The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-06-19
MINERS or BUTTE
WAR OVER UNION
MONTANA MINING CAMP rs PUT
UNDER ARMED RULE As A
RESULT OF RioTiNc.
seeeders From Miners Union Attack
Members During Parade and Garry
Fight TO Union Hall Where
They pemolish Furniture.

Butte. Mont--This city was on Sat
urday virtually under armed rule,
with its saloons, that have not been
closed In years, except on election
days, locked tight and with every
hardware store cleared of all It's arms
and ammunition by the police. as the
result Of the series or riots during
the day Miners Union day--the thir.
ty-fourth anniversary OF the estab-
iishment OF the union in this camp
The Miners union. with upward OF
5000 members. is divided against IL
self.
More than two thousand men have
refused to recognize the union furth
or, and under the leadership OF agitat
ors OF the Industrial Workers OF the
World, the seceders from the big
organization Saturday morning attack
ed the miners union parade. composed
Of more than half the labor bodies OF
the city.
President Bert Riley OF the union
the Parade Marshal Michael Conway
were knocked from their horses by
volley OF stones from the rioters
Other officers OF the union were chas
ed from the line OF march and took
refuge in the sherlffs office at the
courthouse.
The parade was broken up and the
speaking exercises in the theater
abandoned because OF the stormy
street SCENES the rioters moved on
the union hall in the center OF the
city. Every piece Of furniture in the
building was demolished and thrown
into the streets. A piano was thrown
| down a stairway; the books, records
and two safes OF the union were
thrown out. The ballot boxes contain
ing the $500 votes cast at the recent
| election OF union officers, which hao
not yet been counted, we're destroyed
and their contents emptied into the
street.
Alderman Frank Curran, acting
mayor OF the city, Socialist, went to-
the union haIl to appeal to the rioters
to dispense and was thrown from a
second story window to the pave
ment He was taken to the hospital
severely injured, The mob did not
cease It's work OF destruction until
| even the carpets In the big assembly
hall OF the union had been torn from
the floor and thrown into the street,
| A crowd OF 10000 persons witness
ed the demonstration Police and the
sheriffs deputies were powerless
Sheriff Driscoll went to the Miners
union hall, but soon returned to his
office in the court house when word
came to him that union officers had
taken refuge there and we're about
to be attacked by another section oil
| the crowd
| Chief or Police Murphy. during the
| midst OF the turmoil, sent ous a pa
troll OF officers to close the saloon
| Half dozen saloonkeepers who refus,
ed to obey were taken to jail. A warn.
ing was sent to the hardware stores
to secrete all guns and ammunition.
| II was also decided to call off q box.
ing bout scheduled for Saturday even.
ing.
At o'clock Sunday morning the
residence OF Patty Six Toes Casey,
an official Of the union and leader
of the conservatives, was dynamited,
/ Casey and his wife and three chill
dren were in the house but none were
injured. The windows were blown out
and perch blown off.
II Is also said that an attempt was
made at about the same hour to dy.
Mantle the home of Bert Riley. presi.
don't Of the Miners union, who lives
far out in the suburbs,
Order had practically been restored
on Sunday. Early in the afternoon a
crowd took two prisoners out of the
city Jail and later took possession OF an
aerial fire truck, which attempted to
move through the crowd ON false
alarm. The rioters climbed into the
machine, but. being unable to run il,
gave it back to the firemen, after
eautioning them not to attempt again
to run through the crowd in the
street.
A delegation visited the three news
paper offices and demanded that no
further mention be made derogatory
to the |. w. W.. and that the words
mob" and rioters not appear in
any newspaper story.
: II -