Amador ledger., 1904-08-05

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derai train carrying non union min
ers, resulted not only in the retentio
OF the troops at Cripple Creek, but in
the Increase Of their number to $50
men.
The State Commissioner of Mines,
after an investigation of the Vindicator
explosion. declared that it was a pre-
meditated attempt to destroy that part
OF the mine. The militia arrested
three mem bers of the Federation, who
were formally charged with the mur-
der of the Vindictor victims.
The estimate at this time was that
100 mines throughout the State were
closed down and that 10, 600 miners were
idle. The situation moreover, was
growing steadily worse. On Dec.
Governor Peabody issued a proclama-
ton suspending the writ of habeas cor
pus throughout the State, declaring
Teller county to be in a condition of
insurrection and martial law to be in
force.
Strikers were arrested by the militia
for vagrancy and told that they must
either go to work or leave. A vigor-
GUS press censorship was instituted, and
the property of a newspaper was seiz-
ed on the ground of having melted re-
volt.
Meanwhile the Miners Committee
declared its leaders innocent of any
wrongdoing, and branded the Cover
nor and his minions" as anarchists.
They also appealed to President Roose-
velt for protection against what they
called the Governors tyranny,
About this time Governor Peabody
barely escaped assassination in the
Cripple Creek district through an at
tempt made to throw over an embank-
ment an electric car ON which he was
riding. The pilot car was actually
destroyed.
The strike in the southern coal fields
continued, and troops had been station
ed at Trinidad, but vigorous measures
restored quiet at this and other points,
and on Feb, 6, 1904, martial law was
entirely suspended.
March had not passed, however,
until martial law was again establish
ed at Trinidad and Telluride, 'Mother
Jones" an active strike agitator from
the East, finding she was to be deport-
ed from Trinidad, escaped to "a neigh
boring State.
Early in April President Meyer, of,
the Western Federation, was arrested
and held by the militia at Telluride.
The local Judge issued writ of habeas
corpus against General Bell, who was
in command of the troops, directing
that Mr.. Meyer be surrendered to the
civil authorities. The militia refused
to surrender him, and the contention
was carried to the State Supreme
Court.
Subseq uently, on June 6, the Su-
preme Court rendered decision as to
the duties and power of the Goverhor.
This was to the effect that the Cover
nor had power to order out the militia
to suppress insurrection and to deter
mine when and where such insurrec-
tion existed; that in overcoming armed
and riotous resistance the militia could
kill if necessary, or could capture and
hold rioters prisoners until the insur-
rection was suppressed; that the Gov
ernor, in employing the militia to sup
press an ins9rreetion, acted in a civil
capacity; that President Meyer was
lawfully arrested by the military
authorities while the work of suppress
ing the insurrection in San Miguel
county was in progress; and that his
restraint until the insurrection was re-
pressed was not illegal.
Since this President Meyer has been
delivered to the Cripple Creek officials
on charge duplicating him in the
November explosion at the Vindicator
mine.
Meanwhile, Cripple Creek had been
so quiet that martial law was not es-
tablished there in March, and by the
middle of April the last remaining
troops were Withdrawn, while the
mines were reported as working at
nearly full capacity.
The position of the Western Fedora
tion. however, was apparently growing
desperate, and the Executive Commit
tee issued an intlammatory appeal to
the people, saying, among other things,
that 'The time for peace when there
can be peace has passed away, and the
hour for heroic and determined action
has come"
Ihs early morning of June 6-the
Gay on which the decision of the Su-
preme Court was Observation-Disclosures
the explosion which has so aroused the
entire country. An Internal machine
OF similar construction to that used in
the Vindictator shaft in November,
had been placed under the platform of
the Independence Station. This was
exploded just as the platform became
crowded with men returning from their
work on the night shift of the mines
in the neighborhood, eleven non-union
miners being killed outright and seven
others severely injured,
One hundred and sixty of the militia
were Immediately ordered out, and an