OPERATIVE NO. 38 REPORTS: Trinidad, Colo., Wednesday, February 2Sth, 1903. After having breakfast, Curtis and I started out to hunt John Gehr at the Trinidad Hotel where he stays. We learned that he had not gotten up yet this morning. We then sat around the bar-room a while, when, as he had not shown up yet, we went up to his room, and found him
154 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
awake but still in bed. He, however, invited us in and was both surprised and glad to see us. Then, after exchanging greetings, he got up and dressed, and invited us to accompany him to another room where, he said, he wanted to introduce us to a friend. He introduced us to a Mr. J. Frank Strong, who comes from Fremont County, and from Gehr*s home local, and was a candidate for District Secretary against Simpson last Fall. Gehr introduced Strong as his best friend. We talked until Strong was dressed, when we went down into the bar-room where we had drinks, after which Gehr and Strong went to breakfast. Curtis and I went up to the county jail to see Jim Ritchie, promising to meet Gehr and Strong again on our return from the jail. After visiting Ritchie, we returned down-town, and at the Horse Shoe Club we met Gehr, Strong, Frank Hefferle and several other men from he would kill him. Hefferle had him arrested and the trial It appears, that a fellow who is cooking at the boarding house at Majestic, got a valentine recently that did not suit him, and he blamed Hefferle for sending it, and told Hefferle that if he did not get out of camp immediately, he would kill him. Hefferle had him arested and the trial was to take place to-day, and they had sought Gehr's counsel. He was trying to settle it out of court, which, I believe, he finally did with the assistance of Curtis. At the first opportunity I began to sound Gehr with regard to these two organizers mentioned in a letter to me; but if they are here, he would not let anything out to indicate that he knew anything about it I did not, however, ask him outright if they were here, but if they are here he could gain nothing by