The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-09
PITCHED BATTLE
WITH UNION MEN
WAS FOUGHT IN COLORADO
MINERS OPENED FIRE UPON GEN
BELLS FORCE.

One Union Miner Was Killed and
Fourteen of the Opposing Force
Were Captured by Bells Men-Spe-
DunnviIIe, Where 1t Was Reported
a Large Force of Armed Miners
Had Gathered-Miners Opened
Fire.
Victor, Col. June 8.-A pitched bat
tie between the military and union
miners was fought at Dunnville, the
new mining camp thirteen miles out of
Victor, shortly after 3 o'clock this aft
ernoon. John Carley, union miner,
was killed. The troops returned to
Victor at o'clock tonight, bringing
with them fourteen captives.
Before the special train left Victor,
bearing the force under Gen. Bell, it
was reported that the miners in the
hills about Dunnville numbered about
$50 men and that it was their intention
to march into Victor tonight in a
body and attempt to liberate by force
the inmates of the temporary bull
pen' in Victor. That the force actual
ly consisted of but twenty-one men is
the statement of one of the fourteen
men who were captured by the militia.
The train proceeded to the immedi
ate vicinity of Dunnville without un-
usual incident. When about a quarter
of a mile distant from the Dunnville
temporary station the officers could
see the camp of the miners. 1t in
cluded one cabin and six or seven
tents.
The officers left the train at the COM
mand of Gen. Bell and prepared to ad-
vance upon the camp of the unionists
in regular skirmish order AS they
emerged from the cut in which the
train had come to a stop they were
greeted with a volley of shots, which
came from points of vantage sur
rounding the hills. The deputies re-
turned the fire and promiscuous shoot
ing was engaged in for period of ten
minutes.
From the character of the shooting
from the hills Gen. Bell recognized
the fact that the strength of the
miners had been greatly overesti-
mated and that he had sufficient force
under his command to make an i'm
mediate round up arl5 capture the en-
tire opposing force. Accordingly he
divided the deputies and soldiers into
seven detachments and these set out
TO make a complete clean up of all the
surrounding hills.
Coroner Doran being informed that he
would not be permitted by the military
authorities to proceed with the inquest
or to act as coroner in this county, re-
linquished the office during the day
and discharged the jury which he had
summoned. The inquest will be con-
Quoted by George Hall, who has been
appointed coroner by the county
board.
Gen. Bell to-day appointed a COM
mission to try all prisoners. The COM
mission is composed of Mayor French
of Victor, Capt. Gail Hoag, Colorado
National Guard, and Judge M. Gray.
THE prisoners will be treated fair
ly,' said Gen. Bell. 1T is not my de-
sire to inflict upon any of them pun
as fast as this is practicable they will
be sent away or placed in the class
that will be held indefinitely. 1 in
tend that every man innocent of the
crimes that have been perpetrated in
the district shall go free and every one
who is guilty shall be punished. / in
tend to have matters in shape within
a few hours, so that every business
house and every mine in the district
can open and proceed with business
unmolested."
Was "a Boom Camp.
Cripple Creek, Col, June S.-Dunn-
vile sprang into prominence last week
when it was reported that enormous
quantities of free gold had been dis
covered, and there was an immediate
rush to the place by union men, who
declared that no others should be per-
mitted in the camp. All others were
barred. But the camp was of mush-
room growth, and the thousands who
encamped there in the first two days
of its existence dwindled away fifty
or 100 day.
Gen. Bell has expressed the opinion
that the camp was nothing but de-
coy and would be used by the miners
as a base of operations.
Dunnville is about twenty miles
south of here and is said to be in Free
mont county, which has not been de-
clared by the Governor to be in a state
Of insurrection, and rebellion.