direct result of a refusal of families stricken by the Christmas Eve disaster here to accept relief from a committee, the majority of whose members belonged to the Citizens' Alliance, an organization combatting the five months' strike of the federation.
At the local federation headquarters Moyer's departure was called "a kidnapping by the Citizens' Alliance." The action was said to have caused no great surprise, as it was said that threats of such a possibility had been received two weeks ago.
The relief committee, which had collected $25,000, found itself unable to give away one cent when it started today to deliver the fund.
Every bereaved household that was approached told the men and women in charge of the distribution that they had been promised adequate aid by the Western Federation of Miners, and nowhere was there any assistance wanted.
dragged them, both wounded, from the hotel into the street.
The two prisoners were held so that they could not defend nor protect themselves, and in this position were dragged through the streets and across the bridge to Houghton, being incessantly kicked and beaten. Mr. Moyer was bleeding and weak from a revolver shot, and Mr. Tanner was bleeding from a wound just below his right eye.
In this condition they were placed upon a train and under armed guard taken out of the state, being threatened with lynching if they should return.
Nobody has been indicted nor arrested for these assaults, although the persons that committed them are perfectly well known in Hancock.
But Mr. Moyer has been indicted for conspiracy.
It might be worth while to summarize Russell's narrative
of the outcome of this last matter. The leader of the mob
was an eminent Bostonian, James MacNaughton, vice-president
and general manager of "Calumet and Hecla." When he was
accused, the Associated Press took the trouble to send out a
dispatch explaining that he could not possibly have been the
man, because of an elaborate and complicated alibi—which
alibi was later proven to prove nothing. Mr. MacNaughton
was never prosecuted in this matter; nor was the Associated
Press prosecuted—except by Charles Edward Russell. We
may believe the statement in Russell's letter, that "the Associated
Press made a loud squeal on the story!" I would ask:
Why did they not prosecute Russell? Why is it that the
general manager of the Associated Press makes nothing but
a "loud squeal"? Why does he content himself with easy
victories before church forums and chambers of commerce
banquets? Why does he not come into court and vindicate his
honor in an open contest before a jury?
