TROUBLE EXPECTED
The Salt Lake Herald1892
The Situation in the Coeur d'Alene Country.
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A Train Stopped by the Miners.
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Military Aid Has Been Asked for and Promised - Union Miners Will Not Allow "Scabs" to Go to Work.
BOISE CITY Ida. May 21 [Special telegram to THE HERALD]
For several weeks trouble has been brewing in the Coeur d'Alene mines between the mine owners and the Miners union. It originated over some differences as to the amount to be paid car men. The miners insisted that as these men were miners they should have full miners wages and the mine owners said they would not pay this amount.
It seems that the Miners union is under control of certain parties who are running the organization in a way that is not for the real interest of the miners. The mine owners aver they will not employ any man who is a member of the union. They say if the men will withdraw from the union they will employ them, but they absolutely refuse to be dictated to by the union.
Recently seventy-eight scab miners were shipped in from Michigan. It was feared then that trouble would be had and perhaps bloodshed but the miners maintained their determination to keep within the law. Some two hundred injunction papers were served on different members of the Miners union to prevent them from interfering with the men who were about to commence work on the mines.
Members of the Mining union were peaceable up to today, when they in some way learned that 300 miners in addition to those now there were being shipped in over the Missouri short cut. It seems that the train was stopped at Mullen and forbidden to proceed.
Governor Willey this evening received a telegram from Manager Dickenson of the Northern Pacific railway, to the effect that armed men had entered the train and were interfering with the passengers, and requesting help to prevent future trouble.
Word from Mullen is to the effect that the miners will not allow non-union men to go to work in the mines, and if they attempt it bloodshed will follow. The situation is a grave one and trouble is expected hourly
MINERS HOLD THE FORT
The Record-Union1892
Troops Cannot Get to the Scenes of the Idaho Mine Troubles.
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Bridges Burned to Prevent Their Coming.
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One Troop Succeeds in Reaching a Point Within Two Miles of Mullan, When It is Ordered Back-Governor Willey Issues a Proclamation Placing Shoshone County Under Martial Law.
Special to the RECORD-UNION.
Boise City (Idaho), July 13.-The excitement over the situation in the Coeur d'Alene continues at a high pitch, and the news being received tends to increase it. The Governor today declared a state of martial law in Shoshone County.
The first message received by the Governor this morning was from General Ruger, in answer to the Governor's request of Tuesday for more troops. In the message General Ruger says he ordered yesterday the available troops from Fort Sherman and five companies of infantry from Vancouver to proceed at once to the scene of trouble. The troops left both places early this morning. The force from Vancouver will reach the scene about as soon as those could from Walla Walla. They are mainly cavalry at the latter place and not so well suited for duty, but the infantry of that post and also of Fort Spokane have been ordered to be ready to move. The command from Missoula is at Mullan.
Later in the day the Government received a dispatch from Judge Heyburn, saying: "No troops have arrived yet. Carlin did not leave Harrison Landing until 9 o'clock this morning. The strikers took 132 of our unarmed miners to the mouth of Fourth of July Canyon, near Cataldo, last night, and after robbing them fired on them. We know of at least two killed. They are preparing to go through the same performance with 200 more this afternoon. They just start them, then shoot them down like dogs."
The delay in getting troops is unaccountable. During the afternoon a message received from Inspector-General Curtis of the State troops, showing that he was with Colonel Carlin from Fort Sherman, at Cataldo. He said they would need reinforcements before moving on the strikers.
The Governor has given General Curtis general orders to protect property, preserve life, enforce the law and suppress violence. The details of the movements of the troops, etc., has been left entirely with General Curtis.
During the afternoon the Governor held a conversation by wire with Judge Heyburn, in Spokane. The latter said, in substance: "The strikers have complete possession of the district. No reliable news is obtainable from Wardner, and none from any part of the section except that furnished by the military officers now in the field. The militia and troops from Fort Sherman are at Cotoldo, Seventeen miles west of Wardner, with General Curtis. They will not move until reinforcements arrive."
Judge Heyburn gave fuller particulars of the massacre in Fourth of July Canyon. He said that this morning twelve bodies were picked up in the canyon. They were riddled with bullets. A number of non-unionists were wounded, but they were carried away by their comrades. Today 200 more non-union men were sent out of Wardner on board cars guarded by members of the unions, who left the train when it was a few miles out of town.
