Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-20
TEN YEARS TRIAL 1 a A
 < The Story of a <
 Soldiers Struggle By Brigadfer General
 CHARLES KING Copyright, 1901, by Charles King.
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CHAPTER XII.
Copyright. 1901. by Charles King.

wide northwest. The Seattle was grad ing the Sweetwater valley through far Wyoming. Brentwood shops were thronged with busy, grimy men; Brent wood elevators were bursting with grain; Brentwood streets were bustling with shoppers. Both railways were running to the full capacity every car they owned and many they didn't, but had pressed into service unbeknown to the owners as strays from the Burling ton, the U. F., the St. Paul, the North western and a dozen different alpha betieal combinations descriptive of rail- way corporations in the wide west. Brentwood banks had never done such a business. Red Water farms were shedding mortgages as horses shed their winter coats. Some farmers were even clipping coupons with the wool from the backs of their sheep. An era of prosperity seemed to have dawned on the smiling Nebraska valley. All business, said The Banner, was boom ing The coffers of the rival roads were filled with earnings, but the hearts of their people with discontent. On account of hard times the previous year 10 per cent cut had been ordered in all wages and brought on the disas- trous strike. The roads had won. The hands had lost and sadly accepted the inevitable on the promise that when business warranted the old rate would be restored. Business couldn't be bet ter than it was when September came and had been all summer, but deaf ear was turned to all hints as to the restoration of the rates. Winter would soon come. Coal, clothes, groceries and provisions were commanding high prices Everybody had prospered ex- cept the operatives of the railways, and they and their families made up nearly half the population of Brent wood. Then came the walking dele gates, conferences with local officials, responses that expenses exceeded re- ceipts, vast sums were needed for ex- tension and repair, then much talk pro and con in the papers, frequent meet ings, fiery speeches and then threats.
 Another kind of meeting was held in Brentwood one night. Bankers and business men with large interests at stake saw in the situation the exact symptoms which preceded the fierce outbreak of the previous year. The police reported tramps and toughs again gathering in force from all over the west, and this time, said the orator of the day at a vast open air concourse of the employees of both roads, when we strike it will be with no such fal- tering, misguided hand as in the year gone by The blow will be instantane- ous. The scab will find his occupation gone. There will be no engine left for him to run the bread from our hungry children. There will be only sTsoking ruins to greet the coming of those hire ling butchers, the despised soldiery of either state or nation" Certain few of the railway men who had joined the Brentwood rifles in the days of Perri- go's popularity were warned by anony- nous letters to themselves or to the timid wives and children to drop that association at once or take the conse- auences. Most of them applied for dis charges and were refused. Nothing remained for them but to deliberately absent themselves from drills, refuse to pay the fines and under the laws be dishonorably expelled flor the good of the service" But the rifles had lost heart and interest One of the officers had resigned. Most of their member ship preferred paying fines to attend ing drills at which they learned noth- ing and GUnnison men came up, looked and snickered. When that blow comes," said Mir. Banker Perrigo in ex- cited speech at the business mems meeting, i've shall be absolutely with out protection, for our sheriff has been replaced by one who is the open sym pathizer of the strikers (which was true), and our one company of militia, Thanks to who knows what insidious influence, is reduced to a mere hand full. A vehement discussion followed, winding up with an astonishing attack at the hands of the ablest lawyer in Brentwood.
 That our one company has dwindled to a handful is as true as that it's de m0ralization is due to no insidious in- fuence whatever, but to the most re grettable interference of Mir. Perrigo himself, whose gold bought the cap- faincy for an utter incompetent and sold out the one man who deserved our whole support and gratitude, the nan who alone was capable of putting and keeping that company up to the stand
 
 cials of the road he so gallantly and faithfully served and, not to put too fine a point upon it, by this community also is reproach unutterable to both."
 Coming from man who had been to congress from Kentucky and hoped to get there from Nebraska, these were bitter words. But most tonics are bit ter, and Brentwood swallowed, reflect cd and profted. Colonel Cresswell, as he was called, in deference to the fact that he held no commission, but had served in the war, was not yet on the subsidized list of the Seattle, but as a rapidly rising lawyer he would doubt less soon find hix price, railways, like other big corporations, employing only the best professional talent where the law Is concerned.
 Colonel Cresswell, to use his own terms, had "cottoned" to Langdon from the start. He admired his grit the day of the riots. He admired his drill when he handled the rifles. He liked what the yardmen said of him and what Boniface had told. He dep-