Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-04-10
REIGN OF TERROR.
Terrible Scenes Enacted
at st. Louis.
OUTCOME OF THE STRIKE.
A Battle Between Strikers and
Officers, which Results in
Much Loss OF Life.

ISpecialio he Herald bv The Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, April 9.-Ever since the
railroad employees in East st. Louis
ceased work in support of the striking
Knights on the Gould southwestern sys.
tenn, rumors Of riots and bloodshed have
daily gained circulation, but until to-day
no serious conflict has occurred. To.
day opened with but little prospect Of
serious trouble, although some Of the
strikers intimated that the roads would
tind it less easy to run trains than they
had anticipated, and early in the morn
ing the yards presented an animated
scene. Switch engines were running up
trains, platform men were busy loading
aud unloading freight, and trains were
arriving and departing without any in.
reference. This condition Of affairs
continued until noon, and it was thought
the day would pass without any demon.
stration by the strikers. At that hour,
however, the trouble which afterward
grew to such alarming proportions began.
A Number Of strikers, without apparent
ly having formed any preconcerted plan,
congregated at the relay depot and be-
gan discussion of the general situation.
As time passed their number was aug
mented until the original knot OF men
was 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 employed there. The
cry Of ION to the Nashville yards" was
caught up and the crowd advanced, and
as they proceeded their numbers were
again increased, some joining the mob
simply as spectators, while others were
in full svmpathy with the movement,
until 300 to 400 were advancing towards
the Yards. Arriving there they swarmed
into the wards and persuaded the men
at work to desert their posts. The
crowd remained in the yards for some
time. and although considerable excite
ment prevailed no violence was resorted
to. Just at this time, however. a Louis
Vile. and Nashville freight train was
slowly passing, guarded by eight deputy
sheriffs armed with Winchester rifles.
In the meantime crowds of men, women
and children had oongregated on Broad
way. where the Louisville and Nashville
tracks cross the street, and also upon
the Broadway bridge which spans Caho-
kia creek, aud 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 ieer at the officers, andi Is asserted
that stones were thrown which struck
two or three OF them, and it is also said
that pistol was discharged. The depu-
ties Immediately leyelled their
rifles and fred two volleys into
the crowd on the bridge with
fatal effect, four men being killed
and a woman MORALLY wounded. The
dead are Patrick Driscol, Wabash sec
ton hand, not striker; Oscar Wash
inqton, painter, not a striker; John
Bonner. a coal miner, not a strike;
Major Richman, mill employees. not a
striker. Mrs. Pfeiffer, said to be the
wife OF a striker, was shot in the back
and mortally wounded. The greatest
excitement immediately followed and
pandemonium reigned. The crowd fed
In every direction and when the depu-
ties realized how fearful was the result
OF their fire sought meaus OF escape by
rushing for the bridge with view of
fleeing to this city. At the approach
and Just at the bridge tower on the east
eide they were met by Mayor Joyce,
City Clerk CAVITY and third man, who
seized the deputies guns and endeavored
to turn them back. One Of the deputies
In his terror fred upon the trio, killing
man named C. f. Thompson, who
stood between Joyce and CAVITY. Some
shots were fred by the remaining depu-
ties at the approaching strikers and all
started over the bridge. The scene on
the bridge was one of the widest con-
fusion and excitement. Coal teams and
other teams and wagons were galloping
westward and their drivers shouting
to all pedestrians 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
pursued by vanguard Of the crowd
from East st. Louis. One Of the fright
ened guards threw his gun into the river,
while another hid his weapon in wagon
that was in full retreat. On arriving in
this city the deputies went at once to
the Chestnut.street police station where,
after stating the facts, they surrendered
to the sergeant in charge and were taken
to the Four Courts where they were
placed in custody after giving the fol-
lowing names: P. G.. Hewlett, John
Hayne, Sam Jones, Joha T. Williams.
G. L. Ustcr, Stewart Martin, Geo. Mar
nell and w. Il. Laird.
About half an hour after
the shooting an excited and angry
mob gathered in the square be-
tween the city hall and the police sta
ton. A man named Dryer, gambler,
10 no way connected with the strike, be-
came the center Of crowd who cheered
the incendiary statements he uttered.
He urged the men to ''hang
and kill" and was in the midst
of an appeal to the mob to fol-
low him to the Ohio h Mississippi dep {
to hunt for the Deputy Sheriffs, when
Mr.. w. Hayes, member Of the Cen
eral Executive Committee Of the Knights
Of Labor and Knight Of Labor Brown ar
rived from this side. Mr.. Brown, who
travels with the General Board in the ca
pacity Of a Knights Of Labor Organizer,
mounted the stairs leading to the police
station and yelled at the mob for atten-
ton, but the Infatuated men answered
him with, Hang the ours !" "Kill
them !" Mr.. Hayes. who was standing
at Mr.. Browns side, turned to promi-
nent Knight and asked him TO introduce
Mr.. Brown to the mob as a representa-
tive OF the General Executive Committee
The man replied, in frightened man
ner, eff | do they will hang me.
Brown turned on him and said: Eyes,
il you don't they ought to hang you
Then turning to the mob, which
kept up the cry to kill" "kill
and burn, Brown began an i'm.
FASHIONED appeal for quiet law
and order. and by sheer force Of his
earnestness riveted the attention of the
crowd, but only for a few moments at a
time, for they would break away from
the spell OF his eloquence and take up
their revolutionary yells. He said
"Men and brothers, for Gods sake keep
quiet. | implore you in the name OF
humanity, in the name Of the great
order of the Knights Of Labor, in the
name Of every law, both of order and of
your country to restrain yourselves
and do no violence. Remember.
You are our sworn brothers.
DO not forget that you are Knights and
that you are pledged to obey the laws Of
the order and commands OF committee
men,"
AT this point Dryer broke in with.
eyes, why don't You talk for Jay Gould
and be done with itl They shot our
men, and you ask us to BIO quiet. aay
hang them"
The crowd took up the words, Burn
and kill and shoot" Brown pointed his
finger at Dryer and asked him:
fare you Knight Of Labor"
Dryer lodged the question and yelled
on, Kill the brutesr'
care you all Knights Of Labor, may |
askY" said Brown.
NO." answered Dryer, ''hut Pm
with them on everything, you can bet. "
Lnaxsy that WIN urara =, N N Il ns.fht -