As a second measure of protection against the coal
174 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
miners' union, the company has on and off employed Pinkerton detectives for many years. At the time of which our narrative treats, the Pinkerton operative discharging his laudable functions in behalf of the Union Pacific Coal Company was Thomas J. Williams, No. 15.
This operative worked as a bona fide coal miner in the company's mines at Rock Springs, located in the southwestern part of Wyoming.
When the coal miners of Colorado went out on strike, the Union Pacific Coal Company became apprehensive lest the strike wave should extend to Wyoming, and, in order to prevent such an event, they redoubled their usual vigilance, and instructed Operative Williams to be more than ever on the alert.
From their standpoint, the Union Pacific Coal Company was not altogether foolish in taking these precautions. President Mitchell of the United Mine Workers had for a number of years made efforts to organize the coal miners of Rock Springs, and he thought that now, as the Colorado miners had dared to make a stand, the time was ripe to make a successful effort to bring the Wyoming miners into the fold of his organization.
True, the time was ripe, and the employees of the Wyoming coal trust were in such a discontented frame of mind that they could have been easily persuaded to join the union. But President Mitchell reckoned without Operative No. 15.
Mr. Mitchell sent organizer after organizer to Rock Springs. As quickly as an organizer came. Operative Williams took charge of him, told him confidentially that he was an old, good-standing member of the United