The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-29
DENIES COLORADO
MILITIA WAS BRUTAL
Major BoughtOn Gives Guards
mems Version to Federal
Commission.
JUDGE LINDSEY HEARD
Predicts More Trouble il Fed
cral Troops Are Not
Returned.
JUDGE LINDSEY HEARD

Major Edward ]. Boughton. who com
manded "a battalion Of Colorado National
Guardsmen during the mine strike and
was later appointed by Brighten John
Chase a member Of the committee to
Investigate the burning of the Ludlow
cent colony presented the militlas side
Of the Colorado mine war before the
Federal Commission on Industrial Rcla-
tons yesterday IN the City Hall. Major
Boughton Is judge advocate for the milf
tary district Of Colorado. His testimony
was denial of the charge that the State
militia had been brutal and had massacred
women and children in the Ludlow colony.
He was frank to say that the officer
who attacked Louis Tikas. the strike
leader. had ovcrstoppcd his rights and
that his action was iUeNecus1ble. but he
also said that the national guardsmen,
instead OF being cruel risk q tncig lives
TO rescue the women and children In the
tented district after the fire had been
started by bullet and later spread by
the soldiers.
Much OF the testimony OF Mrs. Pearl
jolly and Mrs. Mary Hannah Thomas.
wives OF striking miners. was fatty con-
tradicted by Major Boughton. After the
Major finished has testimony Judge Ben
ID. Lindsey Of Denver. who was respon-
sible Tor bringing the women East. asked
for permission TO deny some things the
officer said. Judge Lindsey made "A state
ment on behalf of the strikers and said
far bigger storm was coming unless the
operators became fair.
The underlying cause OF the Ludlow
battle said Major Boughton. was the
presence there of three dIscordant ela-
ments-strikers. soldiers and mine guards
all fostering deadly hatred. The i'm
mediate cause OF the battle was an at
tack upon the soldiers by the Greek in
habitants of the colony. who misin-
terpreted movement OF troops on "A
nearby hill.
"A military detail went to the colony to
demand the release OF man said to be
detained by the strikers. The man was
not delivered. Hot words passed between
the soldiers and the strikers. When the
detail left the Greeks against the protest
OF their leaders ran for their guns and
threatened to fight Major Hammock
brought the detachment from Cedar Hin
down to Water Tank Hill In plain view
OF the colony preparatory to searching Tor
the alleged prisoner.
"EXcitable women. seeing the troops
and nervous over the action Of the Creeks
rushed into the colony screaming that the
soldiers were about to make an attack
Thereupon the Greeks filed out OF the
colony to railroad cut and soon after
hred the H"st shot In the battle against
the soldiers"
'Th D. was no Ludlow massacre" he
children who died In tents were smothered.
The only non-combatant in the tent colony
Killed by bullet was a small child. The
bullet which struck him came from the
direction OF n company of miners. The
guards took UP subscription for the
childS father. who was frantic with grief
'The miners themselves were guilty of
atrocities one guardsman who was shot
by miners was afterward found with his
arm broken and his face crushed"
Major Boughton denied that machine
guns were used against the tent colony.
He said the tents would have been de-
stroyed anyhow, but that some of the hot
headed men rushed among them and
spread the flames. Most of the guards
men, he said. went bravely to the rescue
Of the women and children. exposing
themselves to the fire of their own COM
rades in many instances. The Greeks,
who preclpitated the fighting. had no
women and children to worry about, he
added. The latter rushed into the protec-
ton Of an arroyo In the rear of the
colony. some taking shelter in pits and
caves under tho tents. Twenty-Five were
saved in this way.
Says Guardsmen Rescued Children.
Major Boughton continued that the
militia had gone into the mine district
with friendly spirit toward the strikers.
but that their neutrality was not recog-
nised. He said there was no gross I'M
fairness against the miners at the time
Of the strike and that when II was called
the miners were enjoying all the cond-
tions demanded except recognition OF the
union lie believed that a sullen. resent
full peace would have been obtained with
Federal aid. He admitted that there was
n common belief that the guard officers
we're controlled by the mine operators He
also admitted visiting rs Broadway. He
denied. however. that he was emDlOyad nv
the mine operators, although he said he
received an annual retainer from a gold
mining company for legal work.
Judge Lindsey demanded tina. he be
examined as soon as Major Boughton
left the witness chair. He said he was
n citizen of Colorado and wanted to deny
foughton's statements. Referring to the
officers assertion that mine strike
leader had declared that $4,000 men were
pledged to fight the troops. Juduge Lind
Bey said the man had merely stated that
such would happen II the murder OF wo-
men and children should be repeated. He
denounced the head of the mine owners
association, defended the strikers and re-
lterated the Ludlow massacre charges
Judge Lindsey said he believed a settle
ment of this trouble would be only tempo
rary. mir. Rockefeller has refused to hear
me-" he said, but there will be a repeti-
ton of the Ludlow incident II the Federal
troops are not returned to Colorado
He charged the mine owners with unfair
ness, and said the military investigator
was Joke.
In II statement issued later in the day
Major Boughton explained that his visit
to the East was undertaken TO presen,
on behalf of the Governor Of Colorado the
true facts about the military occupat ion
Df the strike zone. lie said the peopl,
In the East have not the true view OF
thngs and that the case has b en- mis-
represented. lie said that Gov. Ammons's
sole purpose was to settle the strike anu
20 avoid b.oodshed and that the Gov
ernor was tireless in that endeavor.
MADERO CHILD INJURED.