Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-20
Two National GuardSmen AL
Ieged 10 Have Beaten Chill
dren and Robbed Family of
5000 in Money
EYE WITNESSES TELL
OF BATTLE AT FORBES
General Cha8e'S Soldiers and
Men Employed by Operators
Are Said to Have Been Ag-
greSSor8 in Fight

MORNING JOURNAL bFtcfAL AhhtEp Wihhi
Trinidad. Colo, Feb. l9.-An IL
year-old Slavish boy held the center
of the stage late today in the federal
Investigation Of the Colorado coal
miners strike. Gongrcssmen, attor-
neys. mine officers and labor leaders
crowded about Gustav Yeskenski. as
ne told in broken English Of being
Kicked by q militiaman when he tried
TO protect his home and his little
brothers and sisters. He declared that
two soldiers came to the family ranch
AT sumield on February 10, ransacked
the rooms and took $500 from his
mothers purse Following the lads
testimony Capt. w. G. Danks made
statement To the committee that he
alleged incident had been reported TO
Adiutant General John Chase, and
that an active investigation by the
military authorities was in progress
Captain Danks said 1t has not been
determined whether or not the all
legged outrage really was the act Of
mIlitiamen
Mother Tells Of Outrages.
Gustav was brought into the inves-
tigation chamber by his mother,
Mrs Victoria Yeskenski The mother,
in the garb of a typical Slavish ranch
woman with q handkerchief tied over
her head was questioned through an
interpreter She told merely Of leav-
ing the children alone in the house
and of finding them bruised and cry
ing whom she returned. She said q
purse that had contained 5000 had
been opened and that the money was
gone
Then the boy was brought before
tfc committee. Chairman Foster spent
few minutes trying 70 explain 10
him the nature of an oath. The child,
Enlightened by the strange faces
that crowded about. did not appear
t0 understand what was expected of
him. Then Fred Harrington, attorney
for the Colorado Fuel & iron CO.. said;
"Ar Chairman. 1 don't like to see
q child of that age sworn. Let him
tell his story; we'll accept il without
an oath"
The boy was led up to the table
where the committeeman sat Now,
Gustie" Mr.. Costigan for the strik-
ers admonished, tell these gentlemen
all about what happened"
One Soldier Very Drunk
The boy told Of being left In the
house with his four or five younger
brothers and sisters. Two soldiers
drove up in a buggy. he said in Eng
lish Chat was easily understandable.
zone of them, he was too drunk to
get out of the buggy. He Just sat
there like there the witness gave
a graphic representation OF a drunk
en- man asleepl The ether he came
in the house lie said we had some
guns there, I said, No, no, we haven't
no guns except my twenty-five ritle.
He take my rifle, then he break open
the trunk with an axe. ! say NO. no,
You can't do that He say 'Sl ut up.
We're soldiers and we can do any
thing we want to. I'll shoot your
head off,
Then he take mothers clothes
and shake them. Her pocketbook fall
out, and he grab it up. He can't get
It open so he Just tear 1t open this
way lie take out the 5000, and pun
his whlskey bottle out Of his back
pocket and put the money in and then
put the bottle In on top Of Il"
The boy said the man he called a
soldier then began abusing the chill
dren "He kick my sister in the nose,
and it bleed" he declared. "He Kick
my baby brother, year and half
old, in the back. Kick me? Oh, yes
mann, he Kick me in the ribs.
Kept All the Money.
Did he divide the money with his
comrade In the buggy" asked Rep
fesentative Ryrnes.
NO, mann; he keep Il all himself .
Following the boys testimony
white bearded civil war veteran. Da-
fid O. Johnson, accompanied by his
VIE was brought onto the stage. The
Johnsons are ranehers near Forbes.
and own the land in which is situated
The Forbes tent colony. Mrs. john
son first described the Forbes battle
q October II, eorroborating the story
told by other witnesses for the strik-
els that the fight started when a mine
guard threw down a white flag which
Nc had carried up TO the entrance to
me colony she also told of her house
helng searched by mine guards,
against her protest
Mr. Johnson then took the stand
anu told a story similar TO that Of his
Inc committee then adjourned to
psfmlt the theater. where the hear
mss are held, to be put in readiness
f q play tonight. Several members
the committee attended the thea
hope Of concluding the Trinidad
illg this week practically has been
auaudoned. The committee now ex-
ts 70 finish here some time next
,g.eA' then hold brief hearings at
~ f@ea'senburg and in Denver The case
f.s''e .i'e strikers apparently Is still far
ifom conclusion.
------A
ufseOn General Takes Charge.
Washington ret 40 es,,....-,.,,