, 1907-11-01
EIGHT EMPLOYEES OF MILLBRook
LOAD UP ON WHISKY AND GO
ON RIOT WITH DEAD
" WEAPONS.
Threaten Lives Of Men Who Decline to
Join in Strike and Also Declare
They Will Kill Manager Beli-Ar-
rested on Way to City After Hav-
ing Dodsed OFFICERS on Outward
Trip-Now Being Tried.

Deputy Sheriff Emil Thirkeldsen
and County Attorney Downey returned
late yesterday afternoon from the
Millbrook ranch, bringing eight of the
men charged with the labor strike and
riot at the ranch night before last, and
they were arraigned in the Justices
court this morning, with Justice Hynds
presiding. The men are C. A. Gish,
Jim Boston, o. w. Sprouss, William
Ragan, Frank Devore, He'll Stone,
Fred McMahan and Fred Marsh.
They were accompanied to the city by
e. ]. Bell and w. w. Cook of the Mill
brook ranch, a negro driver having
beer employed by the men to get them
here in time, 1t is believed, to take a
train from the city last night.
overtaken on Way In.
The officers drove first to the Mill
brook ranch, but the men were not
there, having given them the slip, and
1t was not until the sheriff and attor-
ney had reached a point two or three
miles from town, on the return. that
the wagon was overtaken. the officials
occupying Goodale's touring car. Even
then the automobile had some diff
Guilty in overhauling the party, who
had urged the driver to "get there" as
quickly as he could. Upon overtaking
Marsh and his party. the eight were
placed under arrest and Deputy Sheriff
Thirkeldsen rode the remainder Of the
way to the city with them, placing
them in cells at the county jail.
Alleged Bad Men.
Some Of the men are said to have
declared that they would not be ar.
rested. but the attorney, the sheriff
and Mfr. Bell were well armed and de-
termined to land the men, and SO
there was no difficulty. They were
slated at the sherif's Office and sent
to their cells, no demonstration of re-
sistance coming from any of them.
Large Amount Of Whisky.
From the information impaired to
County Attorney Downey, Marsh, who
appears to have been the leader OF the
bunch, was here Wednesday, taking
with him when he returned to the
Blackburn ranch, a part Of the Mill
brook holdings, and which was the
abiding place of the men involved, four
quart bottles Of whisky and two Jug
fuls. This the men imbibed freely,
and before midnight they had become
greatly under the influence Of the
liquor. They then and there organized
a strike" formulating a strike and an
ultimatum to Mr.. Bell, demanding in
creased pay and a shorter work day,
insisting that they be not required to
go to work before 8 o'clock in the
morning. They went in to make the
strike a complete success by shutting
down the whole works"
Armed With an Axe.
Two Of the men are said to have
entered the room occupied by two
other employees, who we're not taking
part in the strike, and who had gone
to bed. These were told that II they
did not join the strike they would lose
their lives, one of the visitors bran
dishing an axe and threatening to
make short pieces Of their bodies If
they dared to go to work without the
consent of the strikers or to give the
alarm to Bell or his foremen.
Manager Menaced.
Mr.. Bell, however, was told yester-
day morning of the occurrence and
went at once to the Blackburn ranch,
laying down the rules of the ranch
concerning hours of labor and demand
ing that Marsh and his men go to
work. They again refused and M Of
them Is said to have threatened the
life Of the manager.
Bell telephoned to the city and the
officers FASTENED out, leaving here a
little after noon, but with few Of the
details of any tragedy. They we're
prepared for the contingency, and re-
turned with their men, having no
trouble in convincing all of them that
they should submit without effort.
Trouble Heretofore.
Mr.. Bell was quite indignant, as a
matter of course, and is looking close
ly after the prosecution of the men.
He says the men have been giving him
trouble heretofore, with their easy
way of getting through the day. He
says they took the work horses from
one ranch and rode them to another to
seek aid in Gripping the work of the
farm, turning the horses loose when
they were through with them. They
are charged with %felonious assault.
Being Tried All Together.
The trial Is Of the men in a bunch,
and had not been concluded at 4 this
afternoon. The witnesses are telling
some stories at variance with those
told to the officers yesterday, but the
prosecution Is striving to maintain
the %felonious assault and dire threats
against two Of the witnesses for the
state and Mr.. Bell.