The Glenwood post., 1908-08-08
PASSING OF FORMER WESTERN
FEDERATION OF MINERS
OFFICIAL.
HAD BEEN ILL At BOISE.
INDICTED WITH MOVER AND HAY
WOOD IN STEUNENBERG
MURDER CASE.

Denver-Following an operation
from which he did not rally, George A.
Pettibone, prominently connected
with the Western Federation of Min
ers' troubles in Colorado, and one OF
three under Indictment IN the Idaho
courts on a charge of completely in
the death of Governor Steunenberg
of that state, died in ST. Joseph's nos
pital Monday night.
For more than year past his health
had been very poor, and for six months
prior to and during the trial of Charles
H. Meyer and William d. Haywood, he
was critically i'll in jail at Boise, Idaho.
Following the acQuittal of Meyer
and Haywood, Pettibone was released
from the Boise Jail, still under indict-
ment, and went to Los Angeles for his
health, the physicians in attendance
upon him believing that the change of
climate and scene would benefit him.
Some time ago he was brought to Den
yer at his own request, and was taken
to st. Joseph's hospital last week.
After a consultation of physicians
and surgeons an operation was decided
upon to save as last resort and on
Saturday it was performed. cancer
GUS growth near the liver was found.
His constant illness had SO debilitated
his system, however, that from the
first his recovery was scarcely hoped
for and he gradually failed in strength
until death came last evening. His
wife, who nursed and cared for him
tenderly during his incarceration in
the Boise jail, was at his bedside when
the end came.
Pettibone, who has been charged by
the government of Idaho, with having
hand in many of the infamous
crimes committed there in that state,
was born in Miles, Grove, Erie county,
Pennsylvania, forty-five years ago
When still young man he came west
and was known in the Coeur d'Alene
country, in northern Idaho, more than
fifteen years ago.
At that time he was prominently
connected with the Western federation
in that district, and the blowing up OF
the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine and
mill some twelve years ago was laid
at his door. He was tried in the Fed
eral District Court in Idaho on this
charge and was sentenced to the PEN
itentiary for one year. After serving
this sentence he came to Colorado
The blowing up of the Bunker Hi
mine was one of the first atrocious
crimes laid at the door of the fedora
ton. Through misunderstanding be-
tween the management of the COM
pany and the miners feeling of bit
terness was engendered, which re-
suited in open war being declared. The
mine and mill were closely guarded by
the company and an attack upon the
property by 1000 miners from sur
rounding towns and camps was re-
pulsed.
Pettibone, it was charged, person
ally planned and executed the blowing
up of the property by huge dyna-
mite bomb sent down a water flume
from point half a mile above the
mill.
When the miners troubles arose in
Colorado, Pettibone was ostensibly a
quiet merchant in Denver, but he was
charged by the Pinkerton detectives
with being the originator of an ex-
plosive composition more deadly than
dynamite and without the drawbacks
of nitroglycerine. In the miners par
lance this was known as "Pettibone
DOPE" or "Pettibones hell-fire."
Always cordial and of good appear
ance and address, Pettibone was ex-
ceedingly popular among the fedora
ton members and also had many
| friends in other walks Of life.