Hellraisers Journal: W. F. M. Blamed for Horrific Explosion at Independence Depot; Vigilante Terror Against Striking Miners of the Cripple Creek District Follows
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 16, 1904 Cripple Creek District, Colorado – W. F. M. Blamed for Independence Depot Explosion
Tuesday June 7, 1904 – Independence, Colorado -Bomb Explodes at Railroad Depot; W. F. of M. Accused and Attacked
Mrs. Emma Langdon Reports from Victor, Colorado:
At about 3 o’clock on the morning of June 6, a mine of dynamite was exploded by means of an infernal machine, place underneath the station platform at Independence and thirteen men were instantly blown to fragments and many other mutilated…
[Emphasis added.]
Mrs. Langdon reports that the Citizens’ Alliance placed the blame, without any proof whatsoever, upon the Western Federation of Miners. The militia, apparently, agrees. Union halls have been raided, and union men killed.
From The San Francisco Call of June 7, 1904:
ANARCHY RUNS RIOT IN COLORADO; DAY’S VICTIMS NUMBER TWENTY-TWO ——————–
Anarchy ran riot in the Cripple Creek district of Colorado yesterday. At Findley dynamite under the railroad station platform was touched off by means of a revolver so placed with a wire connection that it could be fired from a distance. The platform was crowded with non-union miners at the time. Thirteen of these men were killed and others were shockingly mangled. Then followed a succession of street riots in Victor, resulting in numerous casualties, and a charge of soldiers upon the headquarters of the miners union. Volleys were fired into the building and at least seven men were killed. At an early hour this morning the rioting had not been checked, and shooting affrays were occurring constantly.
Scene of Cripple Creek’s Labor Disturbances, Colorado Executive Who Sent Troops to Enforce the Law and Head of the Municipal Governing Body of Victor, Where Clashes Between the State’s Soldiers and Rioters Are Continuous.
Series of Bloody Affrays Follows Diabolical Murder of Non-Union Men by Means of Dynamite. —————
DENVER, June. 6.— A “reign of terror,” brought on by a diabolical dynamiting plot, followed by rioting and an assault upon the militia, exists in the Cripple Creek mining district to-night. Armed men throng the streets and conflicts are of hourly occurrence. Militia men are marching, hither and thither, making arrests by the wholesale. A number of union miners have been placed in the military “bull pen” and others are being gathered in at frequent intervals. City and county officials have been compelled to resign their offices because of their reputed union sympathies.
As nearly as can be estimated tonight, 22 men are dead and a score or more wounded as a result of the events leading up to the conditions described. Beginning with this morning, when an infernal machine, set under the station platform at Findley, on the line of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad, was touched off and a number of non-union men, who were waiting for a train, were sent into eternity and others horribly mangled, conflicts followed thick and fast. They culminated in a riot at a mass meeting, where bullets flew and at least one was killed and a number wounded.
Later, as a company of militia was marching past union headquarters pursuing its search for union miners, it was fired upon by armed men concealed in the Union Hall. The soldiers stormed the building and from last accounts seven unionists were shot dead in their tracks. The remainder fled precipitately, blood streaming from the wounds of many. The soldiers who were unhurt pursued and arrested a number of the fleeing men and continued far into the night to search the country for men supposed to have been in the union hall at the time of the assault.
At the headquarters of Adjutant General Bell in this city everything is in readiness to promptly meet a call for additional troops in the gold camps. It is understood that the railroads have been instructed to have engines and cars ready, and a quick run to Cripple Creek would follow an appeal for more soldiers. However, from the tone of a communication received from Sheriff Bell, the newly appointed official of the county, he will ask for further aid from the authorities only, as a last resort. He says he can control the situation unless a general clash occurs.
To-day’s outburst had its inception in the strike of the members of the Western Federation of Miners more than a year ago, when 4000 men quit work for the purpose, primarily, of enforcing an eight-hour day. This action so incensed the mine owners that they declared war on unionism, and the breach has grown wider with the passage of time. Considerable lawlessness has prevailed in the strike-ridden districts and unionists have been brought to trial on numerous charges. They were invariably acquitted.
