The daily gazette., 1883-05-30
THE LABOR RIOT.
Full Particulars of the ARRAY Led by thu
Miners Wives and Daughters.


ST. LOUIS, May 80 The strike of the
Illinois miners, which eliminated yesterday
In rioting and bloodshed, has been in pro
gress for fully two weeks. remarkable
feature of its later stages was the active
part which the wives aud daughters of the
miners took in preventing the new men
from working the mines. These Amazons,
numbering fully 800, marching in battle
array and supported by about $50 miners,
took possession OF the mines, yesterday, and
work was entirely suspended throughout
the district. The militia which Governor
Hamilton had ordered out on Thursday,
consisting Of companies from Taylorville,
Edwardsyile and Verden, had been concen-
trated az East st. Louis, so as to- be in readi-
ness to proceed to any point threatened.
They were placed under command of Colo
mel Barkley, of Springfield, who received
instructions from the Governor to take his
orders from the Sheriff of the county In
which the troops are stationed.
Yesterday morning Colonel Barkley was
notified that the mob had taken possession
OF the mines around Belleville, and that the
civil authorities were powerless. Immedi-
ately he started with his three companies
on board train, and arrived in Belleville
late In the afternoon, when he learned that
the mob had taken possession of Mine Mol ,
vile and Nashville railway, in st. Clair
county, about three and half miles west of
Belleville. The militia then started for that
point, reaching it about $50 p. m. From
the CIR windows they saw a mob of about
500 strikers and about 100 frantic women In
possession of the mine.
The women had just come from Rose Hill,
and, wild with rage, were very much more
demonstrative than the men. The train
had stopped in q ravine between two high
hills, and both bluffs were covered with
strikers, the women having taken position
on the summit. Deputy Sheriff Anthony of
st. Clair county, mounted upon a box on
the depot platform, and, addressing the
strikers, said he did not desire to have
trouble, but ne wanted the laws complied
with, and urged the mob to disperse peace
ably. Before he had concluded the report
OF pistol rang out on the air, followed by
two more shots from the summit of the hill.
The deputy felt bullet whistle past his ear,
and noticing where the smoke came from in
the mob drew his pistol and fred in that
direction.
This was the signal for general fusilade
from the mob, and one OF the soldiers, who
was just getting out of the cars, fell with a
bullet through his knee. Two-thirds OF the
militia were still in the cars when Deputy
Sheriff Anthony ordered Colonel Barkley
to give the word to fire, and the Colonel
shouted out the command to his men. The
troops fled rapidly out of the cars and
poured volley into the strikers with deadly
effect. The latter retreated, but returned
the fire, whereupOn a second volley was
given by the militia. The mob, men and
women alike, scattered and ran liter
skelter through the gullies and ravines.
After the smoke had cleared away 1t was
found that one of the strikers had been in
stantly killed and another shot through the
head SO that he cannot recover. A third
was shot through the hip. Several made
their escape, leaving bloody trails b. hind
them.
The following is the most authentic list OF
the causalties among the strikers obtainable
at present
Fred Hoffmaster, glassblower, killed; shot
through the head.
William Starkey, shot through the head
and hip; will die.
Jam' Blanchard, wounded in side, dan
gerously.
Martin Carroll, wounded slightly in left
leg.
OF the militia, Elmer James, of Edwards
vile, was shot through the feshy part OF
the leg The wound is not dangerous.
Twenty-siy of the mob were made prison.
ers and are now held by the soldiers In their
camp. Company F, Of edwardsvile, num-
bering 45 men, remain at Reinicke with the
prisoners. The Taylorville and Verden
companies left late last night for home, but
are under orders to hold themselves in readi-
ness to move on Collinsville, where trouble
is anticipated.
Dispatches from Belleville, ILL.,, state tina
everything is quiet there this morning. The
Reihicke Mine is working under the protec-
fAff fha q. t.
which does not employ regular miners, and
was working yesterday under an agreement
made with miners some days ago. If any
further trouble occurs it W II be at mines
some distance from there. The firing BY
the militia is not generally viewed in fav-
orable light.
Frederick Hoffmaster, the dead glass
blower, came from Pittsburg. he had been
in Belleville two weeks. The glassblowers
at Beleville are on strike and some of
them were with the striking miners yester-
day, which accounts for lIoffmaster's pres
ence at the Reinickc Mine.
There seems to be no doubt that Deputy
Sheriff Anthony ordered the troops to fire
on the mob, but not until several pistol
shots had beer fired by by the strikers, two
| OF them aimed directly at Anthony and Gen
eral Reese, who were standing by the side o
the train consulting as to what should be
done.
BELLEvILLE, ILL.,, May 39.-Public opln.
ion is with the strikers and condemns the
hasty action Of the militia last night. The
81 prisoners wer brought up to day and re-
easrc on their own recognizances The
great crowd of strikers present at the hear
ing then paraded them through the streets
AT the inquest over the body of the slain
miner all the officials testified that the
miners fired the first shots last evening, aud
10 witnesses, five of them women, swore
that the troops fired first. The inquest will
be continued tomorrow.
The miners are now ready to arbitrate
and committee has been appointed to con
suit with mine owners.
CoLLINsvILLE, ILL.,, May 29.-Abbey
mines, Nos. 3 and are working with full
compile ment of men, and no trouble is al
ticipated.