News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-03-27

HOuSeS VI LuIOpe. w nat were ali
those singers there to this one who was
using her gift to help save life and pre-
vent crime? 1t is probable that Stuart
Duncan laid his heart at the feet of
Rhena Dwight that evening. He had
already surrendered his soul to God.
1t was no less a sacred mingling of
that with all the rest of his recent ex-
perience that he lifted up his heart to
the height of loving thiswoman.
The song ceased. The men breathed
deeper, as if they had been holding
their breath during the singing, and a
murmur swelled over the square. 1t
grew every second, but the mob was
not the same. The better purposes in
hundreds Of the men had been stirred.
They We're not brutal or cruel or law
less men for the most part; but, on the
contrary, very many of them were
deeply religious, and above all else
they desired to see the cause of labor
triumph. The facts so clearly pre-
sented by Eric were undeniable. ON
of the older men began to speak now
from the stand. They had come up to
Champion to take the law into their
own hands. The question was, in the
light of sober reason, what would the
results be if they should do this thing
in hot blood? Eric was right about it.
There arose a storm of cries from the
crowd at this point for a division on
the question, "What did the union de-
cide?" "Bide by the union in the mat
ter" aye aye; that's reason" "Vote"
"Decisionw As4sz;;..., s I'd x e. rs
The vote was accordingly taken.
Should the soldiers and officers be dealt
with by the miners for the death of the
two men or should they be handed
over to the authorities to await due
process of law? The vote was taken
by hands. Less than a fourth of the
men thrust up their hands with clubs
in them on the vote to deal with the
soldiers as they pleased. On the mega
tive an overwhelming majority carried
the day to submit the entire affair to
the law.
Instantly every man In the band
stand came down. Stuart and the doc.
tor assisted in bearing Eric back to the
doctors buggy. Eric revived a little
as he was being carried and asked to
be taken to his own house. The doctor
thought that would be wiser than to
take him back to Stuart's, and Stuart
reluctantly consented to the transfer
He went himself with Eric, saw him
comfortable and then returned to the
square.
The decision Of the union was being
faithfully carried out. The troops and
their officers were placed under guard
Ia the engine house, and the police of
Champion were assisted by the miners,
who claimed that the firing of the
troops had been without excuse and
that the placing of them under arrest
was called for by every dictate of JUS
tice and fair play.
AS we pass this incident in the course
of this narrative which is connected
with the story of our lives in Cham
pion it is sufficient to say that next
uuy IllC NClC ldhNll DtlNh W DC
Mott by the authorities, and in the
trial which came off afterward the
case was dismissed on the ground of
insufficient evidence to convict. AS a
matter of fact, there had been great
provocation on both sides, but the fir
ing of the troops was always consid-
cred by the miners as not warranted
by the facts. They always spoke of
the killing Of the two men as 'mur-
der" and looked upon the acquittal of
the officer who gave the command to
fire as an outrage and a clear miscar-
riage of justice.
So ended that memorable night
Stuart went home at last, feeling that
the problem was no nearer solution, so
| far as the strike was concerned, and
agitated as never before by the great
rising within him of emotions and
thoughts heretofore entirely unknown
| to him. The sight of the conflict these
men were making for a few cents more
a day for labor, which meant the risk
of life every "a hours, was a sight that
grew more and more significant to him
as he watched the struggle unfold
He could not see the end. He dared
not anticipate the final result.
AS the days went by the situation re-
manned practically the same, The eff
feet of sending troops down the range
had so far shown the mine owners thai
they had really very ugly chance tC
take in forcing new labor into the
mines. The few men who had gone or
from Champion to De Mott had gradu
ally been persuaded to go back, or they
drifted away in search of work else
where, as the owners put off getting
more men,, IN reality. the owners
dreaded more than Anything else thu
flooding and running of the mines II
case the attempt to put new men il
was successful. Besides all this, thu
price of ore was rapidly rising, ant
many of the owners had great quaint
ties Of ore in the stock piles, and it wal
believed by many that there was NJ
great desire on the part of the owners
to start In again so long as such larg'
quantities of ore were already at tn,
top. 1t was thought that even If tn,
strike continued until spring the own
ers would be able to realize large prof
its on lapsed contracts and on this &C
count would really be the gamers b.
not operating the mines. Meanwhile
l ell