CRIPPLE CREEK, Col.. June 6.— A concealed assassin, by merely pulling a wire, exploded an infernal machine at Independence to-day. Instantly killing eleven men and severely wounding twelve others, two of whom have since died. All of the killed and injured, with the exception of two men from the Deadwood mine, were non-union miners employed on the night shift of the Findley mine.
The men had quit work at 2 o’clock this morning and were waiting to board the suburban train on the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad and return to their homes in Cripple Creek and Victor. Just after the engineer of the approaching train blew his whistle as a signal to the miners, according to custom, a terrific explosion occurred underneath the depot platform, on and near which twenty-six men were gathered. The platform was blown into splinters, the depot was wrecked and a hole twenty feet in circumference and about as, many feet in depth was torn into the ground.
Fragments of bodies were hurled through space for several hundred feet and later were picked up still quivering. Some of the bodies dropped into the pit made by the explosion, but heads, hands, ears, legs, arms and trunks were strewn about on all sides. Pieces of flesh were found on buildings 500 feet away and blood stained every thing within a radius of fifty feet.
The force of the explosion was felt throughout the camp and the, crash awakened everybody. The approaching train was stopped and the train crew were, the first men to reach the scene of the disaster. They were joined in, a few minutes by hundreds of persons and relief work was begun at once. A special train, was sent from Cripple Creek, carrying physicians, nurses, officers and many others, but when it reached, Independence the injured had already been placed on board the suburban train and removed to the hospitals in Victor.
The mangled bodies of the dead, pieced together as well as possible, were removed to the Coroner’s office……
[Emphasis added.]
Wednesday June 8, 1904 – Victor, Colorado Union Hall Attacked, Union Men Wounded, One Killed in Fusillade
Without any proof being offered, the Western Federation of Miners was blamed for the horrific explosion at the Independence Depot, which crime was perpetrated during the early morning hours of June 6th. Thirteen non-union men are dead as a result of this vicious crime. The Western Federation of Miners denies any involvement whatsoever in the “diabolic murder” of these men, and has issued the following statement:
The local committee of the W. F. M. authorizes me to say that they deplore the diabolical murder committed yesterday morning. They regret that thoughtless persons should charge this crime to the W. F. M., and say that the W. F. M. did not have a thing to do with it. They are as much shocked as the rest of the community. No man, who deserves to live, could, or would approve the awful deed. The fiends who planned and carried out the devilish crime should be detected and punished to the full need of their guilt. This crime must be unearthed and the perpetrators punished. The committee and all members of the local W. F. M. are ready and willing to assist in uncovering the guilty ones. We will use every endeavor to assist the authorities in their efforts and we here tender the services of all our members. We will also join in the offering of a suitable reward for the arrest and conviction of the guilty persons.
District Union No. 1, W. F. M. By Frank J. Hangs, W. F. M. Attorney.
[Emphasis added.]
Following the false accusations directed at the W. F. of M. by members of the Citizens’ Alliance, a reign of terror has been instituted against the striking miners of the Cripple Creek District.
Mrs. Emma F. Langdon Reports from Victor:
INDEPENDENCE DEPOT AFTER THE EXPLOSION.
AT about 3 o’clock on the morning of June 6, a mine of dynamite was exploded by means of an infernal machine, placed underneath the station platform at Independence and thirteen men were instantly blown to fragments and many others mutilated and maimed for life. The men were blown in all directions, and some of them were so horribly mutilated that identification was extremely difficult. Quivering arms and legs and other portions of the mangled miners were picked up after the explosion several hundred feet from the station.
The terrific crash awakened everybody in the camp, and within a short time the scene of the horror was alive with human beings. The awful circumstance which brought the crowd together, and the dim, half-light of the early morning combined to make the scene one of almost indescribable horror. By the aid of flickering candles the mangled remains were gathered together and aid was rendered the wounded. The groans of the injured, mingled with the cries of the men, women and children who stood about. Some of these were relatives of the dead and injured miners, and their grief was pitiful to behold.
Some two yards in from the track and about four yards from what had been the end of the platform at the Florence & Cripple Creek depot, was found a deep hole, clear cut and expressive of volumes. It was the place where the dynamite had been placed. All windows of the depot were broken, the large foundation posts sprung and the entire front of the west end of the structure blown in. The entire basement was a mass of broken timbers. The roof was pierced in many places, huge pieces of timber were thrown hundreds of feet in all directions, the houses in the vicinity telling a sad tale of confusion and flying missiles.
