The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1877-05-26
The Monster Crime Of the ise.
SIXTY MEN POISONED.

Special to Cincinnati Enquirer.
6treatcr, Illinois, May 15.-Yes-
terday there was perpetrated in
our midst crime of such startling
magnitude as to electrify the nerves
of our strongest citizens-a crime
that has no parallel in the history
of the State-a poisoning case
which, in civil times, has no equal
in effect nor proportions. Sixty |
stalwart men were last night wri-
thing in the throes Of agony from
the effects Of a deadly ,rug admin
istcred toshem surreptitiously by |
some vile ficnd, who was planning
their total destruction to satisfy a
spirit Of revenge.
Some time ago the miners be-
came dissatisfied with their wages,
and with q further reduction star
Ing them in the face, they struck
in a body, aud were strengthened
in their cause BY the miners OF
Braidwood. Lasalle and other
mines. The Chicago, Wilmington
and vermillion Coal Company, the
principal operators Of this place,
| immed lately substituted the places
Of the strikers with new men, who
are technically called blaaklcgs I"
BY the miners. The company cree
ted large bnildings In which to
keep the new men, and although
there was 40 resistance offered by
the old hands, yet a strong force
Of special police from Chicago
were placed around the buildings
and shafts to protect them. So far
as could bo seen, no trouble was
imminent.
| After duo time and rcconsidcra-
ton, the old miners offered to re-
sumo work on the compsny's terms
il accepted in a body. They wcrc
all rcinstated, and everything
} " worked pleasantly until yesterday
II There were some who went 10
work with great reluctance, yet,
; since tho difficulties had all beer
adj usted, no trouble was anticips
ted. Most Of the guards had beer
withdrawn, and great many o
! tho "blacklcgs," finding 1t impcs
} sible 10 compete with practice
D miners, became dissatisfied aut
left. Everything had resumed IT
normal condition about tho mines
About one hundred "blacklegs
still remained, and the old miner
and these were at liberty to 3
/ through the mines at pleasure.
Yesterday, some wretch, lost =
all the dictates of humanity, tool
advantage Of this newly acquired
2 liberty, aud poisoned the food Q
!. the "blacklcgs.' How It wa
: dono is q mystery that at prcscn
! cannot DO solved. Tho miner
: take their dinners with them dow
: into the mines, and their bucket
" are kept with them in the shat
: room where they work, and th
7 belief is that their food was poll
u oncd while they wero at work.
!, One Of the " blacklegs" wh
4" was more fortunate than the res
: at one time during the forenoo
: called attention to the fact that til
, old miners were unusually livel
: that morning. Nothing was SUI
= pccted, however, until about tw
= O'Clock, when twenty miners wei
! brought to the surface, sufferir
y all the tortures Of that dead
= drug, arsenic. Physicians wei
:, Immediately summoned who d
y all they could to alleviate the col
. dition Of tho suffering men, an
= everything possible was provide
= for their comfort by the officers
- the company. At four o'clock Il
" number had swcllcd to sixty.
y The description Of their hea
!" quarters. which now serves Il
y ! part Of q hospital, Is most sickc
~ Ing il It's details. The men we
" brought from the pit aud placed I
y their cots in tho same conditl'
y they wero working, coal dust col
81 pletely hiding their features. ~
y. = eject Of tho drug, which had be
- too bouptifully furnished In maj
y :. cases, produced vomiting. In u
:, = tho writhing victims lay. I
y stencil was such as to turn t
y strongest stomach. Good nurf
!" - were provided and their conditi