United labor bulletin., 1914-10-03
BOB UHLICH FREE
and VISITSDENVER
Released From Trinidad Jail
on $4,000 Bond
Victim Of Gar Chase and Operators
Detective Gang Attends Meeting Of
State Federation Board Here

Bob Uhlich was in Denver last Satur-
day and Sunday attending a meeting of
the Colorado State Federation of Labor
executive board, OF which he is a regu-
larly elected member. 1t was the first
time since chosen for the office by a
referendum vote that he has had the
privilege of being present, for before the
vote had been canyassed and announced
Bob was arrested and thrown into the
Las Animas county jail at Trinidad and
held without bail on the charge of
murder" in connection with the coal
strike Since last November he has
been victim OF the Baldwin-Feltz de-
tectives employed by the Colorado coal
operators to break the strike. As pres
ident of the Trinidad Coal Miners Union
and vice president of the State Fedora
tion of Labor his influence among the
miners was too strong to please the
operators, so he was charged with kill
ing a mine guard. one perhaps he never
saw. and conveniently charged with
murder" Perhaps the way the free
miners voted solidly against all the C.
+. 4 l. candidates in the recent pri-
mary election caused the head office in
Denver TO think perhaps they might
pacify and eajole some OF these men by
ordering Uhlieh's release on bond At
any rate Judge AlcHendrie OF the Las
Animas District Court surprised every,
body by making his bail for murder
$4,000, which was quickly secured and
Bob was a free man after ten months
in Jail, a part of it solitary confine-
ment During this time he was put
through every form OF brutal third de-
gree torture in an attempt to make him
Confess something that would inerim-
mate higher officials of the United
Mine Workers, but Bob stood the gait
and refused to tell lie that would
relieve him from torture
Greeted by Friends in Denver.
Soon after being released from isl-
Uhlich boarded train for Denver. At
headquarters of the United Mine Work
ers and State Federation of Labor in the
German-American Trust building he was
warmly greeted by host of friends,
many of whom accosted him as
'sTorchey," by reason of his generous
supply of flaming red hair. He was
looking the prince OF happiness when
The Bulletin man met him there. ana
said it was worth a world of suffering
to discover so many warm friends and
Frank Miner, president of the Trinidad
Trades Assembly, also a vice president
of the State Federation
International Organizer Peter German,
indicted for murder on nine counts, was
released with Uhlich on similar bond
OF $4,000. Bob stands indicted for the
murder of Alexander and Thomas
Wheatley, brothers and mine guards,
who We're killed during the reign of
terror inaugurated by Adjutant General
Chase soon after Governor Ammons or
-.
strike zone.
Organized Southern Coal Miners.
Robert Uhlich is one of the outstand-
ing figures in the Colorado strike.
When the Mine Workers first decided
to reorganize the southern coal counties
they found movement already undel
way and locals established, differed by
Robert Uhlich and Mike Livoda- These
locals were holding charters from the
Western Federation of Miners, but they
We're maintained principally through the
bulldog persistence of Uhlich and Livo-
da- Having kept for several years a
spirit of uuionism alive in Las Animas
against the most violent kind of oppo-
sition, it is small wonder that Uhlich
attracted the hatred of the operators
he had defied. Uhlieh was not one that
haunted the soft-cushioned seats of an
office, but taking his life in his hands
he invaded the camps, where live the
miners. and where the preliminary work
OF organization always has to be done.
For days at time he was in these man
traps of the union-hating corporations,
where to be found meant at least Sc.
we're beating and possibly worse.
When he wasn't organizing he spent
his time in reading and preparing foI
greater usefulness to his fellows His
fearlessness bordered on foolhardiness, il
being almost impossible to make him
believe that there existed danger TO,
him more than another. Naturally, after
several years spent among these people
he had large following, and it was
this influence the operators have tried
to ALLEVIATE by holding him prisoner
While Chase was in control of the strike
zone Uhlieh was held incommunicado.
without any charges being filed against
him, which formaiity was not complied
with until civil rule was again initi-
ated.
Uhlich returned to Trinidad Monday
afternoon to again take up his work as
president of the local union there.