Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-31
BRUTAL OUTRAGE.
Disgraceful Conduct of a Mob
of laborers.
SAVAGE ATTACK ON AN EMPLOYER.

4 Dispute as to a Wages Question Results
I'm Both Parties Becoming Furious-A
A Mob of seventy-Five Men Assault q
Bank President and Beat and Kick Him
to Insensibility-The sheriff witness,
| but Unable to Interfere.
WICHITA, Kan, Jan. 3O-President Arm
trong, of the Conway County Savings
Bank, was assaulted by a mob of infatuated
aborers yesterday and nearly pounded
% death. His injuries are so severe that the
attending physicians hold out only slight
aopes for his recovery. Conway Springs is
/ twenty miles southwest of this city, and the
| oank at that place is considered one of the
stanchest money institutions in this part of
the state. President Armstrong is also the
chief officer of company operating a sugar
manufacturing plant, consisting of a factory
bnd a sugar cane farm at Conway Springs.
The company employs about 100 men with
whom new agreement rs to wages had re-
emily been made
A Difference as to Wages.
A difference of opinion arose concerning
the time when the new pay system was to
go into effect, and, although several confer
snces had been held, no satisfactory conclu-
lion was reached The employees insisted,
utter the company had for weeks paid under
the new scale, that they were being defrauded
Of portion of their wages, and alleged that
$50, OO0 was still due them Gaining no sat
sfaction from their immediate superiors, the
hborers sought President Armstrong, who
promised to investigate the difficulty Sew
.ral conferences were held, but no Roadway
| was made, and the men grew more ugly as
| hey feared their interests were being Jug
| ged with. After a consultation without re-
suit with the president Wednesday night the
men held a secret meeting and determined to
make last demand yesterday, and if given
no satisfactory reply, to adopt desperate
measures.
An Angry Interview.
Seventy five men accordingly called on
Mr.. Armstrong yesterday, and on being told
that he was not to be seen at that hour, just
forced their way to his private room. The
spokesman demanded an immediate decision
with reference to the disputed point, and
when MIR. Armstrong said that it could not
be given until the directors met, insisted on
lhaving an answer at once, or they would
march upon the factory and raze it to the
gound.
Dragged Out of His ONCE.
At this Armstrong grew furious, and or
1ered the men to leave his office. Then one
of the laborers mounted a chair and, in an
lincendiary talk, suggested that as satisfac-
ton could seemingly not be had from the
company the men avenge their wrongs on
Armstrong, whom they now had at their
mercy. The spokesman and four others left
the room hurriedly, but the others made
la wild rush for Armstrong, who
lcrouched back to the wall, and with
revolver appraised threatened to shoot. The
foremost of the mob quickly struck Arm
strong on the face and arm, the pistol fell to
the floor. The bank president was seized by
half dozen of the maddened laborers and
borne from the office, and down the steps of
the building into the street, followed by the
others, the crowd causing an uproar that
BODIED no good to their victim, nor TO any
one daring to interfere.
The Brutal Assault.
As they dragged the banker along some of
the party began kicking him, and nearly all
of them were soon engaged in this cowardly
business, both kicks and blows being show
cred on their helpless victim, so that by the
time they had gone 100 yards he was bleed
ing and unconscious.
HowIed for His Life.
On the outskirts of the village the party
halted but the demands for vengeance had
not yet been quelled. The more conserva-
tive Of the workmen here attempted to quiet
their boisterously yelling and frantic fellows
but the latter, forgetful of everything ex-
cept their mission of revenge, howled for the
life of their victim. Armstrong had par
TALLY recovered, but could not speak 1t
was impossible for him to reply to the de-
mands of the men, who, thinking his silence
was further defiance of their alleged rights
again broke out into furious rage. But for
the action of some eight or ten of the men.
who stood guard over the bankers PROSTATE
body, Armstrong would undoubtedly have
been stoned and pummeled to jelly.
A Lynching Proposed.
The baked madmen then turned upon
those who decided that the victim had been
sufficiently punished free fight among
the factions thus caused was imminent, when
one big fellow appeared rope in hand which,
he cried was procured for the purpose of
hanging the company's representative. This
diverted the attention of the furious factions
and rush was made with the rope for Arm
strong. His guards, however, were now re-
inforced by many who deemed lynching too
grave for the offense, and the mob was con-
fronted by an almost equal number of oppo-
nents- This stopped proceedings and they
left the bruised body lying and went off
Some of the bank employees who had fol-
lowed picked Mr.. Armstrong up and carried
him home, where the doctor said he had a
bare chance for life
| The Sheriff Powerless.
The sheriff was a witness to the scene, but
was powerless to interfere, having no one
upon whom he could call for assistance No
arrests were made. The feeling among the
people of the village seems to be against the
sugar company, but no blame for the exist
ing trouble is attached to Armstrong