The San Francisco call., 1907-06-29
Tells of Retreat of Union
Men Under Bullet Rain
Leaders Testimony to Free Haywood
Suffers in Cross Examination
BY Oscar King Davis


conspiracy. The others were ex Off
eials OF the union, whose principal
business was to contradict Orchard.
Bill Easterly was the main one of this
class, and, to paraphrase the language
OF the Miners Magazine, he "joined the
olScredited class by the cross eXamina-
ton route" very promptly. Easterly
told graphic story of the day riot at
Victor following the blowing up of
the Independence depot and of his own
getaway from the district TO an accom-
paniment of spattering bullets fred by
the militia
D. c. Copley formerly a member of
the federation, was the last man on the
stand in the afternoon. AS with Eas
terlys his principal business was to
deny the charges of Orchard, to which
versations that he had had with
Orchard in San Francisco after the
Bradley explosion, and told of some of
the difficulties that he had experienced
as an organizer of the federation.
The federation demonstrated that ii
has q use for nonunion men by calling
one of them as a witness. This was
Thomas Wood, a Scotchman, who has
lived in Cripple Creek II years and
never Joined the union. Darrow used
him to help out the theory that the
Vindicator shaft explosion was an acci-
dent Wood swore very hard and had
an amazingly detailed and accurate
recollection OF what occurred in the
day and half that he worked at the
Nindicator.
The gist of his testimony was that
there had been a box of powder near
the shaft at the eighth level on the
morning OF the explosion, which Nc
Cormick and Beck might have had with
them at the time that they met death
g..
ence that il might have been this pow
der which caused the explosion
Joe Scholz testified that he had not
helped Orchard in his first Vindicator
attempt, thus corroborating Orchard,
who testified the other day that this
was not the Joe Scholz that he meant
This Joe admitted that there was
another Scholz in Cripple Creek, who
told him that he was a gun" man, but
who looked like a miner.
HOUNDS CALLED OFF
Three or four men who had little bits
of stories to tell about seeing the dogs
work at independence on the day
after the depot explosion completed the
days tale of witnesses. Their work
was to bolster up the theory that the
explosion was a mine owners plan
by showing that Sterling called on the
dogs.
position to know anything about
the conditions in the Cripple
Creek district during the strike
was called on TO describe the pro-
found peace and quiet that obtained
there until the militia came. AS man
after man Of those who were charged
by the state authorities with being
responsible for the crimes of violence
that occurred in the district at that
time comes on the stand and shows
himself to have been as innocent and
harmless as a little white rabbit, il
becomes more and more apparent that
the public has been tremendously de-
ceived as TO what really occurred
when the western federation Of miners
went on strike.
Darrow said in his opening speech
that the federation was a fighting or
ganization, but he is putting in hours
every day now showing that its true
policy was decidedly one Of nonre-
sistance. Its members, especially those
in control, were all white winged
angels Of peace. They preached it in
public and practiced it in private and
all the violence that occurred was the
work Of the devilish counter conspir-
scy OF the mine owners. The wicked
mine owners were even willing to go
so far as to kill off their own men,
superintendents, managers and shift
II only by that means they could dis
credit and destroy the peace loving
and peaceful federation.
This is the obvious inference from
the testimony that Darrow is bringing
out, but il is becomming evident that
there is lot of lily painting going
on in the process
EASTERLY ON STAND
For instance. Easterly. He is a thin
hatchet-faced man, with small, close
set dark eyes that CLEAN out from
under deep brows. Unlike the frank,
open hearted expression of Big Bill'
Davis, Easterly's is sinister and for
bidding. He was not as ratified as
Davis by Borsh's high speed cross
examination, but he was not in as
disicult q position his colleague and
did not have to protect himself against
admissions that might involve him in a
charge Of helping blow up the Bunker
hill and Sullivan mill.
Easterly got through the main part
Of the cross examination in fairly good
form, but just at the close of it was
betrayed by overanxiety into a con-
tradiction Of himself. Borah leaped at
il like terrier at rat and in two
minutes Easterly was f7oundering
and gasping in a web of ENHANCEMENT
from which he could not and did not
extricate himself Darrow came to his
assistance as best he could, but it was
too late. Easterly had Joined the down
and out society.
Darrow got so interested in his lily
decoration while examining Easterly
that he forgot himself little He
brought out very strongly. the ultra
peaceful character of the witness, who
told OF never hearing violent word in
a federation meeting except once when
a detective member attempted 30 make
q speech Easterly always counseIed
quiet and obedience to the law. He ad-
vised his men never to frequent sa-
looms oftener than was absolutely
necessary" He did not agree with Ed
Boyce about rifles and gun clubs. He
was all for the simple. quiet life.
But when the soldiers came to Victor
that day after IL nonunion men had
been blown up by the mine owners
plant, and they began to run the peace
ful federation men out over the hills
and out Of the country. it was Easterly
who, with 20 or 25 others Of the boys"
gathered in the city hall at Altman
and made a stand. They fought until
they were about to be surrounded and
- ~ Lee ~~~g4r l.