Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-06-17
CORONER'S VERDICT
IN EXPLOSION CASE
Jury Throws the Entire Blame
on the Federation @
Miners.
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY
At Inquest Witness Testified in Such
Name as to Show Definitely the
Public Sentiment Pre-
vaiiing.

Victor. Colo, june 13.-The investi-
CATION by the jury empaneled by Cor
oner Hall into the explosion at the In
dependence station Monday, when over
twenty men were killed or injured, was
concluded.
Among the witnesses who testified
was Engineer James Dooner, or n
train that was pulling n the station.
He said when within seventy-tve feet
of the station some one ran up and
told him the depot had been blown up,
He, with the conductor, searched for
the wire by which II was said the dyna-
mite had been exploded, but they were
unable to find 1t.
Several witnesses testified as TO the
hiding of the wire with which a re-
yolver was discharged, exploding the
dynamite under the depot platform.
Arthur Baird. a boy, told of finding
a bulldog revolver near the scene of
the crime.
A sensation was caused by C.. e.
Hathaway, a carpenter, who lives with
in 800 feet of where the explosion oc-
Cured. He said he hurried TO the place.
He met a man and asked him what was
the matter, to which he received the
reply, "Oh. nothing, only 81 lot of
'scabs' gone to hell At that instant
witness in stepping over a gully fell
directly onto one of the victims. He
did not know who the man who had
used the language was, a. it was still
dark, but later on heard him use about
the same words to another person. lie
inquired the mans name and was old
that it was Joe Craig.
Substance of the Verdict.
The coroner's verdict in substance
follows:
THAT said persons came to their
Iaotb. hv n N .ayaInuia1l. of 1VI1a mite or
other explosives at the Florence and
Cripple Creek depot at or near the
town of independence, Teller county,
Colo, on the morning of June 9, 1904,
about $50 q. m.
1--WE further find that said explosive
was exploded by an Internal machine,
purposely and artfully set II dis
charged by some persons to the Jury
unknown for the purpose of wilfully,
maliciously and feloniously killing and
numbering said persons n others;
that said crime is one Of similar crimes
designed and committed in the Cripple
Greek district during the past few
months and perpetrated for the purpose
of intimidatins miners u
therefore preventing them from work
Ing, and said crimes are the result OF
q conspiracy entered int by certain
members of the Western Federation or
Miners, and melted and furthered BY
Certain OIuceES Oh the LIBERALIZATION
-
Much discriminating Testimony.
Cripple Creek, June lit Is said
that so much testimony of an incrimi-
mating character was given by some
OF The military prisoners before the
socalled committee of safety which sat
here Friday that many who were 10
be deported were sent to the county
Jail. where they will remain until ar
raigned In court.
Shortly after 6 o'clock Friday night
the committee adjourned, having ex-
amined all the prisoners and disposed
of all business before IL.
Only two men were released FROM
custody by the committee.
-
Has Cost State $23,o36,ooo.
Denver, Colo, June 13.-The cost of
the various strikes in Colorado during
the past sixteen months is estimated
at $23, 036, 900. The state has paid $685.
900 for maintaining troops in the field.
The loss to strikers and others directly
affected i'm wages, etc. and to employ
ers, is placed at $22, 400, 900,
-
War on All Unions.