Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 2, 1904
Military Despotism Rules Cripple Creek, Telluride and Southern Colorado
From the Duluth Labor World of January 2, 1904:
TEXT:
WILL THROW MOTHER JONES IN BULL PEN Mother Jones Strongly Excoriates the Tyrant and Gov. Peabody.
Denver, Colo., Dec. 24-…General Bell, smarting under the stings of “Mother” Jones’ masterful excoriation of himself and Peabody, declares in stringent tones that if opportunity offers he will slap her in the bull pen. That declaration was unnecessary. Those who are at all acquainted with his record know grey hairs, womanhood nor any other of those things which true men revere and hold sacred are as nothing to him if they stand in the way of groveling service to his masters.
Editorial Suppressed.
The Victor Record, the official organ of the strikers, has had a military patrol and censor placed at the office. George E. Kyner, editor, was notified that no editorials reflecting in any way upon Governor Peabody or the militia would be allowed, nor could the daily official statement prepared by the miners’ executive committee be published. Next day the Record came out with a black-faced heading “Record Reflections”- a two-column blank space with a border, on the editorial page, indicating that the matter, whatever it was, had been suppressed.
The official statement of the Miners’ Union which was suppressed follows:
“The governor of the state of Colorado has today pretended to declare martial law in the Cripple Creek district. There is absolutely no justification for this outrage. The strike has been on for three months and but one serious crime has been committed and that cannot be laid to strike conditions. The alleged attempt to wreck a railroad train is a trick plot of two detectives employed by the mine owners.
“The Vindicator matter was an accident, or a crime committed by someone employed by the mine owners.
“The mine owners have lost the strike and hence their desperation.-District Union NO. 1, W. F. of M.”
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 13, 1903 Major McClelland Explains Military Despotism in the Cripple Creek Strike Zone
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
“TO HELL WITH THE CONSTITUTION.”
“To hell with the constitution. We are going by the governor’s orders,” said Major McClelland, acting judge advocate and counsel for the military authorities, according to the statement of Attorney John M. Glover [published in the Victor Daily Record of October 4th]:
I was in the office of District Attorney Trowbridge when Tom McClelland and Willis V. Elliott were preparing information against Editor Kyner for libel.Referring to the seizure of the office of the Victor Record, I said to McClelland, “Your people apparently have not much respect for the constitution. That was a blow at the freedom of the press,” to which McClelland replied: “To h— with the constitution. We are going by the governor’s orders.” To which I replied: “We will have some of you fellows pleading for your liberty before a jury where the governor’s orders don’t go.” McClelland replied: “We will take care of that when we come to it.” Elliot was present and heard this conversation.”
Immediately upon the appearance of the foregoing, McClelland denied that he made the remark that he was not going by the constitution, which at once brought forth the following from Mr. Glover:
Cripple Creek, Colo., Oct. 5, 1903.
Editor of the Daily Record, Victor, Colo.:
Dear Sir:—The conversation reported in your issue of October 4, as having occurred between Thomas McClelland, judge advocate of the National Guard and myself, took place explicitly and exactly as stated by your correspondent. My version of the matter will be accepted by the people of this section and by any jury before which McClelland shall be tried. I repeat that this conversation took place in the immediate presence and hearing of Willis V. Elliott, also an officer of the National Guard, and I cherish the hope that Mr. Elliott has too much regard for his honor and his uniform to join in McClelland’s denial.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday October 12, 1903 Cripple Creek District, Colorado – The Military Bullpen at Camp Goldfield
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
[The Military Bullpen]
Now I will invite the reader to take a trip to the military prison and see how fared the Record prisoners.
These prisoners were marched unceremoniously to the bull pen. Armed thugs forced them into a filthy and squalid little tent, absolutely barren of furniture or bedding, where they were told to stay under penalty of having their heads blown off if they appeared an inch outside of the entrance.
The night was bitterly cold and on that frigid mountain side, under the intimidating guard of a horde of armed assassins, the working force of the Victor Record passed a night of torture equal to anything ever devised by the Spanish inquisitors. The entire force will bear testimony that the treatment accorded them was so inhuman and revolting as to surpass the belief of American citizens.
The “bull” tent had just been vacated by a number of drunken soldier prisoners, who had vomited all over the interior. The stench was sickening, but there they were forced to lay, without even so much as a gunny sack to protect them from the cold. Shortly after sunrise they were told to come to “breakfast.” Emerging from the filthy kennel they were escorted to the mess table a short distance away. A dozen guards kept them covered with guns loaded with riot ammunition while two grimy negro cooks dished out a little slop on tin plates and told them to eat. There were no knives, forks or spoons at hand. “Use your fingers,” said the head negro when remonstrance was made.
