United labor bulletin., 1914-12-19


bring such an action.
In the six years during which the
predecessor of the present district judge
occupied the BENCH he declared. a
personal injury case against coal com
pany was never allowed to 90 to 4
jury. 1t was dismissed by the court.
Sc frequently did this occur that law
yers generally abandoned the bringing
OF actions in the Third judicial district
and filed them either in Denver or IN
Pueblo"
Colorado coal fields, Hendriek declared.
he thought principally attributable 20
such methods "a this
is there general feeling that the
courts of Huermano county do not prop
erlv perform their function - asked
Commissioner Gsrret~on.
That has been generally charged
the district attorney responded.
Most OF the juries are impaueled
from non-Engli-h speaking people and
the interpreters are appointed by the
courts Sometimes there are two or
three Interpreters, and by the time the
proceedings are finished am con-
vineed the Jury doesn't know anything
about what i going on
Trial of Five Deputies.
tttinlf1cN Ht--EIintu the lftIl OF LAe
five deputy sheriffs arrested in connec-
ton with the Seventh street fight IN
Walsenburg The hearing. in which
murder WAS charged, occupied. he as
serted. three hours and IL out OF the II
jurors were MeNicans- The Jury brought
in verdict of not guilty
Was the community satisfied ;"
asked Chairman Frank p Walsh.
No said Hendriew. 1T was not
The prosecution OF mine guards he
admitted. had never been satisfactory
They are generally acquitted" he
said
How asked Walsh.
-on the theory that they are peace
officers acting in the discharge OF their
duty Hendriek replied.
.See Chase" Wires Ammons
Hendrick charged directly that the
coal corporations participated in the
selection OF luries.
In capital cases. he testified. tho
regular venire is always exhausted ani
special, venire. to be picked by the
sheriff. is ordered. have never know.
judge to order a special venire drawn
from the regular jury box as long as
have practieed in those courts
Hendriek said he had attempted ~
three occasions TO find out whether mar
tial law had been declared in the SOUTH
ern coal fields. 80 as to know whether
he had 4 right to proceed with the reg
ular conduct of the affairs OF his Of
flee In each case, he asserted. he had
been referred by the governor to Adju-
tant General Chase.
Got Five Men Released
He declared that he had been instu,-
mental in securing the release OF five
I -
testified. had been re-arrested by the
militia at the instance OF James F. Me
2 Glaughlin. brother-in-law of the gov
ernor, who was also the superintendent
of q mine.
~ln my absence from Trinidad he
I said. Chase called my son over the tel
ephone. cursed and abused him. and told
him he would throw him in Jail if he
ever allowed such thing to happen
again
The district attorney testified that
the citizens of Las Animas county re-
manned quiet when the militia wa,
in the field. because they Were afraid
if they expressed their opinions thar
they would be imprisoned and held in-
communicated
Lieut. t~Montie'l w F. Linderfelt OF
the state militia described the battle OF
Ludlow and told the commission he had
struck Louie Tikas. leader OF the Lud-
low Greeks. over the head with his gun
stock because Tikas had called him a
vile name
DO YOU think an officer is justified
in striking a prisoners" asked Chair
man Walsh.
Il think any man is justified in strik-
ing smother when he is called such a
name as Tikas applied TO me-" Linder-
felt declared.
/ He said he had saved Tikas' life when
members of his command wished to
/ hang him.
Announced Martial Law.
"Wbo announced the martial law first
prevailed in the Ludlow district - asked
7 Commissioner Walsh.
Il did" replied Linderfelt
As special deputy sheriffsv
No; as an officer OF the National
Guard. had held that position for
about two years"
Later Linderfelt amended his state.
ment to read that he had supposed that
General Chase had proclaimed martha.
law immediately after the fighting
around Ludlow broke out. He said that
he had been in constant communication
with the general during all of the time
the fighting was in. progress.
As matter OF fact no evidence was
produced to show that martial law wa,
ever legally proclaimed.