About 11.45 P. M. we left the hall. I first took my books to my room, and then took a walk around, but found everything very quiet indeed. I then came back to the restaurant and had a little lunch, then went to my room, and at 2.30 A. M. discontinued for the night.
Yours respectfully,
The above report of secret operative A. H. Crane, more commonly known at the Pinkerton office as No. 5, like many other reports of a similar character, was sent to Mr. J. D. Hawkins, superintendent, and Mr. Charles M. MacNeill, vice-president and general manager of the United States Reduction & Refining Company, popularly believed to be a part of the smelter trust, and numbering among its valuable possessions the great Standard Mill, the largest orereduction plant in Colorado City.
Four days previous to the date of No. 5's report, given above, Mill & Smeltermen's Union No. 125 of
- The reader will note that Operative Crane heads the committee appointed by tiie union to manage the strike on the smelter.
The Pinkerton Labor Spy. 33
the Western Federation declared a strike on the Standard Mill. The press reported the event as a passing occurrence, and the public scarcely paid any attention. Yet, as the inaugfuration of this strike was to a great extent the result of No. 5's work, and had such farreaching effects, a little inquiry into the causes will be interesting as well as instructive.
Charles M. MacNeill, vice-president and general manager of the U. S. Reduction & Refining Co., is primarily responsible for the occurrence of the trouble at Colorado City, consequently for the great Cripple Creek strike, and, to say the least, is a very peculiar and much-talked-of man. Worshipped by the rich as a demi-god, execrated by labor as an arch-fiend. Who is right? What kind of a man is MacNeill?