Beneath the table were a number of wash boilers and buckets filled with the accumulated garbage of several days and the stench arising therefrom was nauseating enough to insult the gizzard of a buzzard. It is quite needless to state that they had no appetite.
They returned to the tent hungrier and more distressed than ever. The day was raw and cold and they were chilled to the marrow. Faint and sick Mr. Richmond approached the captain of the guard and implored him for God’s sake to obtain some blankets. His appeal was cut short with an oath from that dignitary.
A little later a murderous looking gatling gun was drawn up, trained on the prisoner’s tent, and they were subjected to the nerve rending ordeal of posing as targets. The excitement attending this outrageous intimidation completely unnerved some of them.
Attorney Tully Scott, formerly of Kansas, succeeded in getting them liberated through some legal procedure and after unwinding a few miles of military red tape the commanding general turned them over to Sheriff Robertson of Teller county, when for the first time they learned that they were defendants in a libel case.
It was a deliberate plot to suppress a paper for telling the truth about the uniformed hirelings who were guilty of the outrages above mentioned.
The excuse for the taking of the Record force was that in the issue of the day before, there was an article of about six lines which referred to two tools of the mine owners as ex-convicts. It was learned that in the case of Vannick it was true, but Scanlon, with all his faults, had not, as yet worn the stripes. However, there was a correction coming out the following morning. The whole truth of the matter was that the military was watching every movement of the Record for a chance to raid the office. The real reason of the military raiding the office at that hour, was to suppress the official organ of the Western Federation of Miners.The district had only the one paper that stood up for the cause, and of course the enemy did not have a very warm feeling of friendship for the Record. The reader will at once realize that even had the editor been guilty of criminal libel the operators or the mechanical force could not legally be held responsible. But when the military endeavored to suppress the Record they reckoned without their host. Again the writer will quote: “The best laid plans o’ mice,” etc. The writer would advise the warrior Chase, when he again undertakes to suppress the press, to not only arrest the force at work, but every living printer in the county—and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to carefully guard the cemeteries, for the press is a hard game to beat—even by a warrior of the ability of Chase, as he has doubtless discovered.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 11, 1903 Cripple Creek District, Colorado – Victor Daily Record Kidnapped
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
The Victor Daily Record Kidnapped.
Tuesday night Sept. 29, at 11:05, the busiest hour on a morning paper, the Victor Daily Record, which had espoused the cause of the striking miners, was raided by the militia, and the entire force at work was “captured.” The linotypes were humming, ‘‘catching the elevator” on every line, the foreman was fuming and “rushing,” proofs, for “first side down” and first “forms” must go to “press” at 11:30. Suddenly the door of the composing room flew open and in stalked Tom McClelland with the air of a “conquering hero,” followed by a file of yaping yokels dressed in the garb of soldiers and armed to the teeth. “Halt!” yelled the fierce Tom. “Ground arms!” “Fix bayonets!” “guard the entrances!”
“What the h——!” says the foreman, “having a fit?”
The operators merely shifted quids, “brought down” a period and ‘‘sent in” the line.
“Private——— step forward!” roared “Thomas of the shining tin,” “identify the force!’’ A long, lank specimen of the genius homo, red headed, with a scraggly, three week’s growth of red fuzz that might have developed into red whiskers, had the soil from which they sprouted been fertile, shuffled from the ranks and in a hang-dog manner pointed his grimy finger at the foreman and the two linotype operators. This aforesaid specimen had been in the office the night before and had claimed to be a printer; and from his conversation he might have been at some time a janitor in a “print shop” or roller washer in a press room—but printer—oh, no. He was informed in plain, understandable English that if he had business to make it known, if not, conversation was a waste of time. He left and the “force’’ all said, “we’re spotted for the ‘bull pen’ sure.”
“You’re all prisoners of war!” bellowed Thomas, but the “mills” kept “turning over.” ‘Get up!” hissed the major of majestic mein.
“Who the —— are you?” calmly gurgled one of the operators.
“I’m Major Thomas E. McClelland, of the Colorado National guard!”
“Oh, my! does it hurt so very much?” In pitying accents from the operator, my husband [Charles G. Langdon].
“Sergeant seize that man!” gasped Thomas of the guard.
The “sergeant” pushed a wicked looking bayonet towards the operator’s neck and he had to “send in” a “short line.”
Mr. Kyner, the managing editor, then stepped into the composing room and asked what was wanted. McClelland stated that he had arrested the “force” and wanted him, too. ‘‘All right,’ said Mr. Kyner, “I guess you have me.”
