You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
Saturday April 9, 1904
From the Bisbee Daily Review: 68 Union Men Attempt to Return to Telluride
DEPORTED MINERS AGAIN DEPORTED
Ouray [Colorado]. April 8.-Acting on instructions from Secretary Haywood, of the Western Federation of Miners, sixty-eight of the Union men deported from Telluride by the Citizens' Alliance and military, started on a train here this afternoon to return to Telluride.
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Telluride, April 8.-The delegation of deported Telluride Union Miners, who had been living at Ouray since their eviction from this camp, returned here tonight.
Word of their departure from Ouray had been received at the military headquarters, and Adjutant General Bell, in command of the troops, immediately ordered out the entire military force remaining in the camp, consisting of about eighty men, and at the same time sent a request to Sheriff Rutan for assistance in quelling any trouble that might arise upon arrival of the deported men.
As the train drew into the station a cordon of troops was thrown around it, and almost instantly two hundred armed citizens appeared on the scene and surrounded the troopers and train.
Under direction of the military officers the Unionists were separated from the other passengers on the train as they alighted, searched and lined up along the station platform. When all had left the train they were marched under escort of troops and citizens' guard to the opera house, where they were given supper.
At 9 o'clock they were returned to the train, with the exception of eight of the party, and taken aboard. Commanded by General Bell, a detail of thirty soldiers also boarded the train, which almost immediately started for Ridgeway, the first station out from Telluride.
The participation of Sheriff Rutan and citizens of Telluride in tonight's affair brings them into direct violation of the injunction issued recently by district Judge Theron Stevens, of Ouray.
Among the eight unionists kept here by the military are Stewart B. Forbes, secretary of the local Miners' Union, Joseph Barnes and George Cook, local Union leaders. President Moyer, of the Western Federation, is still under arrest. It was reported that he would be sent out with the other Union men, but this proved untrue.
Also from the
Bisbee Daily Review:
HAYWOOD'S TRIAL IS POSTPONED TO APRIL 18
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Absence of Material Witness Who Is In Jail Is The Cause.
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Denver, April 8.-Owing to the detention of Charles H. Moyer, the president of the Western Federation of Miners, as a prisoner by the military authorities at Telluride, the case against secretary [William] D. Haywood, of the Federation, charged with violating the law regarding the American flag, was today continued by Justice Hynes to April 18. Haywood's counsel asserted that Moyer was a material witness, and demanded the continuance, as he could not be present. As the Telluride authorities intended to arrest Haywood as soon as he was released here, he has not furnished a bond, and is in the custody of a deputy sheriff.
From today's edition of The Labor World of Duluth, Minnesota, comes this harrowing account of the deportations of the Union Miners from Telluride on the night of March 14th:
DOES COLORADO BELONG TO AMERICA OR RUSSIA?
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AWFUL CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN WESTERN STATE.
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Meager press dispatches last week gave the news of renewed outrages by the Citizen's Alliance in Colorado but at this distance detailed information could not be had until the arrival of Denver papers. From the Denver Evening Post we reprint here the account wired by its representative, who was an eye witness of this latest act of anarchy by the Citizen's Alliance. The Post says:
Telluride had an experience last night [Monday March 14] she never went through before and perhaps will never have again. It was one of those that only occur once during a life time, and so unusual that it seems like a dream or nightmare to a person witnessing it. Eighty men, who at 10 o'clock were at home with their families, or quietly sleeping at their boarding house or hotel, are this morning in Ouray, having during the night been deported from Telluride and San Miguel county by members of the citizen's Alliance of this place.
For several days past the Telluride Journal, the Citizens' Alliance organ, has maintained an ominous silence with respect to union men and strikers. In its issue Monday afternoon several notices were published calling a meeting of the alliance at the Red Men's Opera house last night. Every member of the organization was urged to attend, as business of importance was to be transacted...
The Alliance meeting Monday night lasted about one hour and was over shortly after 9 o'clock. The members came up from the opera house and walked hastily home. In a few moments they were noticed returning and congregating in front of the First National Bank. While at home they had armed themselves with Winchester shotguns and from one to three revolvers, and a number of them changed their attire, donning corduroy suits, high boots and slouch hats, pulling the latter close down over their forehead.
At 10 o'clock all members of the Alliance to take part in the proceeding had assembled in front of the bank building. No particular person appeared to be in command. The body of men moved up the street to the alley at the telephone office, following it to the Victoria house, the small buildings along the way being thoroughly searched.
In front of the hotel an Alliance member who is a bartender and holding a commission as deputy sheriff suggested that former City Attorney Klinikin and A. H. Floaten be taken. Mayor R. N. Rogers, who was following protested earnestly against this but the crowd paid no attention to his remarks and the mayor went home.
The mob here separated into three bodies for the purpose of ransacking at the same time different districts inhabited by union men and sympathizers.
The heavy tread of men walking on the street and the character of conversation indulged in struck terror to the hearts of women and children. If any man not a Citizens' Alliance member was encountered on the street he was ordered to go home at once, and the commands were given in such a manner that it was obeyed without question.