The basement of the depot was most favorable for the purpose of such work. The running doors opened onto the platform below. The north side of the interior was simply a wall of earth formed by the slope of the hill at this point. From the inside, access could be had up and under the platform above. It was by means of such that the criminals accomplished their purpose.
WHAT INVESTIGATION REVEALED.
As soon as the light of day had made it possible to distinguish passing forms, a thin, strong steel wire, the kind used to fasten stove pipes, was found running from the heap of broken boards, out and down over the freight platform and along a switch track for a distance of fifty yards. On the end of the wire was a chair leg, the wire securely wrapped twice around and tied.
The apparent method of procedure was that when the men gathered on the platform and the train hove in sight, the dastardly fiend probably grasped both ends of the piece of wood, gave the wire a sudden jerk which pulled the trigger of a revolver and discharged the leaden messenger into the dynamite.
What the feeling of that coward may have been as he pulled the wire and reeled from the shock of the explosion which had sent thirteen men into eternity is not given to the power of human tongue to express.
The death-dealing fiend chose and executed his plot in a most cunning manner. The straight track afforded a most favorable place to stretch a wire which could be pulled with a decided degree of certainty. The place he selected from which to perpetrate this deed was concealed so that when the train rounded the curve the light of the headlight was cut off by the dump of the Delmonico mine.
Terrible as were the results of the explosion they would have been infinitely more so had the perpetrators of the deed waited but another moment. The train was only about two hundred feet from the depot when the mine was fired, and in another instant both it and all its occupants would have been blown into fragments.
The dead and wounded composed the night shift of the Findley mine, with two men from the Deadwood property. They were all non-union men. They numbered about twenty-five and immediately after leaving work they, with men from the Shurtloff and Last Dollar, made for the depot to take the train, which was in waiting. The depot is just below the Findley mine, and probably fifteen men were on the platform when the train, which had been lying about two hundred feet from the depot, whistled and started up the track toward the Independence station.Some of the miners rushed to it and boarded it. Others, who had not reached the platform, raced with their dinner pails in their hands, fearing that they would miss it. The waiting men scattered over the platform and chatted as the train slowly drew near.
Suddenly there was a terrific explosion. The platform was lifted from its foundation and whirled with its human freight into a shower of debris. The depot building heaved and swayed and then fell into a splintered mass. The train stopped short, the whistle of the locomotive shrieked and the train crew and the miners on board jumped to the ground. For a few moments they were too dazed to act. Then the truth dawned upon them, and they rushed to the rescue. Cries of the wounded guided them, and while they were carrying the mangled away from the scene men and women came from the nearby mines and dwellings. The confusion was great, but after some minutes there were cooler heads took charge and a systematic search was made for the dead and wounded.
It was claimed that a man was seen running down the hill from near the depot a few minutes after the explosion. A miner who had just left the Vindicator saw the fellow, but decided that he had been scared by the crash and was rushing to a place of safety. He was not near enough to distinguish the man’s features.
With the arrival of daylight, appeared an engine from Cripple Creek, in charge of Trainmaster Middaugh, and bringing to the scene Sheriff Robertson, Undersheriff Burton, Deputies Underwood and Wilson, A. E. Carlton and others. Immediately a rope was stretched about the place. Undersheriff Burton and others spent some time looking for parts of the infernal machine but only to find the wire.
Officer George Wright, of Cripple Creek, guarded the wire and its all-important handle that day and allowed no one to go near it, pending the arrival of blood hounds that had been ordered from Palmer Lake and Trinidad early in the morning.
The writer might here state that from the dissemination of the news of the outrage at the Independence depot serious trouble was predicted. It appeared as if nothing could stay the impending clash between the union miners, who were at once charged with the responsibility of the atrocious crime, and the non-union miners, the imported thugs and deputies, who were urged on by the mine owners and Citizens’ Alliance. Threats of wholesale lynching and deportations were freely made on the streets. As if by magic, headed by C. C. Hamlin, secretary of the Mine Owners’ Association, S. D. Crump, attorney for the mine owners and ex-Convict Vannick, appeared on the scene and formed a vicious army of blood-thirsty humanity….
