The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-21
TROOPS CAPTURED.
A Crisis in the Fight Against
Convict Labor.
Surrender Of a Camp Of Tennessee State
Militia to a Mob al PriceYlIle.
The Soldiers Marched TO the Depot, Amid the
JeerS Of the Crowd, and Shipped
to Knoxville Miners Threats
Special to THE MORNING Gait.

NASHVILLE Tenn.). July 2O.-A special
from Priceville says: A crisis came at Price
vile to-day about IL o'clock when the Miners
and crowd of sympathizers from the sur
rounding country gathered around the camp
Of the State militia and captured the troop
and conyicts, marched them to the depot,
put them on tain and shipped them to
Knoxville. The camp was on little knoll
in hollow, surrounded on all sides by
mountains. The miners and friends. to the
number Of twelve or fifteen hundred, di-
vided into squads and approached the
camp from all sides. They sent a
flag of truce and committee to
notified the off GERS that they had come to
take the convicts. peaceabiy if possible, by
force if necessary. The officers parley ed
awhile and then agreed to surrender. The
troops were allowed to keep their arms and
ammunition, and with the convcts they
marched to the train and were sent to this
city, arriving about 4:30 o'clock. The
troops, who number 107, are in the armory
of the Knoxville Rifles, where they now re-
main awaiting the Governors orders. The
conyicts were locked in the Jail. An i'm
mense crowd met the troops at the depot.
They were freely cheered as they marched
through the streets The men had been on
duty nearly five days, and had seen but
little in the way of provisions and camp
equipment. Their faces were bronzed, but
they presented soldierly appearance as
they marched uD the street.
A CHANGE OF SYMPATHY.
The city is now intensely excited. Lead
ing men Of all political parties say the law
must be upheld. Sympathy, which had
been entirely on the side of the miners, is
now against them for their lawless act at
time when everything was being done to re-
lieve the situation. Governor Buchanan's
administration is that of the Alliance and
some politicians are discussing what the
zens, however, say the law must be OBJ
served, and that Governor Buchanan must
enforce the law regardless of caste. The
sentiment here is that he must send all the
State troops. who are few and poorly organ
ICED, to the front at once and put expert
eneed men and officers in charge. Ii he has
not force enough he must call for vol
unteerS.
a report has been circulated here that he
has asked the President for 500 regulars,
but the truth of this cannot be verified.
1t is known that the leaders of the mob
were not miners. One Eugene Merrill led
them. He is a small merchant at Priceville
but said to be a determined man. Other
leaders are known and the sentiment here
IS that they must be arrested and taken to
Nashville and punished.
TELEGRAPH OFFICES GUARDED.
The miners have appointed committee
to say what dispatches shall be sent out and
what not, and this committee, or some of it.
is in the telegraph office all the time and
reads all matter sent out by the newspaper
men. The committee told the operator on
duty that Ii he did not let them read the
messages they would cut the wires.
Mnch costly machinery at Coal Creek is
exposed to the fury of the mob. There is
another bad feature connected with the
affair. Yesterday many of the soldiers
food and they mingled freely with the
miners. These troops told the miners that
they did not want to guard the couvicts
and TO come and get them at once; that
they would not fight them for the convicts.
To-day as the troops were marched off the
miners jeered and hooted at them and
yelled: Tell Buck Governor Buchanan to
send some more dudes. We will eat them
as fast as they come" The citizens say
this insult is to the entire State and that the
Government must arrest aud punish the
leaders.
CELEBRATING THE VICTORY.
The mob Today celebrated the victory by
cheering. carousing and shooting. a force
of 800 men, properly equipped and led,
could suhdue the entire party, for they have
no idea OF openly facing good force. They
knew to-day, from statements made to them
Yesterday, that the troops would not fight,
but every one feels that the nab has made
bad mistake and will be subdued. In other
words. they have lost public sympathy.
TROOPS EN- ROUTE.
1t is reported here that ten companies OF
the State militia are EN- route with arms and
"A hat ha,y Ia, +ol-
Coal Creek at once. A report also comes
from Coal Creek this afternoon saying that
the miners declared that no troops can be
landed there. There are threats that they
will wreck the trains or burn the railroad
bridges.
The miners are getting the best wages
ever paid them, and make from $50 to $50
per month, according to ability and amount
of time put in. When the miners made the
attack on the camp to-day Lieutenant
Chandler of the Knoxville Rifles saluted
the Colonel and volunteered to fight the
nah with his twaurv man