Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-07-17
RAMSEY REFUTES DAMAGING
TESTIMONY BY WOOT

l.. G. Ramsey an assayer of Victor,
Col, who was powderman in the Vim
dicator mine at the time Of the explo-
sion, was called in further rehuttal of
the witness Wood, whose testimony
was regarded as highly important as
tending TO Indicate that the occurrence
at the Vindicator was an accident.
Wood told Of seeing box Of dynamite
left on the water barrel in the eighth
level, and drew the inference that Me-
Cormick and Beck took this powder
with them to the sixth level. Wood
explained the finding of the remnants
of a pisto by saying Beck carried a
pistol.
In contradiction Of all this, Ramsey
declared today that during the time he
was In the mine he never saw a pist 1l
in the possession of either Beck or
Mccormick. All powder passed
through his hands, and he said ther4
was none on the eighth level.
Wood said Mccormick and Beck had
been on the eighth level Just before
going to the sixth. Ramsey contra
dicted this absolutely.
When Ramsey resumed the stand
after the noon recess he said he found
some forty per cent powder where
Beck and Mccormick were killed
On cross-examination Ramsey said
there was a water barrel on the ninth
level but not on the eighth. The only
powder regularly used in the mine
was thirty-five per cent.
Ramsey said that both Mccormick
and Beck had pistols in their offices Of
at home.
Attorney Richardson read exten-
sively from the testimony given by the
witness at the coroner's inquest follow
ing the explosion. In that testimony
Ramsey told of finding but one bundle
of powder In the Vindicator coal bins
He said today that there were two
bundles as a matter of fact.
Ramsey said that Mccormick, who
was killed, was his stepfather and he
was greatly excited at the time.
One of the jurors wanted to know
the witness age. He said he was %.
At the time of the explosion he was
lis.
Sheriff Rutan, Of San Miguel county,
Col, succeeded young Ramsey In the
witness chair and told Of a riot In the
Telluride district prior to the calling
ont OF the troops. The riot. he de-
clared, was led by Vincent ST. John, of
the Western Federation of Miners, and
he recognized many of the men in the
mob as members Of the federation.
The witness also told of the murder
of Arthur Collins, superintendent Of
the Smuggler-U Union mine, as one of
the Incidents which led up to declar-
alton of martial law.
In cross examining Sheriff Rutan,
Attorney Richardson said he wanted
to show who 1t was that combined to
fight the miners union.
when the strike was declared" he
asked the witness, isn't It fact that
the miners boycotted all the gambling
places, all the stores except Floton's,
and all the banks?"
Sheriff Rutan said he didn't know
that this was true. A. S. Flotan did
not belong to the citizens alliance. He
was afterward deported.
The witness told of a Mexican being
killed and James Phillips being shot
through the arm and beaten up. The
sheriff signed the request for the
troops Martial law was not declar ID
| for more than a month after the ar
rival OF the militia.
| Richardson asked a perfect hail OF
Questions as TO the character of varl-
Gus deputies on the sherlffs pay roll
i as to their being notorious gun-men,
etc. The questions were ruled out on
the ground OF lmmateriality
Sheriff Rutan said some Of his dep
uties were not on the pay roll He
did know OF his own knowledge that
they were paid by the mine owners.
AS court adjourned until tomorrow
morning at $3.50 Prosecutor Hawley
ANNOUNCED that the state would have
twelve witnesses on rebuttal. He anti
clpated that the examination OF
these would be lengthy.