Shot Down Like Dogs.
SPOKANE (Wash.), July 13.- E.S. Kinney, bookkeeper for the Gem mine, near Wallace, arrived in Spokane today. He was present at the old mission when the mob charged on the non-union refugees, and saw the whole affair from the window of the hotel. Kinney had been ordered out of the country by the strikers, and was helping some of his former [employees] to reach Spokane. In all there were 132 men from the different mines. They had been entirely disarmed, and were waiting for the boat, which was late.
Just at dusk last evening a squad of eight armed men came charging down the railroad track, yelling and firing rifles. The refugees scattered in different directions, and ran for the river, mountains and gulches, their pursuers following them up, shooting and robbing them. Most of the fugitives were driven down Fourth of July Canyon, but a number made for the brush along the river bank and swam the river.
When Kinney left it was not known that two of the non-union men had been slain-George Robinson, who had been working in the Frisco mine, and a Swede, name unknown. The boat started down the river in the darkness and was hailed again and again by the fugitives who had escaped the fury of the mob and concealed themselves in the bushes. "In all we picked up eight or ten of these miserable wretches" said Kinney. "Some were swimming in the water and others had been lying in the bushes. All were wet, cold and perishing from hunger, fright and exposure. After swimming the river they had waited for three hours before the boat came along. It was the most pitiable.
Non-Union Men Badly Treated.
SPOKANE (Wn.) July 13.-Three companies of United States troops, under command of General Carlin, took the train early this morning at Harrison, on Lake Coeur d'Alene, and ran up to Cataldo, within twenty miles of Wardner. Pending the arrival of reinforcements, it was thought best to go into camp there for the time being. General Carlin declared that he would not take that light command into the midst of 600 armed and desperate men, fighting from ambush. He boarded an engine, however, and went in advance himself. At Wardner he received assurances from the strikers that they would lay down their arms and disband if the non-union men still in the country were driven out.
The blackest feature of this direful conflict was the tragedy enacted at the old mission and in Fourth of July Canyon. After driving many fugitive non-union men into the canyon, the strikers followed them and shot them down like deer. Among those shot down was Foreman Monaghan, of the Gem mine, who was coming out with his family. His family was spared, but Monaghan was run into the brush and shot through the back. He was picked up this morning and taken back to the mines. It is thought he will die. It is reported that twelve bodies have already been recovered in the Fourth of July Canyon. The non-union men had been entirely disarmed and were at the mercy of their pursuers. The boat that came down the lake today picked up twenty more of the fugitives who had taken to the river and brush. They tell tales of frightful cruelty. Some of them were beaten with revolvers and many robbed of all their valuables.
Miners Weakening.
BOISE (Idaho), July 13.-Governor Willey received several dispatches between 9 and 10 o'clock tonight. General Curtis telegraphed from Cataldo that the miners were weakening and arrests would be made as soon as officers of the Government were here. Colonel Carlin telegraphed from Cataldo that it was rumored that the rioters had dispersed and gone home, and that he would move to Wardner tomorrow morning. Deputy Marshal Dryden telegraphed from Coeur d'Alene City that he had just returned from Wardner, and that the strikers there had loaded the railway track and bridges and the concentrator in Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines with dynamite, ready to blow up troops on their arrivals. General Ruger telegraphed that 200 additional troops had been ordered from Fort Keogh. The Governor has telegraphed General Curtis to arrest all persons implicated in the recent outrages.
The Trouble Over.
WALLACE (Idaho), July 13.-The Sheriff has just arrived here from Wardner. He accompanied the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine force to Cataldo. At that, point the Sheriff met Colonel Carlin and troops and General Curtis. The latter read the proclamation declaring Shoshone County under martial law. The Sheriff sent the following communication tonight to Colonel Carlin at Cataldo: "The miners have disbanded and gone to their respective homes. There is no trouble in Wallace or Wardner. At 7:30 o'clock this evening the crisis was considered past. The community tonight is as quiet as a churchyard but the past twenty-four hours have been the most trying Coeur d'Alene has ever experienced."
