 The book focused in particular on how mining and ore milling companies used spies during the Colorado Labor Wars.Friedman was called as a witness at the trial of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners (WFM), Big Bill Haywood.The "Idaho Daily Statesman" described the Russian-born Friedman as,
Friedman "described dirty tricks used by the Pinkertons to subvert the WFM, including the use of undercover operatives within the WFM who padded bills to drain the Federation treasury and reduced payments to miners to build dissatisfaction with Haywood."