[Emphasis added.]
Mrs. Langdon emphasizes that all good citizens of the state of Colorado, and, indeed, of the nation, stand appalled at this terrible crime, and states that the reparations should be terrible. All trade unionist share in the condemnation of the wholesale murder perpetrated by this fiendish crime.
She further reports that the mines of the district were immediately shut down and that great crowds of excited people began to gather throughout the Cripple Creek strike zone, especially in Victor where there were rumors that C. C. Hamlin and others would address a mass meeting later that afternoon. The local military was called out and the striking miners and their families feared that a reign of terror could begin at any time.
The report of Mrs. Emma F. Langdon continues:
TROUBLE OVER BODIES.
The remains of the dead and the mangled bodies of the wounded were placed in the cars and carried to Victor. The former were laid on the Victor depot platform until taken to the Dunn undertaking parlors in ambulance, express wagon and railroad trucks, and the others were removed to the Victor and Red Cross hospitals. It was a grewsome sight which met the eyes of the early morning risers as a white covered truck was propelled through the streets drawn by men.
The first open demonstration of strained relations as a result of the morning horror occurred at 10 o’clock, when Superintendent John Murphy of the Findley, Engineer Silvers, Undertaker Hunt and several others marched into the Dunn undertaking parlors, where Coroner Doran’s office was located. It seems that it had been reported that Coroner Doran had spoken of the explosion as an accident. Doran was asked if he believed and called the early morning happening an accident. The coroner replied that he had simply casually referred to it as an accident, but did not consider it as such, no more than would any other sane man. Murphy then stepped forward and said that the bodies would be moved. This was done, and the remains were removed to the Hunt undertaking parlors.
ROPE FOR SHERIFF.
Sheriff Henry Robertson was met on Victor avenue, Victor, shortly before noon, by a committee who requested him to accompany them to the headquarters of the Citizens’ Alliance on North Third street. The sheriff promptly consented and upon arriving, he was met by a body of men who peremptorily demanded his immediate resignation. Robertson demurred most strongly and flatly refused to surrender his authority. He was then advised in strong language that unless he consented to resign without further parley he would soon be dangling at the end of a rope.
“You will have to show me the rope, boys,” replied the sheriff.
From behind his back one of the spokesmen produced a grewsome looking hempen cord, with noose already tied, ready for grim business.
“We mean business, sheriff,” said the man with the rope.
Robertson immediately saw the futility of further argument, and said:
“All right, boys, I’ll quit right now. That noose looks pretty wicked to me.”
With that he placed his signature to his resignation which had been previously prepared by the mine owners.
The board of county commissioners held a special session in Victor a few minutes after this incident and appointed Ed Bell sheriff protem.
About two o’clock Marshal Michael O’Connell attempted to enter Armory hall, the military headquarters, for the purpose of securing aid to disperse a mob that was gathering on the corner of Victor and Fourth. He was refused admittance and was forced to retire, not without first having earnestly pleaded from the stairs, that the proposed mass meeting be abandoned, as he feared trouble would result therefrom.
Having been refused assistance at Armory hall, Marshal O’Connell appointed about ninety men as deputies and later supplied them with white ribbon badges, inscribed with the words, “Special Police.” The special police assembled at Fourth and Victor and were sworn in and armed with such weapons as could be procured, shot guns, rifles and revolvers. They remained there until later dismissed by the marshal.
After the swearing in of the deputies, Marshal O’Connell, at the request of Mayor French, and in company with Sheriff Bell, went to the city hall to hold a conference. O’Connell was asked to resign, but refused, and was then dismissed by the mayor, who suspended him temporarily, which would have held until the city council could take some action on the matter.
O’Connell went back to his men and stated what had happened, and advised the men to take off their badges, which was done in most cases, while a few of the union miners went to their own hall, carrying with them both badges and guns. Here I might state that few union men were to be seen, many of them being at home hoping to avert trouble.
MASS MEETING AND RIOT.
