The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-02-12

arrived first and were fired upon from
the strikers tent colony Tney re-
turned the fire. using "A machine gun
from the armored car. The deputies
from Trinidad. who arrived later. also
used their guns. After the fight We
learned that one man in the camp
had been killed No women or child
dren were endangered. az the strikers
before the battle removed them from
the colony and put them in q stone
house"
Chairman Foster put the witness
through searching examination re-
garding the employment Of Walter
Belk whom the chairman character
lied as "a sort of a travelling deputy
sheriff" There were several minutes
of vigorous sparring between the
chairman and the witness.
Isn't Belk the man you have
taken from place to place whenever
there IL a labor disturbance" de-
manded Mr.. Foster.
Felts denied that this was the case
where did you get the machine
gun you used In the armored carg"
asked Foster.
1t was sent to me from West Vir-
ginia." The witness added that IL was
one Of the weapons ;hat figured In the
congressional investigation Of the
West Virginia strike.
did anyone reimburse you for the
express you paid on the machine
gum"
Yes"
4 'Who7"
mir. Babeock, vice president and
treasurer Of the Rocky Mountain Fuel
company"
who owns these machine guns?'
Some OF them have been owned
by the Colorado operators"
Have these operators all been act
ing together"
They an have ben pursuing the
same course"
"Did they buy these guns"
"One of them was paid for by Mr..
fiahcock I don't know who paid for
the others"
You brought IN some ammunition.
.oo2"
Yes"
I who paid for ito"
Mr. Babcock paid for part Of IL.
| don't know who paid for the rest.
DO you know how much ammuni-
tion has been brought into Colorado
during this coal strike?
NO, cant say"
"As understand it," said Mr. Fos-
ter. you lever had any conference
with the operators about bringing in
guns. but they gave you authority 10
take what measures you thought best
for proectiong"
Well. assumed such authority
The witness admitted that one ma.
chine gun which had belonged to his
agency had been sold In southern
Colorado. This particular gun. he
said. now Is In Boulder county
Did your rHa have control OF the
operation ~ these ans In Colorado 20
asked Representative Evans.
Yes, our men had charge OF the
guns at Segundo. sopris. Berwind and
on the armored ear"
Then the guns are the property OF
the operators"
Yes"
And YOU are operating these guns
for the operators77'
Yes"
"ln all Instances these guns we're
placed on the property Of the oper-
Rtors 20
Yes. In the mining camps"
Representative Evans questioned
the witness about the machine gun
which was carried on the armored
car.
Felts admitted that although a resi-
dent of Denver. he holds deputy sher-
ifs's commissions Ia Hucrfano and
Las Animas counties.
did you dispose of the three or
four machine guns you shipped In be-
fore they we're used 2" asked Evans
$50 far as I know. only one OF these
guns ever was operated and that. I
think, was the property os the mine
owners"
DO you understand that the guns
now used by the militia are the ones
you shipped In and sold to the oper-
ators7"
II don't know, hut I understand
that those guns were turned over 70
the militia. e
Under vigorous questioning. the
witness declared that the machine
guns were imported only for the pur-
pose OF aiding In enforcement OF laws
and TO protect mines and workmen
and property"
"Thtre was a very serious condi-
tion there. gentlemen" he added.
There's NO doubt ~ that, and Il
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