Dear Sir:—
OPERATIVE NO. 42 REPORTS:
Denver, Colo., Thursday, June 9th, 1904.
I reported in the office in the morning, then went to Globeville. I talked with a number of the union men and found them very quiet on the strike situation. The trouble in the Cripple Creek district is causing considerable comment. The militia and Citizens' Alliance were scared fiercely. Nick Kekick said the miners ought to all get together, arm themselves and go to the Cripple Creek district and run the militia out.
I went to Joe Mehelict and told him the instructions received from Haywood Monday evening. I told him that last night at the meeting. I told Malich and Smith, and Smith thought we should wait until next Wednesday before re-establishing the pickets, also that in the meantime Smith wanted to see Hajrwood, as he thought it unwise to do anything in Globeville on account of the trouble in Cripple Creek.
Mehelict listened attentively, then said: "Smith is afraid of getting arrested. I am not. I know what Smith wants to see Haywood for. He wants to persuade Haywood not to send the pickets out. Smith is afraid of sending them out."
Mehelict was in favor of sending the pickets out and was very angry at B. P. Smith, thinking that Smith did not want to send the pickets out Mehelict later said that if it had not been for B. P. Smith, this strike would have been settled long ago. He said after the strike had been declared, Smith told the men the strike would last some time, and told them not to wait around here, but get out and find work elsewhere. Mehelict said the result was, all the good men left, and they had no one to do the picket work.