Albuquerque morning journal., 1914-12-10
HOW DEPUTIES
WERE SELECTED
BY THE SHERIFF
No QuostionSa Asked in Colo
rado Mine War as to Char
actef of1Mtn Employed 10
Guard Properly

~ the request uf II. II. MaftesOn d.
YlNion superntendehtE0 the Colorado
fuel 4 Iron Co These men were
aimed and paid by the company. Tho
sheriff made no effort 10 learn II they
We're eitizens If tho state. or how Ions
they had been IN the state. lie hired
them as they asked for work" This
was between january ! and Septen-
her J., 1918. The strike WAS called
september 23. 1918. such was the
testimony df Sheriff Farr before the
federal commission Of industrial re-
lntiuns today.
So far az YOU know then" asked
Chairman Walsh Of the commission,
"a red-handed murderer might have
been among them land. been given a
commission p -
80 far as | know echoed Mr..
Farr. L. A
M Rooscveif-Iikc Head. i
Sheriff Farf Is short. thick-set eorf
spulsnt, but agile. He wears gold spec-
taeies. over deep SET blue eyes that
seem 10 squint slightly His head Is
Rdosevelt-lik and his hair Is light
auburn, waving. A toothpick twitehed
nervotsly from under Il scraggly mus
tache as he took tho stand.
lie had been sheriff for fifteen
years. lie wass.a man OF varied inter-
ests, bank director. some saloon in
tefests owned city property at Wal
senburg. WAS Interested in mining
and stock raising. lie submitted n list
Of deputy sheriffs he mad been asked
to bring, covering the period between
January | and September /, 1913, and
II list Of men hired between SeRtem-
her ! and October s. 1918.
Made No Investigation.
In active service since the federal
troops arrived. he had had four dep
uties. as allowed by the federal com
mander
Were any appointed without ex-
animation as ia their fitness, compe-
mo. 1 didn't examine any of
them.
lie did not know II any Of the COL
orado Fuel q Iron Co. employees were
appointed deputies He sent the men
to the mines Ia protect the mines and
property. lie WAS neutral toward the
conflict. Union organizers We're un-
disturbed in Huerfano county. John
H. Lawson, executive board member
for Colorado of the United Mine
Workers, had been arrested at Wal
senbnfg for carrying concealed wea=
pons, but that had been by city
lie was sentenced 90 thirty
days. appealed and the matter was
dropped.
Selection of Coroner's Juries.
Coroners iuries We're selected by
the coroner. and not TO his knowledge
had mine superintendents assisted In
selecting jurors. He conceded he
might have appointed two or three
gun men,
lie said it would have been useless
to attempt to organize posse TO
duell the miners for no one would
have responded. A thousand miners
had marched through the streets, He
had but three deputies. It was eem-
mon talk they intended 20 Kill him.
They never attempted 1t.
Il did not give them an opportu-s
nifty" he said Il attended to my own
business. Stayed at home,
This list shows a26 men he said
we're deputy sheriffs between January
and September /, 1918" began Mr.
Walsh. "before the strike was call
ID"
I'VE expected II strike" said Farr
No Question Of Citizenship.
4 see Il great manx foreign names
IN the list. Wash continued. Were
hey examlnga As to citizenship mi
The eountysfff
NO" replied Farr.
"a man asked for work and ! gave
/ to him r
aIIew many o. them worked for
he company
Mr. Farr did not know.
you knew the coal operators paid
'or them2n
MIR. Farr said he did not but the
county never paid them.
Mr. Matteson Of the Colorado Fuel |
( Iron Co, asked me TO send depu-
les to the mines and | did Il.
who furnished the afms2
eThey were furnished By the coal
! don't remember If all |
he deputies were armed. ! furnished /
good many
''Where did yon get them I"
Mr.. Farr could not remember.
Uncertain as 10 Arms
Mr.. Walsh turned to the list Of +
leputy sheriffs. seventy~ilve IN all, i
lired between September ! and oc- /
ober Is.
They must have been armed Z" T
earr commented.
Between ranaary and September |
/. men We're coming and golng, he /
aid lie did not know what became |
i their arms. They were mot sur
to him lie did not remem- I
ler talking with the company. but /
le understood that the n1en were I
,aid ss.ho per day
Didn't Mr. Matteson tell youa the 4
Was paving them
Mr. Farr remembered that he /
houeht he had an understanding.
So man might have been fresh, /
cd handed from a murder and sc-
ured a commission SO far as your /
was concerned you (
made no examination as to qualifica- +
ion and they were paid By the COM
,anyg These sa6 men were armed /
md turned loose on yDur community, /
'eforc the strike summed up Mr..
Walsh.
"They weren't turned loose, they 4
we're sent 70 the niness persisted 1
rarr rThey We're to report 70 me OF 1
my violence"
John McQuarrie, former under /
heriff Of Huerfano county ana
l, Patterson, deputy clerk Of the dis /
riet court 1T Walsenhurg preceded i
farr on the stand
Dependent Upon Company.
MeQuarfie at hreSenl - special
gent Of the Colorado southern rail-
way. had resigned after misunder-
tandlng with Farr. he testified. Dur
ng his service under Earr. the office Il
Il the sheriff was dependent polite
lily and industrially. upon the Colo-
ado Fuel u Iron Co. CarOners 1uries Il
he coroner in conference with mine 4
after which the dep
lty sheriff served summons In dam
lge cases. oa.she sgd 4ha= Injured