The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-30
ASSUMES BLAME FOR
COLORADO KILLINGS
Lieut.. Lindcrfclt, Says lie Was
Defending the Flag From
Colorado Mob.
GOADED BY THE STRIKERS
Civilian at Last Day Of Court
Martial Tells Of Soldiers
Firing Tents.

nrSyrR. May 29.--The trial Of Lieut.
X. r. Bndcrfelt OF Troop A. Colorado Ma
tlonal Guard on charges Of murder, arson
and larceny was closed by the military
eourt.martial to-day at the Golden Rife
Range and tho hearing was ended OF the
charges against the mllitiamen accused
Of killing two women, eleven children and
several men at Ludlow on April 20.
After a civilian had testified that he
saw soldiers and uniformed mine guards
firing the tents where the women and
children persisted In safety pit, Lieut..
iinderfclt took the stand and said that
he was willing to shoulder fun RESPONSE
billy for all that happened at Ludlow
and that he was defending the American
flag from being spat upon by a band Of
"rednecks'
III did wrong in defending the honor
Of the flag | am willing to take the con-
Sequences Linderfelt declared dramati-
cdlly
At the conclusion of his testimony tho
commission recessed until June IL. This
means that none OF the verdicts In the
cases of the twenty-one officers and men
tried will bc made public until after that
time by Gov. Ainmons. who must pass
finally upon them.
W. T. Derr. proprietor OF a boarding
house where many OF the Ludlow strikers
cJngregatcd and where many OF them
took refuge on the day Of the battle, tes-
tiNed that he saw the soldiers set fire to
tho tents.
pcrr sworc that he was in his yard
feeding chickens when the shooting
started Their place was ridded with
bullets and he aud his wife fled to the
cellar. whore they remained all day.
Dcrr said that he was afraid the soi-
dicrs would kill anybody they found in
that vicinity and so he and Mrs. Derr
made their way to the station and got on
train leaving Ludlow that night.
ave crept toward the colony in the
darkness Dcrr testified. when We got
to point about 200 yards from the south
west corner OF the colony We saw one OF
the fonts blaze M. Then we saw a lot OF
soldiers. their figures sihouott.d by the
glare Of tn" blazing tents. rushing around
with torches from tent TO tent, yelling
like hends.
Then we crcpt up closer and heard tn,
women and children in the colony scream.
ing and crying"
Tho testimony of Lieut. Lndcrfelt
which followed. was almost as dramatic
II was the first time that the office
charged with directing the killings a
Ludlow personally had given his version
Of tho affair
The stock of the rifle with which Lin
derfelt admitted having struck Loul
Tikas was exhibited in court. I.inderfel
said:
~ went to the crossroad of the Colo
Iado and Southern track and met Loui
Tibas after he had been taken prisone
and brought down toward the depot iron
the pump house. Some one yelled. We've
got Louie the Greek.
"Ju.-cd Each other Out"
~ large crowd ~ civilians and soldier
in uniform congreGated about US. Loui
and I engaged In a conversation and ont
hot word brought ON another. We 'cusse'
each other out as each held the othe
responsible for the days troubles.
Louis said to me, 4 wasn't to blam
Tor the start Of the scrap. because Gormai
was In charge to-day and | couldn't holt
the Greeks back Tlkss called me a vii
name ! lost my temper and swung m
rife ~ his head. but the Springfield struci
him on the arm and shoulder as he raise
his arm 10 ward OFF the blow.
81 never mashed his head. as has beel
charged. I turned Louis over to Sergt
Cullen and told Cullen would hold mir
responsible for Tikass life. Then ] walke
away.
81 am very sorry that ever hit Loui,
h'tO-,y gaGrct that lost control OF my
Rf | a.rl't to-day that there was alb
Solutcly no excuse for my conduct. How
ever, for those familiar with the condi
tlcns that existed there there is exoulpa
ton for my deeds
Nov that i Is all over with I ar
avfully sorry that Tikas was killed. be
cause he was a right brainy man an
: N" only leader that could control tn
Greeks. There is one thing that ! wis
10 emphasize as the direct cause of tn
battl" and that is the gradual increase {
Greeks ana tho rapid decrease of othe
natonslidcs in the colonies"
Tilias was killed after being take
prisoner.