“Me too.” said Mr. Sweet, the circulator.
That’s all,” said the “genius homo.”
“Well, it’s a clean sweep,” said Mr. Kyner, “May I telephone my wife?”
“You’ll have to hurry,” quoth pompous Mac.
“Who’ll get out the paper?” asked Richmond, the foreman.
“McClelland laughed and said, ‘“‘We’ll send printers down from the camp and get it out for you.”
“Oh no you won’t,” said Richmond, “It takes printers, and printers don’t bunch in your corral.”
With that the Record force was marched to the “bull pen” under an “honorary” guard of two companies of infantry, two troops of cavalry and, perhaps, the gatling gun, (late of Wyoming.)
At that time I was at home in bed and Mrs. Kyner came to my home and rapped at the door. I opened the door and she asked me if I had heard the latest. I replied that I evidently had not, and she informed me of the arrest of the Record force, and asked, “What shall we do?”
“Do!” said I, “get out the paper of course.” “Just the thing,” said plucky Mrs. Kyner. “I’ll notify Mr. Miller,” and away she flew in the darkness. We realized instantly that a strong effort had been made to suppress the liberty of the press, and determined forthwith that the entire military force of Colorado should not keep the Record from making its appearance as usual.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 12, 1903
Cripple Creek District, Colorado – Citizens Protest Against Military Despotism
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
Citizens of Victor Protest
Emma F. Langdon
There was sent out in the district a few circulars announcing a meeting on the corner of Fourth and Victor avenue, Sept 5, at 4 o’clock for the purpose of making a formal protest against the outrageous proceedings and declaring against the threatened establishment of martial law, and for the purpose of placing the community of law-abiding Americans in the proper light before the world. The meeting was called for the purpose of passing a resolution that would express the sentiment of the people of the district. In answer to the few circulars sent out, hundreds of representative citizens gathered and held a rousing enthusiastic meeting.
J. E. Ferguson of Victor, was elected chairman of the meeting and delivered the following address:
It is a very extraordinary occurrence which has, on such short notice called out this vast assemblage of law-abiding citizens. We are today confronted with a condition which calls forth from the breast of every peace loving, law-abiding citizen expressions of condemnation such as he has never before felt.
Without any provocation whatever we have in our midst an army of soldiers but for what purpose has not yet been declared. Last night while the community was asleep this body of armed men were unloaded in our midst. Up to this hour, I am informed, they have not officially made known to the sheriff or any other peace officer that they are here. Why are we thus afflicted? Why this array of soldiery and munitions of war? It is said that the governor of this state has sent them here and that he has been notified of the existence of that necessity. What peace officer has called for the aid of the state militia? I hear the name of Mayor French mentioned. Whether he is guilty or not I am not prepared to say, but if he is his actions do not show that he has acted in good faith. Mayor French is the mayor of this city. His authority as an executive officer extends only to the limits of his municipality. If there existed in his jurisdiction a necessity for troops why has he not had them sent to Victor? Not a single soldier is stationed within the city limits or so far as I am informed in any other city of the county. Your sheriff has called for no militia. He has need of none. The constitution of the state of Colorado gives power to the governor to call out the militia to execute the laws, suppress insurrection or repel invasion. Can it be said that any of these constitutional conditions existed as a basis for his recent action?…
It is now over three weeks since the present strike was declared and such a condition has at no time existed. I want to say to you as a citizen of your city, and as an officer of the law, for I am an officer of the court, that in over four years that I have resided in Teller county, I have not seen three consecutive weeks that were fraught with as little violence, as little disturbance, as little breaking of the law as the past three weeks have been. It has been charged that the mayor has been guilty of assisting in perpetrating this wrong upon this city and county. If the necessity existed, when did he wake up to his duty? Mr. French was mayor of the city last April and at that time there was not a property holder or renter of property who was not nightly and daily in fear of incendiary fire. House after house was fired all over the city, many of which were burned to the ground. Murder was committed by the setting of the fire. Yet this law-abiding mayor did not think of calling in the militia.
