The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-05-08
PUT QUESTION UP
TO STRIKING men
PERSUASIVE TACTICS ARE BEING
USED ON COLORADO MINERS
TO SECURE ARMS.
MANY COMPLY WITH ORDER
Scores of Warning Laborers Have Al
ready Delivered Munitions Into
Hands of Federal Officers as
Asked by President.

Trinidad, Col, May THE ques-
ton of delivering the arms of striking
coal miners to the United States army
has been put up to the men them
selves, according to an announcement
made by union men here. The deci-
sion came at the end of conference
between William Diamond and Robert
G. Bolton, strike leaders, and Colonel
! James Lockett and Major W. A. Hol-
brook.
Leaders to Urge Men.
Diamond declared that the union
| leaders would urge the strikers to
| comply with the proclamations of the
president and secretary of war and
| turn their guns over to the army off,
GERS.
1T must, however, be understood
that the guns do not belong to the
union; they belong to the men them
selves" he added. IF we should or
der the strikers to bring their guns
| to headquarters and turn them over
to us we would not get 10 per cent of
them. We shall explain the situation
| to the men and use our influence with
them to obtain obedience to the presi-
dents proclamation, that is as far as
we can co.
Mass Meetings Held.
The union leaders announced mass
| meetings at the San Rafael tent col
| ony and at Starkville attended by
union officers and by Major Holbrook
| and other officers of the army. The
| demand Of the secretary of war for
| the surrender of arms was explained
to the strikers, and they were urged
| to deliver up their guns.
Colonel Lockett declined to say
| what measures he would take if the
men failed to turn in the guns.
Many Guns Turned Over.
With many of the arms of the mine
| guards already in possession of the
| United States troops and with the
guns at various other mines stacked
in the offices, ready to be turned over,
the attitude of the strikers on the
| subject of disarmament became of
paramount Importance. United States
1 y -,
| Aguilar, Walsenburg and Trinidad.
| More troops are arriving.
| Reports to the Office of the Colorado
Fuel & Iron company from Huerfano
county said that 80 rifles had been
turned over to the troops at Rouse. IL
rifles and 10 revolvers at Lester and
80 rifles at Walsen. Receipts were
given by the army officers, but Mr..
Mateson said the company had no as
surance the weapons ever would be
| returned.
Men Have Cannon.
| In addition to the rifles and revolv-
ers the soldiers at Walsen are in pos
| session of the four muzzle loading
| cannon which had been installed in
the company machine shops. The ul-
innate disposition of these weapons
has not been determined.
| A story of being captured by strik-
ers, threatened with death and finally
released was told before the coron-
er's jury at Forbes by Andrew Ba-
bich, one of the defenders of the
Forbes mine in the battle of April 20.
Tells of Being Captured.
Babich said he with five other men.
were captured near the mines stable
by party of strikers consisting of
Mexican, an Italian and four Greeks.
They were led up into the hills, he de-
clared, and one striker levelled a rifle
| at his head and was about to shoot
| when another striker rushed between
them. Later all six were freed and
the army of miners, estimated by the
in the direction of Trinidad.
Babich swore that before the cap
tives were freed all were searched and
robbed. One man, he said, lost $45.
Denver.-The first steps have been
taken by the Colorado legislature to
pay the expenses of the seven months
of industrial warfare in the state and
to prevent any similar outbreak in the
future. Three identical measures
were introduced in the house and sem
ate to provide a constitutional amend
ment giving the legislature authority
to enact a compulsory arbitration act
and laws giving the governor authority
to close saloons and regulate the sale
of firearms in times of internal dis
orders.
In addition, bill to establish
state police was offered in the senate
and measure for a bond issue to pay
the militia and the expenses of the
military campaign was introduced in
the house.
Prohibits Saloons Opening.
Trinidad, Colo. May 5.-Major w. A.
Holbrook, in command of the federal
troops in Colorado, has placed an en-
barge upon the importation of arms
or ammunition into the state. He an
nounced that any arms shipped in
violation of the order will be confis-
Gated.
The order applies to any arms or
ammunition for the use of any person
whatever except for the use of the
federal troops.
The order prohibiting the reopening
of the saloons is contained in a per-
sonal letter to the mayor,