St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-06-09
A FATAL yOLLEY.

tobe Dispersed by n volley and a Charge
from the MilitIa-One of the Rioters
Killed and Others Wounded.
BELLEvILLE, ILL.,, May 2S.
The coal miners strike in st. Clair and
Madison Counties, which has been in prog
ress for the last few weeks and which caused
such critical state of affairs at the Abbey
mines, near Collinsville, last week, that
the State militia had to be called out, Gull
minated yesterday afternoon at $50 O'Clock
in collision between the militia and the
striking miners, in which blood flowed, one
miner being killed and one, and perhaps
more, wounded. This battle between the
striking miners and three companies of
militia took place at a little way station
called Reinecke, on the Louisville g.
Nashville Railroad, in st. Clair County,
and about three and q half miles from Belle
Vile. It was short, sanguine and effective,
and when the smoke cleared from the val
ley the militia were in possession of the
field, while dead miner lay on the bank
of the gully with the crown of his head shot
off, another lay up among the trees on the
bluff shot through the hip, twenty-six of
the remainder of the 400 or 800 had scat
tered over the hills and into the gullies and
ravines out of reach of the fire of the sol
diers. The seventy-fve women who had
taken the leading part in the days proceed
ings before the arrival of the militia took to
their heels also at the sound Of the mus
kerry.
The first scene of the day was at the Rose
Hill Mine, on Wards farm, on switch of
the Pittsburgh Railroad, about mile west
of Belleville. The miners here have had
numerous strikes, but not till this one have
the females of the miners families taken
any active part in them. After the militia
was called to the Abbey Mines last week
and the strikers were oyerawed, the wives
and daughters of the latter became des-
perate and declared that it their protectors
could not cope with the soldiers they would
try their hands at the business and see if
American soldiers would interfere with
women organized and demanding what
they deemed fair for husbands and fathers.
The late strike was inaugurated several
weeks ago, but the Rose Hill folks were not
interfered with till Wednesday last. Then
committee of the strikers called upon
them and asked that they suspend work till
the strike was ended. This was finally ac-
ceded to, provided that coal ceased before
Monday to come in on the Cairo Short Line,
the strikers agreeing that if coal continued
to come in the Rose Hill Mine might re-
sumo on Monday yesterday. After the
however, the women determined to take
hand in the fight, and hearing that the Rose
Hill men had threatened to go to work last
Friday, fifteen of these women were at that
mine bright and early on that morning to
prevent it. But the Rose Hill folks stated
that they intended to observe their agree
ment with the strikers, and would not re-
ceased to come in ON the Short Line.
The women declared that under no
circumstances would they permit them
to resume work and left, stating that they
would be on hand Monday morning to see
that the mine continued to remain idle.
Coal continued to come in on the Short Line
from Marissa on Saturday, and the Rose
Hill folks determined to commence work on
Monday, as did Conrad Reinecke and Mr..
Knecht, whose mines are on the L. & N.
Railroad. They had first calleduponth the Sher-
if and asked ii them ives, men and prop
erty would be protected from the strikers
in the event they resumed the operation of
their mines. The Sheriff replied that they
would have adequate rejection, and ar
these mines again yesterday morning.
True to their word, the women were on
hand to prevent the Rose Hill mine from
working.
They gathered their forces in West Belle
vile, and numbered sixty-one as they
from the West End for the Rose
Hill mine. They were Of all ages, from six
teen to sixty-fve years, and many of them
had their children with them.
William Groom, aged seventeen, who as
sisted his grandfather, Bob Groom, as
engineer at the mine, was at the Rose Hill
mine at O'Clock yesterday morning and
just getting ready to start a fire in the en-
CINE, by which the cars are lifted and low
cred in the shaft, when this force of women
FOR OF fho mi, rod fbo.,