The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-15
Three Hundred Strikers AS
semble in East st. Louis
and a Riot Ensues.
Stones Are Thrown at Deputy Mar
skals, When They Shoot Into
the Crowd.
Sly Persons Killed and Four Wounded
Before the Battle Is Ter.
minated.
Isl. Louis MO- dispatch.l

was shed there at o'clock this afternoon,
when a group of Sheriff Ropiequets depu-
ties, sworn in and armed this morning to
take the places of his regular men, who
had been sent back to Bellevillc last night,
fred into the crowd of strikers and specta-
tors who had gathered near the Cahokia
Creek bridge, and killed five persons, while
two are MORALLY wounded and others badly
hurt The killed are: Pat Driscol, employee
of the water works; Oscar Washington,
painter; John Bohman, water-works
laborer, not striker; G. E. Thompson;
unknown man, shot at the bridge approach;
Mrs. John Pfeiffer; Maj. Rychmann.
The day opened with but little prospect
of serious trouble, although some of the
strikers intimated that the roads would
find it less easy to run trains than they an
ticipated, and early in the morning the
yards presented an animated scene. Switch
engines were running backward and for
ward making up trains; the platform men
were busy loading and unloading freight,
and trains were arriving and departing
without any interference. This condition
of affairs continued until noon, and it was
though. that the day would pass without
that hour, however, the trouble which
afterward grew to such alarming proper
tons begun. A number of strikers,
without apparently having formed any
preconcerted plan, congregated Mt the
relay depot and began a discussion of
the general situation. AS time passed their
number was augmented until the original
knot of men.increased to fully two hundred.
The discussion became animated and the
crowd more demonstrative until some one
proposed that they go TO the Louisville and
Nashville yards and drive out the men en-
ployed there.
The cry of "On TO the Nashville yards
was caught up. and the crowd advanced.
AS they proceeded their numbers again in
creased, some joining the mob simply as
spectators, while others were in full SYM
patty with the movement, until from three
to four hundred were advancing toward the
yards.
Arriving there they swarmed into the
yards and persuaded the men at work to de-
sert their posts. The crowd remained in
the yards for some time, and, although con-
siderable excitement prevailed, no violence
was resorted TO.
just at this time, however, Louisville
& Nashville freight train was slowly pass
ing, guarded by eight Deputy Sheriffs,
armed with Winchester rifles. In the
meantime crowds Of men, women, and chill
dren had congregated on Broadway, where
the Louisville and Nashville tracks cross
the street, and also upon the Broadway
bridge, which spans Cahokia Creek, and in
the open space to the east. just as the
train reached the Broadway crossing the
trouble began. The crowd on the bridge
began to yell and jeer ut the officers, and il
IS asserted that stones were thrown, which
struck two or three of them, while it is
also said that pistol was discharged.
At once the deputies opened fire upon
the, crowd with their Winchesters. and
scene of the widest terror aud excitement
Followed. Mrs. John Pfeiffer, middle
aged woman, who was returning home
from shopping expedition with her hus-
band, stepped on the bridge just as the first
shot was fired and almost Immediately fell
MORALLY wounded, rifle ball passing clean
through her body. She died within an
hour. In the crowd were quite number
of women and small boys who began to
scream, and n stampede in all directions
followed. The deputies emptied their
Winchesters and continued to fire their re-
volvers. Pat Driscoll, Wabash section
hand, and John Bonner, coal miner,
neither of them striker, were the next to
fall, and died on the bridge. Maj. Rych-
mann, rolling mill employee, in no way
connected with the strike, was shot in the
head and shoulder, and has since died, and
a young girl named Kleinmann was
wounded.
The greatest excitement Immediately pre-
vailed, and pandemonium reigned. The
crowd fled in every direction, and the depu-
ties, realizing how fearful was the result of
their fire, sought means Of escape by rush.
ing for the bridge, with view of fleeing to
this city. At the approach, and Just at the
bridge tower on the east side, they were
met by Mayor Joyce, City Clerk Canty, and
third man, who seized the deputies guns
and endeavored to turn them back. One Of
the deputies, in his terror, fired upon the
trio, killing man named G. Z. Thomp-
son, who stood between Joyce and Canty.
Some shots were fred by the remaining
deputies at the approaching strikers, and
MI started for the bridge.
The scene on the bridge was one Of tho
widest confusion. Coal teams and other
teams with wagons were galloping west
ward, and their drivers shouting to all pc
destrians and teamsters to run back. Women
and men on foot were running toward the
city, and waving back all they met, while
Immediately behind came the deputies, pur-
sued by the vanguard of the crowd from
East st. Louis. One of the frightened
suards threw his gun into the river, while
another hid his weapon in wagon that was
in full retreat.
A few of the more violent strikers, after
arming themselves, announced their inten-
ton of attacking the deputies on guard at
the Ohio Mississippi yards, and advance
ed in that direction. When near the yards
they were met by several deputies and fired
upon. One of their number is said to have
been killed.
The Sheriff made haste to wire Gov.
Oglesby the state of affairs, announcing
that he was unable to preserve the peace,
and invoking the aid of the State troops.
The Governor Immediately returned answer
that he had ordered eight companies of
militia TO the scene Of the disturbance.
Other Labor Troubles.
At Argenta, Ark, a Deputy Sheriff, who
had arrested one of the Knights, was shot
and dangerously wounded.
Eight strikers were sentenced nj FL Paso.
Texas, by Judge Turner in the United
States Court, seven of the men getting
ninety days in Jail and one thirty days.
About one hundred employees of the
Brunswick billiard factory, in Chicago,
made successful strike for an increase Of
wages and change from piece TO day work.
Sixtc etnDloves of the Centrol Rrapch