The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-04-16
SPIES ARE MAIN
TROUBLE: MAKERS
DURING STRIKES
Gen. Wood Blamed Denver Street
Railway Riot on Hired Gunner
I'm ported During Strike.
Continued from, Page 1.

WILL
1.-THE first night in the barns Jerome
ordered us within hearing distance,
saying: Boys, we are going to start
cars Monday morning. am the whole
thing. The tramway company can tell
me nothing. This is my barn. Shoot
craps, play cards, do anything you
please. Your pay is going on. If you
get into trouble while you are running
cars or get into Jail. I will get you
out. You know me, boys. You know
that I can do it. With reference to
the money, boys, get the nickels. Get
the money and don't forget for the
torman.'"
Cause of Violence.
Of the riot this quotation speaks as
| follows:
"Boys, I knew this thing was COM
| ing off. I have men in uniform out
among the strikers. I know what is
going on. I always will know before
hand. have paid men out among the
strikers"
The following verdict comes from
West Virginia. Investigation report
of L. A. Lynch, 1929:
Though the guard system was not
| the cause of the strike, it was without
doubt the immediate cause Of the
| fighting. The operators accepted the
men the Baldwin Felts sent them and
| asked them no questions"
And so the simple and unaffected
gunman recorded in this amazing let
| ~ - n -
the Butte (Montana) Daily Bulletin.
1.-The Anaconda Mining company
began to use gunner in this locality
early in 1914. Since 1914, large
staff Of thugs has been constantly en-
ployed. It has been customary for the
company to furnish the incoming
sheriff with a list of names Of these
individuals who were sworn in as
deputies.
Divided into Glasses
1.-THE gunner here are divided into
two classes. There are the special
deputies who hold some job with the
corporation from mine foreman down
to time keeper. Only a few of these
men are actually dangerous. In addi-
ton to these, there are the profess
sional gunner who are generally Sc
cured either from the Theil or the
I Burns detective agencies. The Thiel
men are generally hired through the
Spokane office but have been unable
to discover where the Burns men are
hired.
"In the great strike of 1917 the
gunner travelled in twos and threes
on the streets. Nobody knows how
many were on the payroll at. that time,
but it is safe to say that there were at
least 200. In connection with the
Frank Little murder, it is a mistake
to believe that they were after Little
in particular. They wished to murder
someone who was well known and
popular with the miners in order to
incite them to riot when the troops,
who were already on the scene, could
get into action with their machine
guns and drive them back to work.
This is proved by the fact that on the
night Little was hung, the same gang
Of thugs visited my house during my
absence, they also called at Tom
Campbelrs house twice that night.
These visits were made before they
got Little.
Fired Into Pickets.
"In 1918 two detectives-Shirley
and Thorpe-were. working in the To-
cal branch of the I. w. w. Thorpe
held the position of local secretary
and Shirley was the most active Of
the members. One was Burns man
and the other a Theil recruit-in the
!, employ Of the Anaconda Mining com
pany. The utterances of Shirley were
the most violent I ever heard. This !:
an instance of how the Stools can op'
: crate. successfully and appear to be
upholding the cardinal principles Of
. working class doctrine.
I'm the last strike of April, 1920, the
: gunner resorted to their automobile
|. tactics but they proved Ineffective. Or
April Fl, a crowd Of gunner fired into
a crowd Of pickets without warning
killing two. men and wounding 10
These men were all shot in the bach
as they were unarmed and began tt
retreat when they saw the gunner
approaching. City police and regular
sheriff's deputies were on the ground
but they. made no attempt to arrest
the perpetrators Of this outrage.
Authorities Cooperate.
lin this instance the local Officers
Of the department of justice cooper
ated with the company. They in
formed the gunner of the time thu
picketing was to the take place ane
there is more than a suspicion tina
some of the men who took part in thu
shooting were on the federal payroll
The places where these men wer,
lodged is known and it is also known
that the local federal operatives wer'
in communication with them. Their
is at all times close cooperation be
tween the company operatives ant