Denver labor bulletin., 1916-02-26
MAJORLESTERSHOT
BY STATE MILITIA
Evidence of States witnesses
Leads to This Conclusion
Eighth Week Of Trial at Castle Rock
Devoted Mainly to Testimony on
the Ludlow Massacre

Butcher Monty Linderfelt, mine
guard, strikebreaker, soldier of fortune
and lieutenant in the Colorado National
Guard. was a witness in rebuttal for
the prosecution in the trial OF four for
mer union coal mine strikers, charged
with killing Major Piney p. Lester, at
Castle Rock this week. Monty admitted
chat his connection with the state mi
.itia had not been OF any credit to him.
~Buteher Monty" is the man who broke
rifle stock over the head of Louis
Tikas. the Greek in charge of the Lud-
low tent colony, and then ordered him
shot to death.
This, the eighth week of the trial,
vas devoted to testimony of the Lud-
low massacre. aud the killing of Major
Lester in the Hogback battle at WaIsen-
burg was practically lost sight OF.
Strikers Defending Homes.
Since Judge Denison ruled that the
story Of Ludlow might be told by wit
nesses for both sides, the case has as
sumcd a greatly altered aspect The
Ludlow testimony was admitted to show
tnat the story OF the massacre, reach
ing the ears of the strikers in the Wal
senburg region, caused them to arm to
defend their families, themselves and
their homes.
The defense rested their case Monday
The prosecution then began the intro
ducticn of evidence in rebuttal. A yer
dict is expected to be reached next week.
Linderfelt was the first and main wit
ness. He admitted he had caused very
many arrests of strikers in southern
Colorado. He had orders to, he said.
Questioned concerning questionable acts
he gave such answers as that's press
bureau stuff,' campaign bunk and
another lie'
Gets -Disagreeable Jobs"
Asked about the arrest of James
Filler and other strikers, their being
taken 20 robssoo, stood up agaiast a
wall with cannon pointed at them
and kept there for hours, Linderfelt ad-
mitted the men had been arrested be-
cause they had been on L hill at Lud-
low. and he had received orders to ar
rest all strikers on that hill He said
he almost invariably got the disagree
able Jobs"
Linderfelt admitted that Troop Z.
largely recruited from coal company en-
ployes. had come down from Walsen-
burg to Ludlow, in civilian clothes, and
carrying rifles OF many makes
Militia Fired on Each Other.
In all this hearing OF evidence it has
not as yet been determined whether
Major Lester was killed by shot from
the militia or the strikers. Lieutenant
Ray Benedict, a witness for the state,
admitted tina: militiamen wearing uni
forms OF the state guard were fired
upon at distance of only aboat go
yards. Two men with Lieutenant Eli
oft, he said, fired on him and his party
five or six times and only high wind
saved them from injury. This state
ment, the defense claims, shows the
proclivity OF militiamen in the strike
TO fire upon their own comrades and
serves TO support the theory OF the 1e-
fense that Major Lester was killed by
his own men.
Benedict further testified that Gen
eral Chase. after the first shots were
fired in the Ludlow battle. had given him
orders over the telephone to take them
to cleaning" referring to the strikers