At between three and four o’clock a crowd assembled at the corner of Fourth and Victor avenues, in response to the call for the mass meeting that had been previously announced. Those in attendance were composed in the main of members of the Citizens’ Alliance, Mine Owners’ Association, strike breakers (many of whom were recruited from the slums of large cities), paroled and ex-convicts, “gun fighters” who had been arriving in the district in large numbers during the past few days, and a few daring spirits, members of the miners’ union, whose curiosity was stronger than their prudence. It was evident, from the element, antagonistic to organized labor, making up the larger part of this gathering, that they could easily be turned into a bloodthirsty mob, a law unto themselves, unopposed by the military, and used to wreak vengeance upon every person known to belong to a labor organization. For in the eyes of those opposed to organized labor, to be a union man was sufficient excuse to treat him worse than a criminal.
Taking advantage of the reckless mood of the crowd, Clarence C. Hamlin mounted a wagon, which was used as a platform. He was accompanied by S. D. Crump, attorney for mine owners, and ex-convict Frank Vannick.
Mr. Hamlin opened the meeting and his opening statement was:
“United States citizens must arm themselves and drive these Western Federation men to the hills.”
In the course of Mr. Hamlin’s remarks, he further said:
“For the blowing up of those brave boys fifty union men should be shot down like dogs and as many more swung to telegraph poles. Every Federation man is a criminal, and it is up to you men to drive them over the hills with your guns.”
At this a union man in the crowd (many claim it was one of the Miller boys), asked Mr. Hamlin who he meant by “them.”
The answer to this was cries of “lynch him,” “kill him.” “hang him,” etc.
Mr. Hamlin called to the crowd to catch the man that had asked the question and to hold him. Hamlin’s words seemed to be a signal, for no sooner were they uttered than the shooting commenced.
Hamlin’s speech has never been equaled as an inspiration to riot, implying by his words that the W. F. M. was guilty of the crime at the Independence depot. He urged his too willing audience, to drive out the union men. He used every fiery denunciation he could command against the Western Federation of Miners to inflame the mob, reason and judgment became dethroned. He urged the men assembled to “drive them out, drive them over the hills.” The hired rioters, armed to the teeth, and inflamed by the foul speech of Hamlin, only made, too evidently, for this purpose, began their bloodthirsty assaults upon the union men and their sympathizers….
I wish at this time to call the reader’s attention to the fact that every act performed by the mob on this momentous day was evidently premeditated. Many people marveled how it could be that this vast horde was so quickly assembled and carried out the orders of the leaders so implicitly, unless it was that the deed was anticipated and the adherents of the Mine Owners’ Association and the Citizens’ Alliance had been previously instructed. All deeds perpetrated against organized labor, was merely the carrying out of a prearranged and well defined system. Immediately after the explosion mines were closed down and the non-union miners were assembled at Victor armed, under instruction of the mine bosses. In fact, scarcely had the dismal echo died away, scarce had the groans of the dying ceased, when the mine operators, the commercial brigands—the Citizens’ Alliance, and the strike breaking thugs, equipped and armed appeared as a well organized army, ready to obey the behests of those who were interested in forever destroying organized labor.
DETAILS OF RIOT FOLLOWING MASS MEETING.
When the question was asked of Hamlin by the union man who he (Hamlin) meant by “them” he was struck over the head with a revolver; a shot was fired, which seemed to be a signal for attack upon the union men in the crowd. Guns were drawn and a number of sharp reports were heard.” Roxie” McGee, a nonunion miner, fell to the ground with a bullet through his heart. John Davis, a machine man, employed at the Vindicator mine, was badly beaten over the head and shot in the back. He died an hour later, in the hospital. Peter Chrisman was shot through the left cheek. Fred A. Studevoss, an engineer, was shot in the left, side, J. P. Murphy, a friend of organized labor, chief of the Victor fire department, was shot in the back, the bullet entering his right shoulder and coming out over his right breast, almost in line with his heart. He was standing beside Michael O’Connell and it was believed this bullet was intended for the brave deposed marshal. The local militia, that had been previously assembled at Armory hall, arrived on the scene and proceeded to disperse the maddened throng.
Sheriff Bell assured the union men that were on the streets that if they would retire and not cause any trouble he would compel the other element to keep within the limits of the law. Upon this assurance the union men in the crowd, wishing to avert any further trouble, went to their headquarters, taking with them the arms given them by the marshal when sworn in as deputies.
