Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday May 2, 1899
Wardner, Idaho – Miner Jack Smith Killed in Violent Struggle at Coeur d’Alenes
From The Butte Miner of April 30, 1899:
RIOT AND BLOODSHED
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Strikers at Wardner Attack the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan.
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THE MILL BLOWN UP
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Sixty 50-Pound Boxes of Giant Powder Placed
in the Structure and the Charge Fired-
Jack Smith, One of the Leaders of the Rioters,
Killed by Mistake by One of His Own Men.
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The Seattle Post-Intelligencer May 1, 1899 —–
Portland, Ore., April 29.-The agent of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation company at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon telegraphed to this city from Wardner, Ida., that the striking miners had fired the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mill and that it was burning. It is claimed that the mine is loaded with dynamite and if this proves true the entire property will be a loss. The striking miners are also reported to be in possession of the Northern Pacific and O. R. and N. trains and in control of the situation. There are about 100 masked men heavily armed at and about the mill and there have been several skirmishes with the authorities, during one of which one man is reported shot. There are fully 800 miners at Wardner. They are forming to go to the mine in a body and drive out the 270 non-union men employed there.
The company has notified the governor of Idaho of the situation and the secretary of state has been dispatched to the scene of the trouble. The governor has promised to do everything in his power to preserve order and prevent bloodshed, but it is believed that unless prompt steps are taken there will be great loss of life and destruction of property.
Since the telegram from the agent was received the strikers have cut the wires and telegraphic communication with Wardner is now cut off.
The present strike in the Coeur d’Alene mining district in northern Idaho was inaugurated about 10 days ago and is directed principally against the Bunker Hill and Sullivan at Wardner, where non-union men are employed. The demands of the miners for increased wages were granted by the owners, but the miners demanded that the union be recognized and that non-union men be discharged. This the mine owners refused to do and the Last Chance mine closed down. The Bunker Hill and Sullivan, however, decided to run with non-union men until today, when they were driven out by union men.
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[Newsclip and emphasis added.]
More from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer of May 1, 1899:
Rigid Inquiry Will Be Held.
A Special to the Spokesman-Review from Wardner, Idaho, says:
The killing of Jack Smith, the rioter from Burke who fell yesterday, will be the subject of such an inquest as the Coeur d’Alenes have never seen.
“I shall summon every man in the county if necessary in order to ascertain the cause of his death,” said Coroner France decisively tonight. “No straw verdict will be received. I shall continued the [inquest?] as long as may be necessary.”
Smith’s Body at Burke.
Smith’s body is now lying in the miners’ union hall at Burke, where it was taken by the rioters on their return trip. At first some difficulty was looked for in holding the inquest. The miners sent down word to Dr. France, the coroner, that he would be expected to come up there in order to examine into the cause of death. They added that in case he did not see fit so to do, one of the local magistrates would be called upon to conduct the examination. Dr. France promptly telephoned to Paul Cochrane, the secretary of the Burke union, and held him personally responsible for the safe keeping of the remains until the coroner himself could conduct the hearing. Last night Mr. Cochrane telephoned back that the body would be held there subject to the orders of Dr. France. The latter authorized a firm of Wallace undertakers to bring the body down from Burke, and it will probably be brought back here tomorrow.
[Emphasis added.]
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SOURCES & IMAGE
Quote Ed Boyce re Manly Blood per Gaboury 1967
“From Statehouse to Bull Pen
Idaho Populism and The Coeur d’Alene Troubles of the 1890’s”
-by William J. Gaboury
(Source: William J. Gaboury, “From Statehouse to Bull Pen: Idaho Populism and the Coeur d’Alene Troubles of the l890’s,” Pacific Northwest Quarterly, LVIII (January. 1967), 1422.) https://digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu/geog/mining/minewars.htm
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