The Brookhaven leader., 1886-04-15
THE VOLCANO BURSTS.
Bullet and Firebrand Do Their
Work at East st. Louis.
Armed Deputies Fire ON a Mob with Dead
ly Efect--The Slaughter Followed by
Scenes of Terror bv Day and Fire
at Night--The Militia on Hand.

at ne Ailtftla
ST. LOUIS, April l0.--Yesterday, while
Sheriff Ropicquct of East St. Louis was
awaiting telegram from the Governor
of Illinois asking for military aid, a crowd
was gathering at the Louisville { Nash.
vile trcStlc work crossing Cahokia creek,
just south of the bridge crossing on the
wagon entrance to the briGge. A small
force of deputies were on duty on the
ircStlr work TO keep back the crowd,
which seemed each moment to grow lar.
ger and larger and to indicate more
trouble. The crowd was kept at bay until
two O'Clock and after, when pistol or re-
volver shot rang out on the air, ard one
of the widest scenes imaginable ensucd.
II was what all were expecting, and yet
no one was looking for it just at that
moment. Ne one except the one who
did the shooting could tell from Just
what quarter the shot came. II any one
on either side saw it, the knowledge of
II was lost in the hCwllderment of the
events occurring Immediately thereafter.
1t was quickly replied to, and in few
seconds the shooting, was general.
Both the officers and the crowd were
well armed with WincheSters, ShotGuns
and revovPrS. and in the few moments
which followed almost, If notquite, half
2 hundred shots were exchanged. When
the firing ceased the officers fed. The
crowd. to Il very large extent, adopted
the same policy, AMI when the ground
was cleared partially away the effect was
summed up as three known dead, a
woman seriously, If not fatally, wounded,
and from three to half a dozen men shot
more or less seriously, three reported
fatally. Two men were seen to tumble
off of the railing on the wagon bridge
over Cahokia Creek, wounded, into the
water below. Two more bodies were
outStrctched on a side porch of house
Just west of the creek 4 third was cold
in death near Il Shanty east of the creek.
A lady, Mrs, Pf"iffer, who was on her
way home from st. Louis, and was ust
crossing the foot-brdge, had been taken
to Rathlander's drug store, shot through
the groin. A child named Keinhein,
grazed by a ball as it was crossing
the bridge, also on the way home
from St. Louis, was carried away,
nniniured, but suffering from the shock.
The crowd was dispensing rapidly, but
still leaving large numbers at the scene
of the tragedy. A part of them had cap.
turcd the yardmaster, and hurried him
to the Green Tree Hotel. The crowd
around him was clamor0uS, and for a
time il seemed as though he would have
to answer for the high pitch of excite
mcnt into which the people had been
worked. Cries of "lynch him" were
heard on all sides. But cooler counsel
prevailed. Several voices were heard,
calling, 81 know him." Giles all right"
"Ile didn't do the shooting" and the
advice Of the hot-heads was not followed.
Other parties secured the town, some
going to hardware stores and other
places where they knew guns and revol-
vers were kept, aud, going in, took pos
session OF them without any superfiuOuS
inquiries as to price, condition of sale,
etc. Others went to their homes and
there secured firearms of various deScrip-
tions, and all appearing on the streets
thus equipped gave the town the ap-
pearancP of the stronghold OF an army
anticipating an attack from foreign foe.
Squads of uen thus dangerously prOvid-
ed with weapnns of aggressiveness as
well as defense, were seen in all parts of
the town, ready to answer any question
ing of their rights and privileges Thus
tlhe city assumed an air of reStlessness,
flled to the core with subdued excite
ruent while outwardly there was quiet
aud apparent good order.
SCENE OF THE SHOOTING.
While all this was going on the scenes
on the toot.bridge and the trestlewOrk,
hear where the trouble occurred, were
dull and cvcntless. Two or three, hun
1red men were standing around, in groups
Of half-dogen and a dozen. The bodies
IF the victims of the collision were still
unattended and uncared for. The quiet
vas painful. The excitement had all
aaSsed over. When engaged in cOnver-
sation the men talked as coolly and calm
y rs was possible under the circum-
stances and in view OF the
surroundings. But nothing clear
as to the history of the collision could he
earned. The men claimed that prior to
he collision they were in much the same
position as they were found atterward,
only in much greater number. Accord
.ng to their version, the deputies, about
loZen in number, were doing picket duty
IN the Louisville & Nashville bridge or
,restle, while the crowd surged around,
occupying the adjoining tracks and the
'oot bridge north of the Louisville
Nashville crossing. AS in all such cases
of crowds, one-haf of which is moved by
curiosity, the front ranks, they said, were
occasionally pushed up to the trestle-
work upon wh ich they were forbidden to
venture. As they did so the deputy, in
charge advanced from his forces and
warned them back, ordering them to dis
perse. He was met with no violence,
and no signs of violence, but was booted
and teered to some extent. This had
been repeated several times, 1t was
claimed, when the front ranks Of, the
crowd were pushed up closer on the tres
tle-work than before. The deputies be-
came impatient, and again ordered them
back and to disperse. They fell back
only to receive the weight and impetus
Of the surging mass OF humanity In the
rear, and again going forward, as wave
rolling up on the beach, received a shot
from the picket guard, which was re'
piled to by the crowd with Winchesters,
revolyers, etc. What followed could
not be lntelligently learned. The crowd
fred nervously at the deputies, but there
being but few of them. they were in a
good position to be favored by accident,
which directed the bullets between and
above them. Firing as nervously, the
shots of the officers had more effect. as
they had a human wall as target, and i
would have been miracle had the balls
passed harmlessly through. Thus the
first shot issleft to be accounted for by
iudividual testimony, and may not be res
,vealed even by the coroner's Jury aud the
judicial investigations. which must in
e7itably follow. ,...
Tie scene on the bridge directly after
the shooting was one of the Widest eun-