Instead of making good this promise, that union men would not be molested if they would retire from the streets, soldiers were immediately posted upon the roofs of buildings opposite and commanding windows of Miners’ Union hall. Others were posted on the bank building next to the hall which was higher and commanded the skylight of the miners’ hall. After having posted his men at all advantageous points, Bell entered Miners’ Union building and asked them to surrender their arms and go home. The union men remonstrated with Bell, telling him that their hall was their home, that they owned the building and if they left the hall and went to their homes they would be murdered single-handed by the mob. They also told the sheriff they would harm no one if not molested and would only act in self-defense against any attack upon them by the insane mob. Upon refusal of the men, Bell stated he would take them by force. Bell retired and immediately a fusilade of shots were fired into the windows and through the skylight of the union hall.
Press reports stated that shots were fired from the hall at the sheriff and his deputies. Upon investigation I found this to be positively false. There were no shots fired by the miners.
Firing by the militia continued for some time, when the miners felt the best thing to do to save further trouble was to surrender. This they did. The flag of truce being a white handkerchief, and even after the flag was shown, shots were fired from the ranks of the enemy, the handkerchief used as a flag of truce was riddled.
The miners, not too seriously injured, then emerged from the building in twos and threes, each man holding his hands above his head. They were lined up on the sidewalk, relieved of their arms and marched in a body, about sixty in all, to Armory hall, where they were held as military prisoners.
An inventory of Miners’ Union hall after the surrender of its inmates disclosed the havoc wrought by the military. Every pane of glass was shattered into fragments and the woodwork and walls were literally perforated with leaden pellets. That a score or more of the miners were not killed is regarded as miraculous.
The following members of the miners’ union were quite seriously wounded: Arthur Parker, Thos. McManus, Edward McKelvey and Peter Calderwood.
The following as told by Arthur Parker, while lying on a cot at the hospital, shortly after the riot, will help the reader to realize the cruel treatment given the union men:
I was among the number who left the lot and adjourned to the hall. We heard the armed scabs over in the Armory building discharging their weapons and yelling, and knowing they were bent on creating trouble we went over to our hall to keep out of it. There were some twenty-five or thirty men in the hall and while we determined to keep the mob out, it was understood by all present that if the militia demanded an entrance, no opposition would be offered.
Directly we heard a noise at the foot of the stairs leading up to the hall, and, looking out, we saw a crowd trying to force an entrance. We warned them they were not wanted, but not once did we fire a shot. After awhile we decided to lock up the place and go to our homes. We left the windows and all of us were crowded at the head of the stairs preparing to descend when we were shot at from the outside. Then for the next few minutes a perfect hail storm of bullets were fired at us from the front, sides and through the skylight of the building. All we could do was to run alongside the walls or fall to the floor in order to protect ourselves from the terrible shower of lead.
After awhile the firing ceased and one of our men ran out a white handkerchief as a sign of surrender. When that was done the mob and militia, who were at the foot of the stairs, ran up the steps and called upon us to throw up our hands. Such of us as were able, did so. The wounded were treated shamefully. They shoved a pistol down Ed McKelvey’s throat, cursing and saying, ‘Say its good, you ——— or we will blow your brains out!’ One of the non-union men abused Peter Calderwood and started to finish him with his six-shooter but was prevented by the militia, who, by this time, were swarming into the hall. I verily believe we would have been murdered had it not been for the timely intervention of the militia. There was not a single shot fired from our side and had we started five minutes earlier we would have been out of the hall on the way to our homes.
Mr. Parker’s statement was verified by others who were in the hall during the attack.
After the trouble at Miners’ Union hall there was no more shooting. Many arrests of innocent persons were made without resistance.
A detail of soldiers went to the Miners’ Union store, where they arrested General Manager John Harper and all other union men connected with the store. They marched them up the street, where the captured miners from the hall were lined up. Shortly after the Record office was visited and the printing force was placed under arrest and marched up to where the other prisoners were held. Later, George Kyner, editor and publisher of the paper, was taken from his residence on South Fourth street by the soldiers.
