Hellraisers Journal – Sunday July 30, 1899
Wallace, Idaho – Paul Corcoran Found Guilty of Second Degree Murder
From The Butte Miner of July 28, 1899:
IN THE SECOND DEGREE
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Paul Corcoran Found Guilty by
a Jury at Wallace.
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SEVENTEEN YEARS IN PRISON
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The Defense Will Trust to Executive Clemency Rather
Than Risk Another Jury Trial-
After Sentence Had Been Pronounced,
Court Adjourned Until September.
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Wallace, Idaho, July 27.-Paul Corcoran was this morning found guilty of murder in the second degree by a jury in the district court, for the killing of James Cheyne at Wardner on April 29 last, during the riots, when a mob of 1,000 miners blew up the Bunker Hill and Sullivan concentrator.
Judge Stewart this afternoon sentenced Corcoran to serve 17 years in the penitentiary. Corcoran’s case was considered a test one, and had he been acquitted it is not probable that any of the other 300 men who are under arrest would have been tried for participation in the riots and murders at Wardner. This afternoon, however, Judge Stewart set the trials of Graddock and Inman, on a charge of murdering Smith and Cheyne, for September 4.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday June 10, 1899
Wardner, Idaho – Cruelties Committed Against Miners Under Military Government
From The San Francisco Call of June 8, 1899:
BARBARITIES PRACTICED AT WARDNER
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Editor Walker Alleges Great Cruelties
Under Military Government.
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INQUEST ON A DUMMY
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Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Down
Prisoners in the “Bull Pen”
if They Flee From Fire.
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Special Dispatch to The Call.
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Despite the military censorship something that has rather more the semblance of truth than anything that has been sent out so far, is beginning to come from the Coeur d Alenes.
There are two sides to the story of the mining troubles there. It appears labor leaders assert that the Miners’ Union has not been always and altogether to blame. General Merriam, according to the labor side of the story, has gone greatly beyond even what military necessity would mandate in the suppression of riot. A general order to shoot down men if they should seek to escape death by fire can hardly be justified by anything that has occurred in Idaho so far.
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BOISE. Idaho, June 7.—W. J. Walker, editor of the Freeman’s labor journal and an organizer fur Western labor, tells a pretty tough story concerning General Merriam and Governor Steunenberg’s military rule in the Coeur d’Alene country. Mr. Walker, being one of the principal leaders in labor matters in the Northwest, is kept posted on the progress of affairs in the Coeur d’Alenes, and he says he knows whereof he speaks in the assertions he makes.
WE NEVER FORGET
Jack Smith, Member of Burke Miners Union (WFM)
Battle of Bunker Hill, Near Wardner, Idaho, April 29, 1899
Jack Smith, age about 28 years, was a member of the Burke Miners’ Union (Western Federation of Miners) who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill near Wardner, Idaho, on April 29, 1899. Newspaper accounts of the day tell the story.
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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