The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-04-15
Bloodshed in st. Lou1s-F'iva Men
and Woman Shot.

Until noon Friday there were no indications
of disorder at the railroad yards in East St.
Louis. About that hour, however,, a number of
the strikers gathered at the Relay depot and
began 81 discussion Of the general situation
fully two hundred. The discussion became
animated, and the crowd more demonstrative,
until someone proposed that they shonld sc to
out ting new men employed there the cry of
ION to the Nashville yartisl' vas caught up,
and the crowd advanced. AS 1t proceeded its
numbers increased, some joining the crowd
simply as spectators, while others Were i'll full
sy1npsthy with the movement until from 800 TO
400 persons were advancing towards the yards.
Arriving there, they sWarmed into the yards
and persuaded the men at worl1 to desert their
Nashville freight train was slowly passing,
guarded BY eight deputy Sherlffs armed with
rifles ad Srowds OF, men women
where the Louisville and Nashville tracks
cross the street, and also upon the Broadway
the open space to the east. Just as this train
reached the Broadway crossing the trouble
began. The crowd on the bridge began to yell
ana ieer al the o5iicers and it is asserted stones
were thrown, which struck Two CT thre5 Of
them, and it is also said that pistol was dis
charged. The deputies Immediately leveieq
on the bridge -Four men fell dead and one
Woman was niortally wounded None of the
men, il is said, were strikers: The woman Wag
The greatest excitement Immediately pre-
vailed and pandemoniuin reigned. The crowd
fed in every direction, and when the deputies
realiged how fearful was the result of their
fire, they sought means of escape by rushing
for the bridge, with a view of fleeing to st.
Louis. At the bridge tower, on the east side,
they were met by Mayor Joyce, City Clerk
CAVITY and third man, who seized the depu-
ties guns and endeayored to turn them back.
One of the deputies in his terror, fired upon
the trio, killing o man who stood between
Ioyce and Canty. Some shots were ared By
the remaining deputies at. the approaching
strikers, and oil started over the bridge. =
The scene on the bridge was one'of the Wlld-
est confusion and excitement. Coal teams ana
other teams with wagons were galloplng west
ward. and their drivers shouting tG all pedes-
TRANS and teamsters to run back. women
and men on foot were running toward the city
and waving back all they met, while immed1
etely behind came the deputies pursued BY
The vanguard of the crowd from EAST 81
Iouis. 0ns d the trg4gie glarq4s ti4fgY hf f
Weapon in 9. wagon that vas il fqll retreat
On driving in the city the aapgfiea went at
o;nccs Is IFS Chestnut greet police station,
where they surrendered to the sergeant in
charge, and were taken to the Four Courts
where they were placed in custody.
One account gays: Some Of the deputies, who
failed to make connection Wl5n Ine crowd tlsal
rushed over the bridge, took refuge, p.l3sed bg
the mob in the freight warehouse and offices
of the Louisville and Nashville and barred all
the doors. The warehouse was surrounded by
an immense crowd who hooted and yelled and
urged the men to attack the stronghold and
drive the deputies out. Menwent among thu
crowds urging others TO procure arms and
shoot all the deputies they could find. Some