The regular police force was suspended by Mayor French and Major Naylor, an ardent union hater, was appointed marshal. Shortly after the attack on Miners’ Union hall, former Marshal O ‘Connell was placed under arrest and marched up Fourth street with his hands above his head. He was placed with the other prisoners, who, in the meantime, had been moved to Armory hall. Numbers of other union men were taken in from time to time in this manner. All were quartered in Armory hall. By nine o’clock, p. m., June 6, there being about 200 men under arrest, including twenty-five arrested at Goldfield, a suburb of Victor.
It is said by men who have been engaged at mining for many years, that all previous strike troubles in the great gold camp were as mere skirmishes in comparison with June 6…
The Cripple Creek Strike A History of Industrial Wars in Colorado, 1903-4-5 Being a Complete and Concise History of the Efforts of Organized Capital to Crush Unionism -by Emma F. Langdon Great Western Publishing Company, 1905 (search: “independence explosion”) p308 (search: “haywood secretary treasurer w f m”) p243 https://books.google.com/books?id=WrF-AAAAMAAJ
More on the Independence Depot Explosion from Big Bill Haywood:
At the time of the Independence Explosion, the Western Federation of Miners was meeting in convention in Denver. Big Bill Haywood later described the scene as delegates learned of the horrific loss of life at Independence which was soon followed by a reign of terror against the striking miners of the Cripple Creek District:
Many of the delegates gathered in the hall early on the morning of June the sixth. Some had newspapers grasped in their hands, others had the papers spread out before their eyes. A horror-stricken look was upon the faces of them all; they were reading about the explosion that had blown up the Independence Depot at Cripple Creek the night before.
As soon as the roll was called the explosion was taken up as a special order of business. There was not much that could be said, as no one knew anything except what they had read in the papers. It was decided to offer a reward of five thousand dollars for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the frightful disaster, and to send a committee immediately from the convention to Cripple Creek, and to await their report before further action should be taken.
At Cripple Creek, Sheriff Robertson with his under-sheriffs went to the scene of the explosion at an early hour. They put ropes at some distance from the depot to keep the curious from treading on the ground, and immediately sent to Trinidad for bloodhounds.
When the committee returned they reported that conditions at Cripple Creek were unbelievable. They said that the terrible explosion had killed twelve or thirteen men and wounded many others, and that Sheriff Robertson had been called into a conference of bankers and mine owners and his resignation had been asked for. He emphatically refused to resign his office, until a rope was thrown at his feet and he was told that the crowd outside would be called in and he would be hanged if he did not resign at once. Robertson decided to quit. One of the mine owners’ men was appointed in his place. This was the noon following the explosion.
The committee said that Marshal Mike O’Connell of Victor had appointed and armed a hundred or more union men as deputies to preserve order, and that he had tried to get the local militia to assist in dispersing a mob that was gathering on a corner of the main street. The militia refused to lend O’Connell any aid. The marshal was called into a conference of business men a few minutes later and dismissed after he had refused to resign. He then went and told the men he had deputized that he had been suspended.
When the bloodhounds arrived they were taken to the demolished railroad station. The first dog went direct to the home of one of the Citizens’ Alliance detectives. On the second trial the bloodhound followed the same trail. Then they tried another dog which went direct to the powder magazine of one of the non-union mines.
A few days before the explosion, Carlton, the Victor banker, had met William Graham, the chief of police of Victor, and had said to him:
“Billy, you and I have always been good friends, and you’ve been a good officer. You haven’t shown any partiality either for or against the Citizens’ Alliance. But we’re going to ask you to resign, as we don’t want a neutral man in the position you are holding. Now I’ll give you a hundred dollars and a ticket to Kansas City and you’d better get out as soon as you can. There is work to be done that you won’t want to do.”
Graham refused to resign.
Murphy, a boss of the Findley mine, was reported to have tried to hold back the men of that mine, telling them not to go to the depot for at least fifteen minutes. The men were anxious to get home and wanted to catch a train that was about due, so they broke away and ran to the station, many of them to meet their deaths.
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At the time of the Independence Explosion, the Western Federation of Miners was meeting in convention in Denver. Big Bill Haywood later described the scene as delegates learned of the horrific loss of life at Independence which was soon followed by a reign of terror against the striking miners of the Cripple Creek District: