Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-23
An Internal Machine Made of
Dynamite Exploded on Sixth
Level of the indicator Mine.
SUPT. AND SHIFT BOSS KILLED.
Was Deliberate Attempt to Wreck
The Shaft Miners Federation
Blamed for II.

Cripple Creek, colo, Nov 22--Sheriff
Henry Robertson, after investigating
conditions in the sixth level OF the Vim.
dicator mine where Supt. Char
les Mccormick and Shift Boss
Melvin Beck were killed yesterday By
an explosion, conceded with the state
ment Of the officials of the Vindcator
company that deliberate attempt had
been made to wreck the shaft with
dynamite. The executive committee Of
the Miners and Operators association
has offered reward Of $1,000 for evil
dence leading to the arrest and con-
viction Of the perpetrators Of the crime,
In published statement the commit
tee says
COMMITTEES STATEMENT.
"The killing of supt. Mccormack
and Melvin Beck of the Vindicator
mine was one Of the most diabolcal
crimes that ever darken the
annals Of Colorado, and is another step
in the trail of blood which has been
made by the Western Federation of
Miners IN this state
THE time has passed for selecting
me terms In which to speak of these
matters, and we do not hesitate to say
that this crime was devised and eX.
ecuted by the inner circle Of this organ
ization.
This statement is made only after a
careful investigation of the facts. which
show conclusively that these men met
their death through scheme so cum
ningly devised and carefully executed
as to tax the ingenuity of the most ex-
perenced criminal, OF late the district
has been filling up with this class OF
men, who openly boast Of what they
propose to do Not a single crcum-
stance surrounding this crime is COM
patible with the theory of accident, and
with any other theory than that of
premedtated murder
The district executive committee Of
the Western Federation OF Miners char
acterlzes the explosion as "lamanta-
BILE accident regretted by all" and adds,
THE MINERS SIDE.
But prejudced individuals who
rarely know anything OF what they
talk about have already passed judg-
ment and denounce It as a cold blooded
murder Experience teaches, however,
that these people are not above making
GOVERNOR TAKES ACTION.
In consequence Of this outrage Gov.
Peabody has reinstated Adjt Gen.
sherman NJ. Bell, In command OF the
militia force In this camp. succeeding
Col Edward Nerdecksburg who has
been In command since Bells retire
ment at the close of the court-martial
trial of Gen. John Chase.
The military authorities at various
hours today, by order of Gen. Bell who
is now In supreme command of all the
troops in the Cripple Creek district,
made the following arrests In connec-
ton with the plot to disable the VIM
dicator mine on Bull Hill:
Charles q. Kennison, W. b. Easter
ly, w. f. Davis, John Schoolcraft Gus
Johnson. j. r. Isbell. Bob Rowland,
Victor Poole, Harry Williams, Ed Flem-
Ing, II. p Jones, Sherman Parker,
Frank erase and Bob Adams. The
latter is a brother of stephen Adams,
the miner who was arrested last night
Sherman Parker is chairman OF Dis
trict Union No ] strike committee, and
Kennison and Davis are also members
OF that committee. Nearly all of the
men arrested are members Of the Min
ers' union, and are charged either di-
rectly or indirectly as accessories to
blowing IN the mine. No additional
evidence has been secured, or at least
given out, relative to the manner in
which the explosion took place at the
600 foot level in the Vindicator mine,
STILL IN JAIL.
Telluride colo, Nov. 22.--Charles Job,
Frank Yortsy Domnick Bertotti. Sam
Pigalli and Charles Balbos. union pick.
cts arrested last night, are still in the
county jail, but IL Is probable they
viii be able to give bonds for their
appearance some time tomorrow The
officials and members of the Miners
union are much incensed over the ar.
rest and claim the action taken by the
deputy sherins was wholly uncalled for
and that the entire proceeding was a
movement on the part Of the mine
managers to force the union to cease
placing pickets near the mining prop
critics.
MITCHELL'S COMMENT
Boston, Nov. 22-"In times Of popu-
lar excitement incident to a bitter
strike. accidents pure and simple are
often alleged 10 be the work Of strik-
ers, said John Mitchell, president of
the United Mine Workers, when shown
the dispatch from Cripple Creek, colo,
relative 70 the explosion ut the Vindica-
tor mine. lie added
II do not care TO comment further on
the charges of the operators until |
know more of the details OF the case
know more of the details of the case.
The Western Federation Of Miners is
affiliated neither with the American
Federation OF Labor nor with the Unit
ed Mine Workers. but is a rival of the
latter organization