Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-11-24

maps of the mine, heard the opinion
and advice Of everybody familiar
with the mine, Our only thought i:
to get out the bodies if within hu
man power That is all we can lool
forward to-
An order for troops TO guard the
string of sleepers and the private ear
IF President Earring was given by the
sheriff ai;er the rumors Of a plot tc
blow up tie train had frightened
many occupants of the cars. The
Monmouth company Of militia is held
in reserve at Monmouth ready for an
emergency.
Sheriff Skoglund at dus'. asked the
railroad officials to move the troop
cars up beside the special cars, which
are serving as a temporary hotel.
Il want to assure everybody thar
they will be protected" said the sher-
if. 81 intend to have the protection
which has been provided where It
might be most needed.
Regarding the rumors of threats
of secret societies meetings and such
things of alarming nature, I have
nothing to say. You have watched
matters here and can judge for your.
selves that l would be foolish to leave
the mine and people here unprotect-
ed
So as the soldiers were eating their
suppers the engine picked up their
train, and the days of idleness ceased
When the troop train arrived at the
mine, Captain Hall ordered one com.
pany to guard the cars and another
the mine.
The troops at night took possession
of the ground beneath which the bod
les of 300 are buried and over which
the survivors hitherto were permit
ted to tread unmolested. The sol
diers remained quietly in the cars
Their presence excited no comment.
Grief and anger were unchecked by
the officers of the law as they in
creased all day. Not even when an
orator mounted the sand-sealed shaft
did the deputies interfere or soldiers
appear. The sheriff alone Gained
the situation.
The climax came when James With
erell, veteran, from Ladd, leaped to
the ehaft end harangued the crowd of
weeping women and sullen men.
Witherell condemned the action OF
the authorities since the disaster. He
made no threats, but fierce interjec-
tions by members of the audience re
vealed the feeling against the mine
owners and state officials.
THE men were buried alive" shout
ed Witherell. "They were alive
Monday night, but died when these
mine experts shut off the air. Can a
man breathe through four feet OF
sand?
~ tell you they were crucified'
Charging the mine experts with ig.
norance of the way to save the mems
lives, saying their deaths were due
to carelessness and blunders. Wither-
ell asked, What does a man from
college know about mine? Men who
own this hole know nothing about il
except the figures they get from the
men under them.
"And what are these experts do
ing?" asked young man in The audi
ance.
They are eating and sleeping in
cars" replied another.
Yes, they are eating while they
smother these men to death and re
fuse these poor women food" said
another
Witherell's talk evidently was ex-
citing the hearers and the crowd was
| increasing when the sheriff induced
Witherell to go away.
Children Among the Dead.
That boys under age are among the
dead was proved to his own satisfac
ton yesterday to State Factory In
| spector Davies
IN one case the child victims moth
er apparently had lost her reason, and
the state officials will try to fix the re
sponsibility for violation of the Law
| in this case, which is that of Mrs
! Charles Howard, whose 15-year-olt
| son is in the mine.