Montana labor news., 1934-06-07
Anaconda Night Police Chief Hires Gunner
Evidence Presented In Own Handwriting
Denials Fail to Refute Testimony
Presented; Found Guilty by
Strike Committee.

RUSSELL OSBORNE, Assistant
Chief OF Police in Anaconda was found
guilty Of hiring gunner for the Ana
conda Company by the strike COM
mittee at one Of its meetings last week.
Osborne appeared before the strike
committee and stated that he had heard
he was accused of hiring gunner for
the Anaconda Company. He said that
he wished to deny the charges; that
he wa a member in good standing Of
the Carpenters Union of Anaconda
and was a fast friend of Organized
Labor. He also claimed that due to
his interest in labor it would be i'm
possible for him to do such a thing as
hire gunner. Members Of the COM
mittee asked him if he had ever sug-
gested to men on the bum, who stop
ped in Anaconda for a flop, that they
could find work in Butte at good pay.
He was also asked if he ever told men
OF that type where they could get in
touch with men in Butte who would
get them through the Picket lines. He
denied ever doing these things. The
strike Committee had asked Osborne
to write his name on a pad as he came
in and he willingly did it, not knowing
what it would lead to.
Undeniable Evidence Presented
Against Osborne
After Osborne has testified TO his
friendship for the worker, a Butte
worker was brought in. He testified
that Osborne had told him he could
get him work in Butte at 50 per day
and board and room. The potential
gunman then asked Osborne how he
could get by the pickets. Osborne tore
off a portion OF an Anaconda City Bal
lot, lying on the desk, according to
the testimony, and wrote down two
phone numbers with the mems names
for whom he should ask. The phone
numbers were 4311 and the name under
it was "Stivers" and 2-4412 the name
under it being Foster. Osborne
denied that he had written the note
but when the writing was compared
to his signature he had little denial
to make. The worker also stated that
he had asked Osborne about sending
for his clothes and was assured that
the men whose names he had would
buy him clothes if he needed them.
The Butte worker who presented this
testimony had been sent to Anaconda
to see if Osborne was really hiring
gunner as he had been reported. Enou-
gh testimony was also presented by
the Anaconda delegates to prove that
there could not have been a mistake
in identity. After the presentation of
this irrefutable evidence Policeman Os-
borne had nothing to say.
An Example of Low Methods En-
ployed by Company
This case is nothing but another ex-
ample OF the depths to which the Ana
conda Company will stoop to carry on
its fight. 1t will bride police and
sheriff's officers to secure its low ends.
An Undersheriff in Dillon and an As
sistant Chief of Police in Anaconda
have betrayed their public trust for
the bait Of ten dollars per head Of
fered by the Corporation for gunner.
A trusted officer in a Farm Organiza-
ton is also bribed to betray the trust
his community has placed in him. Then
a Corporation which stoops to such
low methods has quits" enough to pro-
test the publication Of a scab list by
men who are lighting in order that
their wives and children might secure
the necessities of life.