The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-06-17
The MINE OWNERS
MAKE SHERIFF QUIT
After They Had Shown Him the
Rope He Weakened and Gave
His Resignation.
TROUBLE NOT YET ENDED
Nine Owners and sympathizers Are in
Control of the Government of Teller
county-Danserous Towns
Are Patrolled.

Dcnver, Colo, June s.-Adju,ant.
General Sherman M. Bell, accompanied!
by u detail of staff officers, is on his
way to Cripple Creek bearing acting
Governor Hagotts proclamation Of
martial law for that district. He has
Instructions to use his Judgment as toi
the need for issuing a proclamation
and If he decides that conditions war;
rant 1t to place the gold camp under,
the reign of the military for the sec!
ond time since the strike of metalltfer-i
GUS miners began last August.
The framing of the proclamation was
the result of an appeal from Sherifl
Bell of Teller county for troops de-
claring that an Instruction exists.
The governor said that two COM
panies of militia We're already underl
arms in the Cripple Creek district, hav-
| ing been called out by the local peace,
| officers. He latest advices were that no
| further disturbance had occurred in the
camp. He did not know, he said, that
the authorities had arranged to deport
all union miners.
Cripple Creek, Colo, June Com
parative peace prevails throughout this
great gold camp today but conditions
| are still volcanic and nobody believes
the trouble is yet ended. A thoroughly
organized vigilance committee COM
posed of mine owners and their en-
ployes and sympathizers has taken
charge OF the government of Teller
| county and large squads of armed menl
are patrolling the districts. These mem
are ostensibly acting under orders of
Edward Bell, the new sheriff, who Is a
large property owner and an outspokenI
opponent of the miners union. Sheriff
Robertson resigned under compplsion.
He was forcibly taken to the headquar-
ters of the mine owners association and
his resignation demanded.
Refused to Resign-Shown Rope.
At first he refused to resign, but when,
finally coil of rope was thrown at hist
feet he weakened and signed the resig-
nation. The sentiment of the mine,
owners, as voiced by c. c. Hamlin, sec
rotary of the association. is that all
union miners must be driven out of the
camp. His declaration that the time
had come ito purge the district" start
| ed rioting at a mass meeting In Victor
called to discuss the dynamite outrage
at Independence.
ut is up to you to drive these
scoundrels out" Hamlin had declared,
whereupon All Miller. union man who
has been sworn in as a deputy, raised
q rifle and inquired:
| who are you referring tor
Miller's rifle was seized and then
shooting began which resulted In the
killing of Roxie MCGEE, Il non-union
miner, and the wounding Of six other
persons, one of whom, John Davis, a
non-union man, died later.
Opening Of the Fight.
The first shot was fired by some one
in the crowd This was followed im-
medately by two rifle shots from the
windows of the Miners Union hall.
Sheriff Bell called on the local COM
serving order. A scattering fire was
kept up between both sides for twen-
ty minutes, at the end Of which the i
| miners surrendered.
Three miners were found wounded
In the hall. For others were arrestedl
and all union books and documents Sc
cured.
During the night further arrests We're
made at Victor, Goldtield and Inde-
pendence. The union stores at Victor
stocks scattereS in the streets by q,
| mob.
An armed posse of 500 deputy sher-
ifs is now securing the hills Of the,
Cripple Creek district with the object Of
rounding up every union man and
loafer In the camp. They will be es-
corted to the county lines and warned
never again to return to Teller county.
The union men are well armed and sayI
they Will resist any attempt at deporta-
ton.
Two more names were added today
to the list of those killed by the Inde-
pendence dynamiting. They are:
GEO. S. HENDERSON.
| FRED BECKLEY.
1t is believed the bodies Of several,
others were blown to atoms and the.
remains are at the bottom Of the hole
made by the tremendous explosion.
Comparative Quiet at Victor.
Victor, Colo, June 7.--Although ex-;
element was at high pitch last night,
no sensational incidents occurred after
the riot Of the afternoon. From dark
till dawn the principal streets We're,
crowded by thousands Of men and,
women who had assembled from all
parts of the camp in the belief that,
darkness would invite further blood
shed. Their expectations, however,
proved TO be groundless. Aside FROM
the occasional arrest of union agi-l
tator by the military authorities or,
sheriff's deputies, and the occasional
shrek of a Krag -Jorgensen from some
dark, secluded spot in the foothills, the
night passed quietly. All night the
streets of the city and footpaths leading
to the mines We're watched closely by
the troops and deputies, and every few
minutes miners brought in were placed
IN the arnory, which is under heavy
men. said to leaders in the plot Of
yesterday, are now in the armory.
Many Arrests Are Made.
Denver, Colo, June 7.-While early
reports today from Victor and Cripple
Creek indicate that semi peaceful con-
ditions prevail, fears of another out
break at any moment are general.
Throughout the night squads of citizens
reinforced by details of militia travelled
over the district making arrests, until
now the bull pen Is filled with 200 or
more prisoners. The city marshals of
Anaconda, Goldfield and Independenca
are among the prisoners.