The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-03
THE KANSAS MILITIA.

Knights of Labor Attempt to Obstruct Their
Passage TO Parsons.
TOPEKA. Kan, April I'm response to the
request Of Adjutant-general Campbell tele-
graphed from Parsons, last night, the Governor
this morning ordered out the First Regiment Of
the Kansas National Guards, with instructions
to proceed at once to Parsons, to assist in the
movement of Missouri Pacific trains. The First
Regiment consists of eight companies as fol-
lows A. Olathe, Capt. Fl. S. Miller; B. Hum
Capt J. B. Grisham; D, Girard. Capt. Geo. Fl.
Howard; e, Ottawa, Capt. Frank Shafter F, Fit
Scott, Captain E. A. Blakely, G, Garnet. Captain
John T. Taylor, 81. Lawrence. Captain Fl. w.
Howe. The regiment numbers 400 men in line,
Colonel Patrick Of Oswego, being colonel of the
same Major-general Carroll, of Paola, will be
in command. The Santa Fe road, which operates
the Southern Kansas, made transportation ar
rangments for the troops on the Southern Kan
sas and the Gulf roads They will arrive in Par
sons at o'clock tonight. The troops take
muskets and ordinary camp equipage, but no
tents, as they will camp in the Missouri Pacific
shops. The feeling at this hour is that the pres
ence of the troops will have the desired result
A Persons dispatch says: Eight companies
of Colonel Patrick's First Regiment, Kansas
National Guards. arrived this evening. mum ber-
ing about four hundred men. The companies
came from the following towns: Olathe, Law
renee, Ottawa, Garnett. Humboldt. Girard,
Columbus and Fort Scott. The three last
named came over the Kansas City, Fort Scott &
Gulf road and met with no opposition. The
five first named came by the Southern Kansas
this city. just after passing Ottawa, a gang of
ruffians came upon the track and signaled the
engineer to stop, which he did. The leader,
man named Semple, handed note to
the engineer, inviting him not to pull
the cars out Of Ottawa. The major of
the First Regiment was in the front part
of the train and getting off faced the crowd
and in vigorous language, told them some very
plain truths. and drawing rife. threatened to
shoot the leader, whereupon they fed from the
track. The leaders were all recognized, their
names being Semple, ONeill, McComber, Lester,
Nesbett and Martin. None of these railroad
men. Semple is said to be the man who fred an
oil train during the Pittsburg riots McComber
is a printer, Nesbett q stonemason, while the
others are laborers, ali Knights of Labor.
Semple is member of the arbitration commit
tee, and has repeatedly stated that he would not
regard the laws of the State or general
names of others have been sent to the
United States marshal, with names of witnesses,
with charges of obstructing United States mails.
When the trooCs reached Cherryvale they found
the wires cut between that place and Parsons,
and threats were heard from strangers that the
train would not reach its destination tonight
The run was completed, however, without mis-
hap. Parsons was reached in cold. sleeting
rain. Four companies are quartered at the car
shops and four occupy the opera-house. General
Roberts will arrive from Lawrence at midnight,
when Adjutant Campbell will return from
Topeka. No trouble is anticipated tomorrow,
when the trains will be moved. The troops are
in good trim and ready for work, if an attempt
should be made by the mob to interfere with
traffic.
Topeka telegram says: ''The Governor states
that the First Regiment was ordered to Parsons
only after repeated calls from the sheriff, the
mayor and many citizens of the county, repre-
senting that tha strikers had openly deied the
civil authorities, and were lawless and turbulent
in all their proceedings On Thursday after
noon the Adjutant-general telegraphed the Gov
ernor that all hope of inducing the strikers to re-
spect the law or the civil authorities would have
to be abandoned; that they openly deied the
sheriff and mayor, and that military force would,
be necessary to preserve the peace"