The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-01-11

TT Is Mr.. Hollwen speaking 10 US
across the gap of nearly one hun
- dred and seventy intervening
years. He is one of the handful who
emerged alive from that hideoas pit
where one hundred and forty-six were
thrust a short twelve hours before
Twenty-three are left out Of one hun
dred and forty-siX, and some of these
twenty-three are crazed and all will
bear TO their graves the marks Of
their Incredible suffering.
But Hollwell is strong and he still
is sane. In language so graphic that
the colors Of the picture glow as dew
ilishly bright in 1925 as they glOwed
in 1855, he tells what happened on
that unutterabIe night Reading what
he set down, ii is as if he were
speaking TO US. / say this Hollwell
was a born reporter, if ever there
lived one. In our gallery of eye
witnesses he stands out conspicu-
ously.
Follow his narrative, please, and l
predict you will agree with me:
We had been but a few minutes
confined before everyone fell into a
perspiratiOn so profuse you can form
no idea of il. This consequently
brought on a raging thirst which in
creased in proportion as the body
was drained of its moisture. Vari-
Gus expedients were thought of TO
gain more room and air. To obtain
the former, il was moved that all
should put off their clothes. In
few minutes | believe every man was
stripped myself, Mr.. Court and two
wounded young gentlemen ezcepted).
Every hat was put in motion 10 pro-
duce a circulation of air; and Mr..
Baillie proposed that every man
should sit down on his hams. As
they were truly in the situation of
drowning wretches, no wonder they
caught at everything. This eXpedi-
ent was several times put in prac-
poor creatures whose natural strength
was less than others or who had
been exhausted and could not i'm
mediately recover their legs as the
others did when the word was given
TO rise, fell 10 rise no more; for they
were Immediately trodden to death
or suffocated. When the whole group
sat down they were so closely
wedged together that they were
obliged 10 use many efforts before
they could set themselves in motion
TO get up again"
The Fatal Water.
To this terrible phase of the tor
ture HoIlweIl was a spectator but
not actually a participant For he
had managed TO secure a place near
one of the two tiny windows. Cling
ing TO its cross-bars. he for while
observed the struggles of his fellow
were made again and again to force
the single door, but in vain. Many
insults were used TO the guards to
provoke them TO fire upon Us. By
keeping my face between two of the
bars 1 obtained air enough to give
my lungs easy play though my per-
spiration was excessive. and thirst
was commencing. AT this period, so
strong an efluvia came from the
prison that / was not able to turn
my head that way more than a few
seconds at a time. Now everybody
excepting those near the windows be-
gin to grow frantic and many deliri-
Gus. Water, water!' became the gen
eral cry.
"One guard, taking pity on Us, or
dered other natives 10 bring some
skins Of water. little dreaming, 1 be-
lieve. of its fatal effects This was
what / dreaded / foresaw it would
prove the ruin of the small chance
left us and I essayed many times to
urge him privately to forbid its be-
ing brought; but the clamor was so
loud that IL became impossible The
water appeared Words cannot paint
TO you the universal raving which
the sight of ii threw US into. I had
flattered myself that some of US. BY
preserving an equal temper of mind.
might outlive the night; but now the
reflection that gave me the greatest
pain was that | saw no possibility
of a single one escaping to tell the
dismal tale.
I'VE had no means of conveying
the water into the hole except by
hats forced through the bars; and
thus myself and Messrs- Coles and
Scot Notwithstanding the pain they
suffered from their wounds) supplied
our fellow victims as fast as possible.