Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-16
The Strikers Arm, AttaCE and kun
a Deputy.
THE MILITIA ORDERED OUTAND
ON THEIR WAY.
ST. Louis Erctted and More Trouble
Expected.
The Strikers Urged to Submit to
the Laws.

SAO"N VI OJAlhCAo AACu a OhO q
way depot in East st. Louis at las
O'Clock this afternoon and advanced in
the direction of the railroad yards to
stop work by the new mel EN-
ployed there. They were met by
a guard of deputies who ordered
them to disperse. The mob refused
and made a rush for the yards when
the deputies leveled their Winchester's
and fired, killing six of the strikers.
240 p.m.-The four deputy guards
stationed at the l.. g. N. yards, near
Broadway, fired into "a crowd of three
hundred strikers, about 2:20 o'clock
this afternoon. Five men and one
woman were shot. Three of the men
were killed and the women Is suppos-
ed to be mortally wounded.
The killed are Pat Driscoll, an em
ploye of the waterWorks and not a
striker; Oscar Washington, a painter;
John Bohman, a waterworks laborer,
not a striker. Major Richman, shot
in the head and shoulders and will
probably die; Mrs. John Pfeifer,
shot in the back and probably NOR
tally wounded; and T. E. Thompton,
was shot in the bridge approach. The
crowd had made nc attack upon the
yards, as first reported, but were stand
ing on Cohokia bridge, near the Louis
vile & Nashville yards. jeering at the
guards when, without the slightest APP
parent provocation, the deputies leveled
their rifles and fred two volleys. The
crowd Immediately separated, running
in all directions, and the deputies ran
I'VE Cohokia bridge towards the Mis-
souri, bridge, still holding their rifles
and firing to cover their retreat.
When it was known by the strikers
that the guards fled, the for
mer returned to recover their dead.
They found Pat Driscall and Oscar
Washington lying on Cohokia bridge,
and were dead when picked up: John
Bohman was also found on the bridge,
but showed signs of life. He was
taken to the sWitch-house, but died in
"a few minutes. Mrs. Pfeifer was found
lying on the railroad, about a hurried
yards from Cohokia bridge, and was
Carl, d by her husband to a drugstore
near by the crossing, whe e she is now
in d critical condition. Major Rich
nan was taken into a hotel heal by,
where physicians are now attending
him.
The crowd, after the firing began,
ran up Broadway shouting:
"To arms! to armsl We will
get guns and return that fire." Women
and children ran out of their houses
and met them in the streets, weeping
and wringing their hands.
After the crowd returned to the
scene and the excitement had abated,
several of the leading strikers drew
their revolvers and swore that they
would drive all the deputies out of
the city, even at the loss of their own
lives.
$40 P M.-The deputies who did the
shooting. eight in number, went to the
Third district police station in this
city and surrendered themselves and
were taken in the patrol wagon to the
-Four courts" where they we're taken
into custody and were relieved of their
arms. They say the crowd began
firing into them first and that they
stmply returned the fire.
3:I5 p.m.-After the first firing was
wei and the strikers had become bent
on revenge, a number of them armed
themselves with r~evOlvers and ad
vanced upon the Ohio & Mississippi
railroad yards, where they surprised
The deputies IN guard and fired into
them, killing one.
1920 r.m,-The greatest excitement
now prev ails in East st. Louis. and the
strikers are fast arming themselves,
and setm determined to avenge the
death of those of their number, so
wantonly slain, as they say.
The local executive committee of
the knights of Labor are on the scene,
attempting to restrain the men and
trying to persuade them to meet in
Flanlgan's hall, where they desire to
advise them against all further vio-
lence. The men refuse, however, to
meet them, claiming that they VIII be
surrounded by the deputies and fred
upog again. A mass meeting Of the
strikers, however, is being held in
front of the city hall, and are,
With difficulty, restrained by their
leaders from advancing in a body on
the different railroad yards and at
lacking the deputies on guard in the
different yards.
1886 p.m--Guards of police are now
stationed at each approach of the
bridge connecting with East st. Louis
and no one is allowed to pass over.
In the stampede which followed the
first volley from the rifles of the depu.
ties, one man, whose name Is I'M
known, was forced from the Cohokia
creek bridge and was killed. His
body has not yet been recovered.
$50 pm. = Governor Oglesby has or.
dered out eight companies Of militia
and placed them under orders to move
at once. Some of them are now on
the way and will be in East st. Louis
tonight. Adjutant General Vance will
also arrive tonight, and every means
will be used to allay excitement and
restore order,