The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-15
SHOT BY SHERIFFS.
A Reign Of Terror In East st.
Louis.
Deputy Sheriffs, After Being Guyed, Fire
Into the Mob, Killing Several Persons
Intense EYcitement-The Depu-
ties Chased For Their Lives
-Incendiarism.

! ST. LOUIS, April 10-Great excitement
was OccasiOned by events that occurred over
! the railroad strike in East St Louis yester-
day afternoon. Four deputy sheriffs
stationed at the Louisville & Nashville
/ yards, near Broadway. fired into crowd of
500 strikers about 2:3O p. H.. Five men
and one woman were shot. Three of the
men were killed and the woman was sup
posed to be mOrtally wounded. 1t appears
that a number of strEers, without
apparently having formed any pre-
concerted plan, cOngregated at the
Relay depot and began a discussion
of the general situation. AS time
passed their numbers was augmented until
the original knot OF men increased to fully
200. The discussion became more animated
and the crowd more demonStrative until
some one proposed that they go to the
Louisville d Nashville yards and drive out
the men employed there. The cry ION to
the Nashville yards" was caught up and
the crowd advanced. AS they proceeded the
numbers again increased, some joining the
men simply as spectators, while others were
in full sympathy with the movement, until
from 500 to 500 were advancing toward the
yards.
TIE SHOOTING.
Arriving there, they swarmei into the
yard and persuaded the men at work 10 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, how
ever, Louisville & Nashville freight train
was slowly passing, guarded by eight
deputy Sheriffs. armed with Winchester
rtH In, tha g.
women and children had congregated on
Broadway, where the Louisville IL Nash
vile tracks cross the street, and also
upon the Broadway bridge, which
spans the Cahokia creek, and in
the open space to the east. Just as
this train reached the Broadway bridge the
trouble began. The crowd on the bridge
began 10 yell and jeer at the officers, and it
is asserted stones were thrown, which
struck two or three of them, and it is also
said that a pistol was discharged. The
deputies immediately leVeled their rifles
and fired two vOlleyS into the crowd on the
bridge with fatal effect, four men being
killed and one mortally wounded. The
dead are: Patrick DriscOll, Wabash sec
tiOn hand, not striker; Oscar Washington,
painter not a striker; Major Rychman. a
mill emplOye, not striker; Mrs. Peitfer,
said to be the wife of a striker, was shot
i'll the back and mOrtally wounded.
THE MOB EXCITED.
The greatest excitement immediately pre-
vailed and pandemOnium regned. The
crowd fled in every direction and when the
deputies realized how fearful was the re-
suit of their fire, they sought means of eS-
cape by rushing 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 a 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 a man
named c. Z. Thompson, who stOOa between
Joyce and Canty. Some shots were fired
by the remaining deputies at the approaching
strikers and all started over the bridge.
The scene on the bridge was one of widest
confusion and excitement Coal teams
loaded and other teams with wagons were
galoping westward, and shouting to all
pedestrians and teamSterS to turn back.
Women and men on foot were running to-
ward the city and waving back all they met,
while immediately behind came the depU-
ties. pursued by tie vanguard of the crowd
from East ST. Louis. One Of the frightened
guards threw his gun into the river, while
another hid his weapon in wagon that
was in Iu!l retreat. On arriving i'll this
city the deputies went at once to the Chest
nut street police station, where, after
stating the facts Of the shooting. they sur
rendered to the sergeant in charge ard were
taken to the -Four Courts, where they
were placed i'll custody after giving the fol-
lowing names: p. &. Hewlett, john Hague,
Sam Jones, John S. Williams, G. LuSter,
Stewart Martin, George Marnell, w. +.
Laird.
THE FRIGHTENED DEPUTIES
Some of the deputies who failed to es-
cape with those who fled to this city, where
chased by the crowd in the freight ware
house and offices of the Louisville & Nash
vile. Tie warehouse was surrounded by
an immense crowd who hOoted and yelled
and urged the men to attack the
stronghold and drive out the deputies.
Men went among the crowd nrging
others to procure arms and shoot all the
deputies they could find. Some of the
deputies, finding their opportunity, slipped
out and made their escape among the
fre.rht cars unObserved. A Louisville &
Nashville train backed down beside the
freight house and took away the others to
a place of safety. Two were chased under
the bridge. One of them was caught in
front of Toney's house on the levee and
beaten to death by the mob; another was
reported to have been shot as he was es-
Gaping under the approach to the bridge.
The other deputies escaped unlIarned.
INCENDIARY FIRES.
ST. LOUIS, April l0.-Later in the even
ing two companies of militia, one from
Decatur and one from Nashville, ILL.,, came
in AID were assigned to quarters. Still later
some excitement was caused by the dis |
coverv of fire in a car loaded with hay in !
the Louisville & Nashville yards, but no |
damage was done beyond the burning of |
the car. About eleven O'Clock fire broke /
out in the Cairo Short Line yard at the |
lower end of the island, and meagtr re- !
ports from that locality at midnight /
say three or four cars were burned, |
but no other damage was done. Two /
tre engines and Babcock eXtn- !
gusher were sent over from here soon after /
the fire in the Louisville & Nashville yard, /
and it was through their assistance that nc
more property was destroyed. Three more
militia companies from Springfield and one
from Cariiuville came in about midnight
An old-time story of Bronson AL
rott is rood enourh to bear repetition.