Denver labor bulletin., 1915-05-29
UHLICH SET FREE
BY TRINIDAD JURY
Verdict Indicates Influence Of
Aroused Public Indignation
Attorney General Fred Farrar Assists
Prosecuting Victim Of Mine Guards
and Of the State Militiamen

Robert thlieh president OF the Trini-
dad local. United Mine Workers of
America, was acquitted by jury in the
Las Animas county district court Mon
day night after having the ease under
consideration Tor three hours. The YER
dict was surprise, in view of the rail
roading' process OF the two previous
trials by which John r. Lawson and
Louis Zancannelli We're sentenced to life
imprisonment. Thee storm OF indignant
protest which had gone up all over this
state and nation Immediately following
the Lawson verdict undoubtedly in
flueneed Judge Cranky c. Hillyer and
the hand picked jury to change the score
in at least one OF the 40 cases against
union miners in Colorado. The evidence
submitted by the prosecution in the
Uhlich trial was the same a. that pre-
sented two weeks previous when Lawson
was before the same court The same
hired witnesses. detectives. spys and
gunmen. were put on the stand and
swore to the same set OF pre-arranged
lies.
Fred Farrar Takes Direct Hand
Attorney General Fred Farrar LETT his
office IN tho state capitol and journeyed
down to Trinidad to assist his two lieu
tenants. Montgomery and West, in
prosecuting the case \ complete alibi.
however. was established by Ublich as
having beer in Trinidad on the day he
was charged with killing 4 man at Lud-
low.
Uhlich was tried under an information
filed by the attorney generals office
charging him with killing Mack Powell
a ranch hand. during the hattie ut Lud-
low ON October o. 1918. Powell WAS rid
ing along the road. and evidence showed
that ho. We shot hy mine guards and
not 10y Ludlow strikers.
Powell's widow on the stand testified
that shots which were fired into
pasture where Powell was came from
the mine guards She said that a guard
came To- the section house where she
and other women were hiding and said
in response to "a question whether or not
anyone had been killed. Yes. We got
one OF Green's cowpunchers" Mrs. Ma
haley. mother Of Mr. Powell. told the
same story.
Same Old Crew of Witnesses.
Charles Snyder. Pat Murphy aud
James Fyler. hired and paid to swear to
any testimony prepared by the prosecu-
'ifi= NfAf Wv li-AA raiHrA
thlich. A. they were against Lawson.
During the trial Judge Hillyer fined
Horace y. Hawkins. chief counsel for
thlirh. >loa Tor contempt OF court when
Hawkins resented the offensive manner
in which prosecuting witnesses were per-
mitted to conduct themselves on the
stand The Sine was promptly paid.
Several other cases are pending against
Uhiieh. and he j. still held under $4,000
bond. Attorney General Farrar j. said
to b, undecided a. to what cases he will
prosecute next. that OF William Snyder
being set for MAY % and Pat Anava
for June :. lie asked for a postpone
ment OF these eases and may put Uhlich
nu trial under another information next
week
Suffers From Bad Treatment.
Rob Uhlioh il a sufferer from tubercu-
losis. contracted during a period OF ten
months confinement in the Trinidad jail
previous To being released on bond. Cou-
pied with awful tortures inflicted upon
him by militiamen and mine guards
These tortuncS were inflicted because
JhliCh was innocent. He was leade,
during the strike whom the operators
aud their mili,iameu feared because OF
his power with the miners 30 in Oc-
tia and thrown in the Trinidad Jail.
charged with murder. He denied any
guilt and the militia had mine guards
set out TO cNtort a confession from him.
For days cold water was poured on
him 81 that he could not sleep. lie was
Threatened and brnwbeaten. The Trim
idad Jail was turned into u hell for him
But he s.ill refused to confess n crime
which he had never committed. although
he WAS almost mad with suffering.
Finally hc was released ON bond. He
wasn't released because his tormcntors
had taken pity ON him. He was freed
because dead man can't be tried
The operators and their guards didn't
even wan; death to release Uhlieh from
the experience of facing trial for murder
OF man who was miles away from him
when he Was shot