter" and had
then expired.
A very little adds fuel to the brain of
men already heated with rum and ha-
tired. The rumor spread like lightning
that the wealthy mill owner had killed
one Of the employees who had gone to
sec him peaceably and arrange matters
for the men. He Lad thrown him out
Of the Office into one Of the new mill
excavations and left him there to die
like dog in ditch. So the story ran
all through the tenement district, and
in an incredibly swift time the worst
elements in Milton were surging to-
ward Mr.. Winters house with murder
In their hearts and the means.of accom-
plishing it in their hands.
Mr.. Winter had finished his work at
the office and gone home to sit down to
late lunch, as his custom was, when
he was. interrupted by the mob. The
rest Of the incident is connected with
what has been told. The crowd seized
him with little ceremony, and 1t was
only Philips timely arrival and his
saving of minutes until the police ar
lived that prevented lynching in
Milton that night. As it was Mr.. Win
took a long time to recover. He dread
ed to go out alone at night. He Kept
on guard a special Waterman and lived
In more or less terror even then. IT
was satisfactorily proved In a few
days that the man who had gone to
see Mr.. Winter had never reached tie
office door; but. coming around the
corner Of the building where the new
work was being done, he had fallen off
the stonework. striking on a rock in
such way as to produce 4 fatal
wound. This tempered the feeling Of
the workmen toward Mr.. Winter, but
a widespread unrest and discomfort
had seized on every man employed in
the mills. and as the winter drew Oh
affairs reached a crisis.
The difference between the mills and
the men over the scale of wages could
not be settled. The men began to talk
about strike. Philip heard of it and
at once, with his usual frankness and
boldness, spoke with downright plain
ness to the men against it. That was
ut the little hall week after the at
tempt on Mr.. Winters life. Philips
part in that nights event had added to
his reputation and his popularity with
the men. They admired his courage
and his grit. Most of them were
ashamed Of the whole affair, especially
after they had sobered down and it
had been proved that Mr.. Winter had
not touched the man. So Philip was
welcomed with applause as he came
out on the little platform and looked
over the crowded room, seeing many
faces there that had glared at him in
the mob a week before. And yet his
heart told him he. loved these men, and
his reason told him that it was the
sinner and the unconverted that God
loYed. 1t was terrible responsibility
to have such men count him popular,
and he prayed that wisdom might be
given him in the approaching crisis, es-
pecially as he seemed to have some
real influence.
He had not spoken ten words when
some one by the door cried: "Come out
side! Big crowd out here want to get
in" It was moonlight and not very
cold, SO every one moved out of the
hall, and Philip mounted the steps of a
storehouse near by and spoke to
crowd that filed up the street in front
and for long distance right and left.
His speech was very brief, but it was
fortified with telling figures, and at the
close he stood and answered a perfect
torrent Of questions. His main counsel
was against q strike in the present sit