CHAPTER LI.
GEN. COOK DEALS OUT JUSTICE TO BOTH THE STRIKERS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS—PREVENTS BLOODSHED AND DESTRUCTION AT LEADVILLE BY HIS UNPREJUDICED COURSE IN HANDLING THE STRIKE—STRIKERS CALL ON HIM TO SETTLE THE STRIKE—HE DOES IT IN SHORT ORDER.
As a rule, the work of detectives and detective associations during strikes has been such as to incur the bitterest hatred from the strikers, and in many cases the condemnation of all disinterested citizens. We opine that this has been caused in the main by the various associations employing for strike purposes the very worst thugs and blacklegs that could be found—men who desired to see a strike prolonged indefinitely that they might have a job, and men who would not hesitate to do anything that would increase the bitterness existing between the employers and the employed.
As an illustration of this fact, we might call attention to the great engineers’ strike on the “Q.” several years ago. Two or three engines had been blown up and much other damage had been done, so the officials of the company were led to believe, by the strikers. The labor unions of Denver denied this, and to completely refute the charges and clear themselves, they resolved to employ Gen. D. J. Cook and the Rocky Mountain Detective Association, in whom they had implicit confidence, to ferret out the real criminals. In a few days Gen. Cook was able to report to the unions that they were right, and that the deviltry was being done by miscreants in no way connected with the strikers. But the greatest services Gen. Cook and the association have ever rendered for labor unions was done during the great Leadville strike in June, 1880.
How they saved the state of Colorado from eternal disgrace, and several hundred of the foremost citizens of Leadville from eternal infamy, by nipping in the bud the conspiracy to lynch six of the leaders of the Miners’ Union, has never been told; but it deserves publication as one of the most brilliant achievements of Gen. Cook’s career.
It is not our purpose to give here a history of the strike in detail, but merely to relate the part played by Gen. Cook, and some of his most trusted lieutenants. The Miners’ Union, consisting of several hundred miners, with Michael Mooney at their head, had declared a strike about the last of May, and by persuasions and threats soon had nearly every miner in the Leadville district out. The bitterness increased from day to day, and by the 10th of June the excitement had risen to such a pitch that nearly everybody in the city had arrayed himself with either the union or with those who sympathized with the mine owners.
Leadville was in a condition of anarchy. There were organizations of mine owners and citizens, and organizations of miners which were intensely hostile to each other. The bummers of the city had attached themselves to one party or the other, hoping for plunder. It was generally believed that a vigilance committee had been organized to deal with the leaders of the strike. It was known that mine owners had received notices from unknown sources threatening their lives. The most intelligent portion of the community believed that a deadly collision was imminent.
In this condition of affairs the sheriff of the county officially notified the governor that he could no longer preserve the peace, and called upon him to declare martial law as the only means of preventing bloodshed. Gov. F. W. Pitkin at once responded by ordering Gen. Cook to take command, at the same time declaring the city and county under martial law, which step was immediately taken. Gen. Cook at once summoned ex-Sheriff Peter Becker and Lieut. Matt. Hickman, both of whom are now dead, but who were then trusted members of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association, together with two other members, and detailed them to circulate through all the crowds and obtain definite information as to what the “Committee of 115” was doing. These men soon discovered that there was a plot on foot to cause the arrest of Mooney and five other leaders of the strikers, place them under a guard of militia friendly to the committee, and then to take them away and lynch them.
