Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-07-25
Rebuttal
Witnesses
Prosecution Puts Its Last Witnesses
on the Stand A Colorado Sher.
iff Defends Anarchy

+. G.. Holman, superintendent OF the
vindicator mine at Cripple Creek, was
brought mp by the state TO tell of the
aggression of the miners in that dis
strict. He told of their picketing
when on strike, said men that would
not work would not let others that
wished to; gave the ordinary tale of
woe that employers have whenever
those who do their work try TO better
their conditions. Such as he resent
the activity Of labor because il incon-
veniences them. They give the com
plants of their side of the PROPOSE
tion. Their grievances represent the
irreconcilable struggle between the in
terest of those who are paid and those
who do the paying. This struggle can
never cease till these relations cease.
The compensation for labor will be
forced to some different basis.
Holman admitted he was a member
of the mine owners association, and
contributed money to the citizens al
lance. He said the commission that
sat upon and reported the men was
appointed by the governor. The mine
owners association raised funds and
bought the state governments paper,
that is its certificates in order to furn-
ish money for the military.
The working class have lot to 10
with government as the bosses run
it. It's wonder they wouldn't quit
supporting it and try to get a govern
ment of their own.
j. G. Ruton, who had been the sher-
III at Telluride for a number of terms,
was the biggest trouble that the state
has got hold of. They had supposed,
since he had been sheriff during all the
tronblous times that he cnpld tell -
tale whose revelations would simply
clinch the worst accusations against
the miners. From the beginning of
his testimony the defense attorneys
made him look like thirty cents. He
was a most melancholy example of
konw-nothingism. When questioned
closely he could tell nothing of his
own knowledge. He undertook TO tell
about the awful actions Of the miners,
but had seen none of them. lie went
TO tell about the murder of Arthur
Collins. but admitted he was not in
town at the time. His hear-say testi-
mony was the occasion for bitter fights
among the attorneys. Even Hawley
lost patience with his own witness and
reproved him sharply. He would be
hit by Richardson on one side, by
Hawley on the other, and by the judge
in front, who said he never should
have been put upon the stand.
The fact was that Ruton. while in his
official position, had permitted all the
outrages to be inflicted upon the
miners without even trying to enforce
the law, and he was afraid to make
any admission of his own criminal acts.
But in spite of his failure of memory
Richardson pulled it out of him that
he had made the mine managers, bank
ers and gamblers deputies, but not a
single miner He called for troops at
the request of Bulkley Wells, Wheeler
and Chase.
Richardson made a scathing arraign-
ment Of his official sins while in Of
fee, and he took il in very embar-
rassed way. He couldn't even remem.
Der the vagrancy act by which union
men were arrested and made to work
on the streets, or that his deputies had
beaten Floaten and RICHARDSON over the
head When asked if he did anything
TO restore order over these fendish acts
Of the mob he admitted he did not.
He didn't know Riddell was n de-
tective, although he was always favor
ed when the other men were assailed.
lie knew nothing about Bob Medium
or Willard Reynolds being gun men,
or where they came from, although he
made them deputies the very day they
got into town.
His evidence was so rank that il has
made him the laughing stock of the
town.
Bulkley Wells and Bob Naylor are
here again.
The perjury trials against defense
witnesses are being pushed. Cyr Aller
was on trial to-day in the justice court.
He is out on bonds ID. @. Scott, the
railroad detective, is the chief com
plainant. DR.. Magee has been brought
here from Wallace. His trial takes