Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1904-06-10
Volume 3S.
4 Most DnnnnbIr Crime.

\ Cripple Creek, Colorado, dispatch
saye:
4 terrible crime was con- mitted at the
Independence station OF the Florence
and Cripple Creek railroad nt 2:26
o'clock Monday morning. Three hun.
dred pounds Of dynamite, placed by un.
knOSn Rssassins under the platform,
was exploded while twenty-five nom
union miners employed at the Findley
mine were standing on the platform.
Fifteen OF the miners were instantly xii
led and eight or ten Others fatally in
jured. The mine Was discharged 10y "a
man concealed III the shait house OF the
Delmonica mine. The machine that set
oil the mine was found by the detec.
tives. IL consisted Of revolver and
three hundred feet OF steel wire. The
revolver MAS placed underneath the
platform close up to the powder. One
end II the wire was fastened To n chair.
leg, which WIS used us lever from the
Delm"nicn property.
The men employed on the night shift
at the findlHy mine VINO had just lin.
ished work had gathered on the depot
platform To board train and return to
their homes when the explosion occur
red beneath ttcir feet, hurting them in
every direction, destroying the depot
and rending great hole i'll the earth.
Tho injured were removed as quickly
us possible To the Victor and Red Cross
hospitals and the manglcd remains OF
the dead, most of whom were unrecog.
nizablc, were gathered.
The murderers evidently did not
wish To kill or injure any Of the crew III
charge Of tho train which the i'll fated
miners intended to take Ter their homes
in Victor and Cripple Creek. When
within 10 feet Of the depot at Indcpen-
dencc, the engine whistle sounded as
eignnl for tho men at the depot to get
rendy To boarp and to warn any laggers
10 make haste IL they wished to catch
tho train. This whistle wils the death
signal, Tor no sooner had the thrill
blast sounded than muilicJ roar was
heard and the mountain trcmblcd ms il
rocked by an earthquake.
The train, which was running slowly,
was brought to II sudden stop by the en-
ginccr and members Of the train crew
ran hastily forward to investigate. They
were horror stricken at the sight which
greeted their eyes, the spectacle being
made all the more grcwsomc by the
siCkly ilIckeriDg lights from the lanterns
and burning torches the Tailroaders had
IL took but icw seconds for tho train
men to appreciate the terrible results OF
tho explosion and messengers were
rushed oil Tor assistance.
Charles Rector, Of the ShurtlctT
mine, dcscribcs the explosion Rs FOL.
lows:
There were about fifty or sixty Of us
waiting FOR tho train. which was coming
up the track few hundred feet distant.
a number OF miners who had not yet
reached tho depot were running toward
It with their dinner buckcts in hand.
Tho traiD approached tho depot at II
moderate rntc and the crowd on tho
platform began to move around 80 IN To
secure points Of vintage in getting
aboard m sOOD IN the train stopped. Al
this moment II grent explosion occurred
right under our feet. Tho impact shook
the buildings IN the town and everything
became absolutely dark. a few mo.
mcnts later groans of men re hcnrd
and people came running from rCsidenc.
10 mud ainrcs to the scene. found my
acli uuiDj juICd. Tho depot, tho plntiOrm
and the surrounding objects were rent
:nto apliptCre Tho work oi rescue was
begun 1t once. Six badly wounded
mincrs were ricEcd up nj different
points near the prcnr. Tho dead wcrc
found after much difficulty. There wus
almost toinI darkness Ia the vicinity"
Tho whole district is up in arms over
the siropho and dangcr ~ further
trouble ia feared.
That the diahGlcnl crime was caro-.
fully il,atclIed md deliberately pcrpc.
trated, there ie now not tho shadow oi
II doubt.
a large quantity oi unrccognizablo
tcmains oi human beings wac uncover.
cd this morning nt II o'clock, ShcriiTs
burton aud Wilson and Understood
stood guard over the pile Of dcbris from
cnrly morning, In tho hope TINT upon
tho nrrivnl ni tho rnilrond workers somo
definite Glow To the nature oi the machine
might 10 discovered. Nothing wan
found however, except tho rear end Of
tho wirc which was uacd to explode tho
gun.
E,loodhOunds have been rcquiaitioncd
yOn CITY.
II wouIk seem likc futile attempt to
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