A. H. Floaten president of the People's Supply company and who is charged with being a socialist and an agitator and largely responsible for a continuance of the strike, failed to open the front door of his home promptly, when three or four Alliance members broke in the heavy glass panel and burst the lock from its fastening. Floaten, who was sitting by the range in his stocking feet, asked the invaders what they meant by breaking in his door, and one replied: "Why in h---l didn't you open it?" Floaten asked to see their warrants and the reply was, "We don't need any warrant for you," and struck him over the head, starting the blood to flowing. He was then jerked out of his hose and marched up the alley in his stocking feet. It was cold and the ground was frozen.
The home of Tony Langeri, who was deported by militia, was also invaded. Mrs. Langeri and her two children were in bed and badly frightened, says the men entering her house wore masks. Langeri had not returned to Telluride and was not found. Several shots were fired at the home of W. A. Schiller, in East Telluride.
As the union men and their sympathizers were captured they were marched to a vacant lot in front of the city hall, and were surrounded in a circle by members of the Alliance all heavily armed. The prisoners got very cold, and it was later decided to remove them to a storeroom on Main street, until yesterday occupied by military as commissary headquarters. Here the bunch was constantly added to until 2 o'clock [Tuesday a. m.]. C.C. Schiller came up to inquire if his brother was on the inside, but was roughly handled and when he tried to explain was struck over the head with a gun.
A few minutes after 2 o'clock the door to the old commissary store was thrown open, and the men on the inside were ordered out. They filed out one at a time across the sidewalk into the street and in twos marched to the depot. Alliance men were ahead of, behind and all around them. Among those in line were: A. H. Floaten, Jerry Barnes, G. M. Biddel, Antone Latte, Harry Mainke, and Newton. The number included all those who had been securing evidence against the gamblers whose trials would have come up the latter part of this week. It also embraced some 30 to 35 who were deported under martial law and returned to Telluride on Sunday and Monday evening. Deportation of men weakens if not destroys cases against gamblers.
Arriving at the depot 65 or 70 men were loaded into coaches and the special departed for Ridgeway at 2:15 a. m. as the train left the depot volley after volley of shots was fired from Winchesters and revolvers by Alliance men. Telephone messages from Ouray this morning [Tuesday March 15] stated that 65 of the exiled men are in that place.
Chris Evans of the United Mine Workers of America
Today's Labor World also carries a report on the beating of Chris Evans of the United Mine Workers. He was assaulted near Trinidad on Monday March 14th:
THE EVANS ASSAULT.
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What Colorado Papers Have to Say of This Brutality
From Colorado Springs News:
When the train reached the Santa Fe crossing about one-half mile northeast of Trinidad, three masked men suddenly appeared at the rear end of the day coach and quickly mounted the steps. They threw open the door and with drawn guns ran down the aisle to the seat occupied by Mr. Evans.
The identity of Mr. Evans was evidently well known to the leader of the gang, for without a word of warning as he reached the seat, he said: "You _ _, you will come down here to make trouble, will you?" and then began striking the leader on the head with the butt end of his revolver.
Mr. Evans' hat was knocked to the floor at the first blow and he made an effort to reach his feet. The other two masked men stepped into the vacant space behind the seat occupied by Mr. Evans and also began beating him about the head and face with their revolvers.
By this time the train had started again and the three assailants seeing that their victim was lying on the floor dead for all they knew or cared, hastily crammed their huge revolvers in their hip pockets, ran to the rear platform and jumped from the train. They removed their masks while leaving the train. One of the men lost a Stetson hat which may be used as a clue to the identity of these murderous villains.
The other passengers who witnessed the attack were too frightened to interfere and it was all over before they realized that some one was being terribly beaten. Many thought that a gang of train robbers were at work and feared for their own lives.
When Mr. Evans regained consciousness after half an hour, he requested that Dr. Baird, of Walsenberg, be notified of his condition, with the request that he be at the train when it reached Walsenberg, where his wounds were dressed and bandaged.
Dr. Baird thought it surprising that Mr. Evans' scull had not been fractured by the blows he had received, for the manner in which the skull was cut indicated that great force had been used.
The police say they have no clue to the assailants.
SOURCES
Bisbee Daily Review
(Bisbee, Arizona)
-of Apr 9, 1904
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota & Superior, Wisconsin)
-of Apr 9, 1904
See also:
Telluride Deportations of Monday March 14, 1904
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Chris Evans of UMWA beaten March 14, 1904
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Photo:
1). Chris Evans in his younger days
(Evans was about 60 in 1904.)
http://littlecitiesarchive.org/...
2). Deportation of Union Men from Telluride
http://darrow.law.umn.edu/...
(exact date of this photo unknown at this time,
there were several deportations from Telluride)
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They'll Never Keep Us Down-Hazel Dickens
The power wheel is rolling, rolling right along,
And the government helps keep it going, going strong,
So working people get your help from your own kind,
Cause your welfare ain't on the rich man’s mind.
Your welfare on the rich man’s mind, oh no!
Your welfare on the rich man’s mind.
They want the power in their hands just to keep down the worker, and
Your welfare on the rich man’s mind.
-Hazel Dickens