152 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
The officials of the company, better than anyone else, knew that a system of this kind must be heartily detested by the men, and that if a union organizer should appear among the miners, the latter would lend a willing ear to his program. As the establishment of a union would result in shorter hours and the abolition of the scrip system, the company took steps to stifle in embryo any attempts at organizing.
In the first place, the company hired deputy sheriffs, ostensibly for the purpose of patrolling and protecting their property, but in reality to watch every stranger entering the camps, and to order him out of town if found to be a union organizer.
This precaution prevented organization openly among the coal miners. However, a deputy sheriff could not prevent an "agitator" from getting work in some mine, then secretly talking to and organizing the men into a union. The company thought of this possibility, and applied the only remedy; namely, the placing of Pinkerton operatives in some of their camps as practical coal miners, in which capacity they were in an excellent position to discover the presence of a secret organizer, and to report the names of all disaffected.
The company had one operative in Fremont County, and another in Las Animas County. The former was J. Frank Strong, No. 28, and the latter Robert M. Smith, No. 38. Both operatives did the same work, yet neither was acquainted with the other.
No. 28, in addition to his regular work among the miners, kept special watch on John L. Gehr, a member of the National Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America; while No. 38 maintained intimate relations with William Howells, President, and John Simpson, Secretary,