Gen. Cook at once conferred with Brig. Gen. James, whom he knew to be opposed to the proposed lynching, and they agreed that at least half of the militia could not be trusted in the matter. Gen. Cook then directed Gen. James to choose three companies that were all right to scour the town and arrest every suspicious party. Gen. James chose about 300 out of the 600 men in the command, taking only the companies that he felt could be relied upon, but a large number of whose members, as the detectives found out, were members of the committee of safety themselves! They went on duty at 8 o’clock, but as a matter of course, they failed to find any riotous assemblages. After midnight Gen. Cook’s detectives reported these facts to him, adding that the mob was only waiting for him to retire, when they would have their victims placed under arrest, and placed in charge of militiamen who were in full sympathy with the mob. Then, of course, they were to be taken after a slight show of resistance and hanged. As soon as Gen. Cook found that he could not depend upon the other men, he sent for Capt. Murphy and Lieut. Duggan, of the Tabor Tigers, a company formed principally of sporting men, who were opposed to hanging on general principles, arguing that it was something that might happen to anybody. On being questioned as to whether their men could be trusted to round up the “stranglers” or not, Murphy replied: “Now you’re shoutin’. If there’s anything in the world these boys are dead sore on, it’s stranglers.” Gen. Cook at once ordered the company to report at his headquarters, on the double-quick, and upon their arrival directed Capt. Murphy to divide them into small squads and at once scour the town, arresting any group of three or more men they might find, no matter, militiamen or civilians. The men departed in all directions with a whoop, and in less than an hour the detectives reported to Gen. Cook that he could go to bed without the least fear of any more trouble, nor was there any.
As soon as the “Committee of 115” found that Gen. Cook had detected their conspiracy, they knew in a minute that the “stuff was off,” and the idea of lynching the strike leaders was given up. Gen. Cook soon convinced everybody that he had no entangling alliances with either mine owners, citizens or miners. He went under instructions to protect all classes from violence and to prevent bloodshed. His actions were so impartial and his protection to the community was so complete, that when on the third day after martial law was declared, the governor proposed to revoke the order, every class of the community appealed to him to continue the order in force. More than a hundred of the citizens telegraphed imploring him to continue the protection for a few days longer. A majority of the city council, with the city treasurer, city clerk and city marshal, united in the same request. The Miners’ Union sent him this dispatch:
“Leadville, Colorado, June 17.
“Governor F. W. Pitkin:
“We request you to leave the matter of military law in this county in the hands of Major General Cook. It is for the best interest of all concerned.
“JAMES T. BLACK,
“Secretary pro tem.
“P. J. LAWLESS,
“TIM GOODWIN,
“JOHN CRELLY,
“Vice Presidents, Union.”
Thus was the danger averted. Dave Cook’s cool head and strong determination had prevented the riot, and ruin, and bloodshed that must certainly have followed the lynching of the strike leaders by the infuriated citizens’ committee. He had won the respect of all classes, and the Miners’ Union, seeing that their cause was already lost, appealed to him to devise some means of settling the strike. He consented, and in a few hours had arranged a conference between the miners and their employers, at which their differences were satisfactorily adjusted, and the great strike was over.
When Gen. Cook was first appointed to the command of the military forces around Leadville, a local paper, the Carbonate Chronicle, said, editorially:
“The man whom Gov. Pitkin has selected to take command of the state forces in this county during the reign of martial law, needs no introduction to any Coloradoan. Sheriff of the capital county for years, he became the best known and most prominent official in the state by reason of his able administration of his duties, his wonderful detective achievements, and the fact that his arrests were made in every quarter. For the past ten or fifteen years criminals have felt that if Dave Cook was on their trail their escape was hopeless and their fears have proven well founded.
“As an executive officer, Gen. Cook possesses the highest ability. His iron will, level head and perfect coolness mark him as the one man for chief in this emergency. No matter where you see him—at table, desk, on promenade, in the saddle, confronting Utes or criminals—he is the same calm, quiet, nervy man.
“The memorable ride over the range into Middle Park, and prompt action in the Ute campaign of last summer, have passed into history, and Gen. Cook will ever be remembered with deepest gratitude by the settlers whom he succored so quickly.
“Leadville may well congratulate herself that the presence of such a man has been secured in the commander’s saddle in this most trying and important ordeal.”
Subsequent events proved that the confidence of the people in Gen. Cook’s ability was not misplaced, and the prompt and decisive settlement of the troubles, added fresh laurels to his fame and that of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association.
A VICTIM OF DRAW POKER.