Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-06-07
CALLING OUT THE TROOPS.

The strike of the Illinois miners, which
eliminated last week in riOting and blood
shed, has been in progress for fully two
weeks. The remarkable feature in its latter
stages was the active part which the wives
and daughters of the miners took in pre-
venting new men from working the mines.
These women, numbering fully three hum
dred, marching in battle array and support
ed by one hundred and fifty miners, took
possession of the mines and work was en-
tirely suspended throughout the district.
The militia, which Governor Hamilton
ordered out on Thursday, consisting of COM
panies from Taylorville, Edwardsville and
Verden, was concentrated at East st. Louis,
so as to be in readiness to proceed to any
point threatened. They were placed under
command of Col. Barkley, of Springfield,
who received instructions from the Govern
or to take his orders from the sheriff of the
county in which the troops were stationed.
On Tuesday morning Barkley was notified
that the mob had taken possession of the
mines around Bellevile and the civil au-
thOrities were pOWerless. He Immediately
started with his three companies on board
a train and arrived at Belleville late in the
afternoon, when he learned that the mob
had taken possession of mine No. |, at
Reinicke, small station on the Louisville
bols Slpll SouilVy
three and half miles west of Belleville.
The militia started for that point, reaching
it about $50 p. NJ. From the car windows
they saw mob of 800 strikers and about
100 frantic women in possession of the mine.
The women had just come from Rose Hill
and, wild with rage, and were very much
more demonstrative than the men. The
train stopped in ravine between two high
hills, and both bluffs were covered with
strikers, the women having taken a posi-
tion on the summit. Deputy Sheriff An
thony, Of st. Clair county, mounted upon
a box on the depot platform, and address
ing the strikers, said he did not desire to
have trouble, but he wanted the laws COM
peaceably. Before he concluded the report
of pistol rang out on the air, followed by
two more shots from the summit Of the
hill. The deputy sheriff felt bullet whis-
tie past his ear and noticing where the
smoke came from in the mob drew his pis-
tol and fired in that direction. This was
the signal for general flsilade from the
mob, and one of the soldiers, who was just
getting out of the cars, fell with bullet
through his knee. Two thirds Of the militia
were still in the cars, when Deputy Sheriff
Anthony ordered Col. Barkley to give the
word to fire, and the Colonel shouted out
the command to his men. The troops filed
rapidly out of the cars and poured a volley
into the strikers with deadly effect. The
latter retreated, but returned the fire,
whereupon asecond volley was given by the
militia. The mob of men and women alike
scattered and ran helter-skelter through
the gullies and ravines. After the smoke
had cleared away it was found that one of
the strikers had been instantly killed, an
other shot through the head SO that he can
not recover, and a. third was shot through
the hips. Several made their escape, leav-
ing bloody trails behind them. The exact
number of the strikers killed or wounded is
not known. A number of the strikers were
taken prisoners, and on trial last Friday, for
riot, thirty-four pleaded guilty and were
each fined S25 and cost, but stay of eXecu-
tion was granted during theirgood behavior.