The Pinkerton Labor Spy. 91
are beginning to awaken to the danger they have been placed in by the conspirators, and but for the military there would surely have been a lynching bee or two before this.
"The conspiracy in Cripple Creek was gigantic. We have positive information that the intention of the conspirators was to blow up four more mines. In this way they hoped to scare the miners and close up the entire camp.
"After blowing up the Vindicator the plans were to blow up one mine after another. This was to occur Sunday and Monday. The conspirators well knew that the military would be on their way to Telluride, and they hoped to catch the soldiers between here and Telluride. In that way they thought they would put Governor Peabody up against it. They expected to throw him off his guard. The conspiracy further included the touching off of a mine in Telluride if necessary.
"It was a deep-laid plot and would have carried to perfection, but for the prompt sending of the military to Cripple Creek, the surrounding of the town and the prompt arrests."
About a week after this confident utterance, the coroner's jury brought in a verdict that they were unable to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
Notwithstanding the decision of the coroner's jury, the military kept Parker, Kennison and a number of others in the bull pen for many weeks, on the charge of conspiring to blow up the Vindicator mine.