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.