The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-15
MINERS HURLED TO DEATH
Internal Machine Was Exploded
under Station Platform.
RIorINe FOLLOWS NEXT DAY
One Man Killed and at Least Six
Wounded, Several Probably Fa-
tally-SheriH Forced Out.

Twelve men were killed and seven
were severely wounded shortly after
midnight, Sunday, by the explosion
OF an internal machine at the railroad
station in independence. Col. Eleven
men were killed outright, being blown
to pieces, and one died later from his
wounds. All the killed and injured.
with the exception of two men from
the Deadwood mine, we're non-union
miners employed on the night shift of
the Findley mine
The Internal machine consisted of
quantity of dynamite, probably 900
pounds, loaded revolver and a long,
fine steel wire attached to the trigger.
The revolver was fastened so that the
pulling OF the trigger would not draw
1t away. The wire ran from under the
station platform 10 the crlbbing Of
the Delmonico property, about 400
feet away, where its end was fastened
to a Jung of a chair.
The dynamite was placed close to
the muzzle of the revolver, which was
discharged by pulling the wire. The
ball from the revolver and the result
ant conclusion exploded the dyna.
mite.
A man was seen running down the
hill from the Delmonico property af-
ter the explosion. The Victor troops,
who were ordered out by Mayor
French, were so stationed as to keep
people from passing over the path
taken by this man and bloodhounds
were sent from Canyon City and
Trinidad to trail the assassin.
The Internal machine used was sim
liar to the one exploded in the Vlndi.
Gator mine on November 81, 1908,
killing two men.
The men quit work at o'clock in
the morning and were waiting to
board a suburban train on the Flor
ence & Cripple Creek railroad to re-
turn to their homes in Cripple Creek
and Victor.
Just after the engineer of the ap-
preaching train blew the whistle as a
signal to the miners, according to Gus.
tom, terrific explosion occurred un.
derneath the station platform, on and
near which 26 men were gathered.
The platform was blown into splln-
ters, the station was wrecked and a
hole 20 feet In circumference and 20
feet in depth was torn in the ground.
Fragments of bodies were hurled sew
eral hundred feet.
Deadly rioting broke out in Victor
Monday afternoon while a mass meet
ing was being held to discuss the
murder of ~ non-union miners by
means of an internal machine at In
dependence. Forty shots were fired
into a crowd in the street. Ona man
Is dead and at least six persons were
injured and a reign of terror exists.
Previous to the rioting Sheriff
Henry NJ. Robertson had been sum-
moned to a meeting of the Mine own
ers' Association In Armory hall by a
committee composed Of c. c. Hamlin,
Secretary of the Association; j. S.
Murphy, manager of the Findley mine,
and L. f. Hill of the Theresa mine.
At this meeting Robertson's resig-
nation was demanded. He yielded to
the demand. Then Edward Bell was
appointed by the County Commission
ers to fill Robertson's term. Robert
son was a union miner before he was
elected Sheriff. Bell is a member OF
the Citizens Alliance.
Nearly all mines in the region had
been closed by order of the Mine
Owners Association, and hundreds OF
miners flocked into town from the
surrounding hills.
Offeers Undated