The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1903-11-26
MINE NEARLY WRECKED.
Officials Say That " Was Work OF
Prejudiced individuals.

-LErL.IE &LH@N+gLlH
Cripple Greek, Nov. 24.-Sheriff Rob-.
ertson, after investigating conditions
In the sixth level of the Vindicator
mine, where Superintendent Charles
Mccormack and Shift Boss Beck We're
killed, comedies with the statement of
the officials Of the company that a de-
diberate attempt had been made to
wreck tie shaft with dynamite.
The active committee of the Mine
Owners and Operators association q
offered a reward OF $1,000 for evidence
leading to the arrest and conviction of
the perpetrators.
In a published statement the commit
tee says:
mack and Melvin Beck was one of the
most diabolical crimes that has ever dark
enad the annals of Colorado, and is an
other 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 fine
terms in which to speak of these matters,
and we do not hesitate to say that this
crime was devised and executed by the
inner circle of this organization.
This statement is made only after. a
SHOW c~onclusiSely that these men met
their death through a scheme so cunning
~ devised and carefully executed as to tax
the ingenuity of the most experienced
criminal.
Or late the district has been filling up
With the class of men who openly boast of
What they propose to do. Not a single
circumstance surrounding this crime is
compatible with the theory of accident, or
with any other theory than that of pre-
meditated murder.
The district executive Committee Of
the Western Federation of Miners
characterizes the explosion as a clam
entable accident regretted by ALL"
and adds: but prejudiced individuals,
who rarely know anything of what they
talk about, have already passed judg-
ment and denounce 1t as a cold blooded
murder. Experience teaches, however,
that these people are not above max
Ing capital out of any public misfor-
tune
In consequence Of these o]utrages
Gov. Peabody has r~einstated Adjt.
Sherman e. Bell in command of the
militia in this camp, succeeding Col.
Edward fredericksburg, who has been
in command since Bells retirement at
the close Of the courtmartial of Cen.
John Chase.
In addition to Stephen Adams, the
more men were arrested today charged
with being accessories to the plot to
cause the explosion.
Among those arrested today are
Sherman Parker, chairman Of District
union No. / strike committee, and
CnaTleSa u. ana w. Il. Davis,
members of the same committee. Near
ly all the other men are members OF the
union.
John MitchelI's Opinion.
Boston, Nov. 24.-"In times of popular
excitement incident to a bitter strike
accidents pure and simple are often al
legged to be the work of strikers" said
John Mitchell, president Of the United
Nine Workers, when shown the dis
patch from Cripple Creek, Colo, rela-
tive to the explosion at the Vindicator
mice. He added: "a do not care %
comment further on the charges of the
operators until I know more of the de-
tails Of the case. The Western FEEDER
alton of Miners is affiliated neither
with the American Federation or La
Dor nor with the United Mine workers,
but is a rival of the latter organiza-
Jon
General Bates Reaches Denver.
Denver, Colo, Nov. 24.-General John
c. Bates has arrived to Investigate the
strike conditions in Colorado. Upon his
report depends whether or not the war
department will comply with Governor
P~eabody's request to send federal
troops to Telluride. He left for Tellur-
ide last night to make a complete in
yeStigation.