The purpose of this meeting, ladies and gentlemen, is to adopt a set of appropriate resolutions which I am informed has been prepared. It is proper that you should do so. Some action should be taken at once to show the powers that reign over us that we have been misrepresented. That we have no need of martial law, and I hope that proper resolutions will be adopted.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday September 11, 1903 Cripple Creek District, Colorado – Governor Sends the Militia into Strike Zone
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
[Cripple Citizens’ Alliance]
Emma F. Langdon
About Sept. 1 there were many rumors of an alliance being formed in Victor. Upon investigation it was found there was an organization known as the “Citizens’ Alliance” in Cripple Creek. If there was at the above date, such an organization in Victor, there could not be one member located. Just what this organization hoped to accomplish in the Cripple Creek district was hard to understand, but it was not hard to understand from whence the spirit of the movement came. It required but little investigation into the membership to convince one that it was inspired by the mine owners; at least, the most prominent members are their lieutenants in the district. These men, it appears, first interviewed the Victor merchants but received a decided “turndown,” for which all friends of organized labor were grateful. The situation is different here from what it is in Denver. The great mass of people here are union people and just how a “Citizens’ Alliance’” could hope to accomplish any good for itself or anybody else is hard to understand. Just think of it; the idea of the business men, or anyone else of this district, organizing to fight organized labor. What has made the Cripple Creek district from a business standpoint? Has it been the generosity of the mine owners, or the work of organized labor in establishing a wage scale here that would put enough money in circulation to make business here in place of going to Colorado Springs.
In the city of Victor the news of the organization caused much amusement at that time, be it said to the credit of Victor’s business men.
[Home of Mr. Dennison, Union Miner, Burned]
[From] when the first non-union men began the work of building a fence at the El Paso, until the completion of the tunnel, there was enacted at the mine many disgraceful scenes of lawlessness. Guards at the mine had fights among themselves; insulted passers-by; stopped respectable people that had business to pass that way, at the point of rifles. They were, it was said, caught stealing. They made indecent exposures before innocent children; for which some of the men employed were arrested. The home of Mr. Dennison, a union miner, was destroyed by incendiaries on the night of Sept. 2, and while it was not proved positively that it was the work of the El Paso crew, evidence was strong against them. If they did not actually light the fire that destroyed the property, they, at least, made plain the fact that they were glad to see Mr. Dennison and family made homeless. While the house was in flames and the work of saving some of the household goods was in progress, the guards stood by and laughed and jeered. They did not offer to assist the unfortunate people. For that reason, I say if they were not instrumental in the burning of the building, at any rate, they made no secret of their joy at the sight of Dennison’s home being in flames.
[Large rewards were offered by the county officials and citizens for evidence leading to the arrest of those guilty of the assault upon businessmen Stewart an Hawkins, however] no reward offered for the villains that burned the home of Mr. Dennison, a union miner, and there was very little said of the matter by the enemies of organized labor.
[Governor Sends Investigating Committee]
When it was announced that an investigating committee was to visit the district a general expression of satisfaction was heard on every side. But, alas, that investigating committee—what a farce.
The members of the committee arrived [in Victor] over the Short Line Sept. 3, at 9:30 p. m. They were hastened through a back alley by F. M. Reardon to a rear entrance into the Bank of Victor, where they were met by Mayor French and a few other prominent citizens and held a short consultation, when they left for the residence of Nelson Franklin. The committee remained at the residence of Nelson Franklin about a half hour and then took the low line electric for Cripple Creek, where they went into session and held a long interview with Sheriff Robertson. They refused to talk. After the meeting with the mine owners they returned to Victor on a special car.
A telegram received at the Victor Daily Record office from Denver shortly after midnight said that the commission was in session at the National hotel in Cripple Creek and would not be ready with the recommendation for several hours. The commission consisted of Attorney General N. C. Miller, Brigadier General John Chase of the National guard, and Lieutenant T. E. H. McClelland, an obscure lawyer of Denver. No intimation was given out as to the possible conclusions.
The commission returned to Denver early the following morning, being in the district less than eight hours and only interviewed one side of the question.
[Troops Arrive]
September 4, about noon, the news reached the district that troops had been ordered to the gold camp and would arrive that night. The people were seized with consternation at this news. A wail of indignation went up from at least two-thirds of the entire population. The people at once understood the mission of the “investigating committee” and why they did not consult. all parties concerned. The first of the state troops arrived in the district Sept. 4 before midnight, and from then on for twenty-four hours they came until there was located, in one of the quietest, most conservative, law-abiding districts in the world, over 1,000 men with munitions of war sufficient to fight a small nation.
The all absorbing subject on the streets of Victor and in the entire district was the question of the arrival of the troops. The farce committee sent here by Governor Peabody to secure an excuse to bring the troops, returned to Denver Sept. 4, early in the morning, and immediately advised the governor to send the troops. Adjutant General Bell had his men in readiness. In fact, they were wearing their uniforms around Denver early in the morning and were simply waiting for the farce committee to report what had been agreed upon the day before.
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