Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-11-07
BAD MEN AT LARGE.


Freed.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Nov. 3.-The
state of Tennessee is confronted by tho
most serious situation of any in many
years. East Tennessee miners, aided
by miners from Kentucky, not only
have released the 3o5 convicts at the
Briceville and Coal Creek branch
prisons and burned the stockade
at the former place, but increased
the gravity of the offense Mon
day by setting free the 1876 convicts
at the Oliver Springs branch prison
and laying the stockades, hospital and
other buildings in ashes. Not content
with this defiance of the law, they talk
of attacking the branch prisons at
Tracy City and Inman and setting
free the 422 convicts at the former
and the 260 at the latter place. So far
46l criminals have suddenly been
freed, given citizens clothing and aid
ed to make their escape, most of them
into Kentucky. Concerning the rumors
of contemplated attack upon the
| Tracy City and Inman prison the in
formation received by Mr.. Il. B.
| Wade, superintendent of prisons,
who is now at Knoxville, was
graph the state board of prison
inspectors and ask for authority to em-
ploy extra guards at these places
The board met and promptly granted
the desired authority, and the forces
at Tracy City and Inman will at once
| be increased.
The mines at Oliver Springs have
been operated by the Cumberland Coal
/ l,t oh, h1a
placed extra guards on duty, but as
was the case at Briceville and Coal
Creek but little or no resistance ap-
pears to have been made when 200
armed and mounted men rode up to the
stockade at 1 o'clock Monday morn
ing and demanded that uthe
prisoners be turned over to
them. The night was dark, and
fusion at the stockade. men hurrying
hither and thitler. Upon getting pos
session of the stockade the mob quick
ly released all of the convicts, and after
providing nearly all of the prisoners
with citizens clothing ordered them to
leave at once. The order was obeycd
without hesitation, the convicts fleeing
in every direction. The mob then set
nTe 10 Une anu III d lew
moments dense volumes of smoke
curled up and made the heavens black
er. Then came the flames and speedily
the country for miles around was
lighted up by the burning pile. The
mob, gloating over their nights work.
yelled and fred their guns and pistols
and after while rode away, and be-
fore day dawned had separated, each
going his own way. In the meantime
the convicts were far away, many hav-
ing crossed the Kentucky line, while
the remainder had scattered like sheep.
The Columbia Coal Company esti-
mate their loss by the destruction of
property at SIS, 600, without a dollar of
, insurance. The company. like those
at Briceville and Coal Creek, had been
expecting trouble until the recent
meeting of the miners at Briceville, at
which time the miners had apparently
concluded to give up the contest and
make strong appeal to the next legis-
lature to abolish the lease system.
S After the attack on the Briceville and
s Coal Creek prisons the guards were
strengthened, but the miners had de-
. termined to finish the work in that
: portion of east Tennessee. and accord
r ingly moved on Oliver Springs with
t the result stated. The lessees of the
) convicts have refused to pay the usual
: reward of S25 for the capture of es-
. capped convicts on the ground
;. that they did not escape but
o were forcibly released. Mr.. Bax-
s ter, president of the Tennessee
i Coal, Iron g. Railroad Company, the
lessces of the convicts, said in regard
: to the best mode of settling the trouble,
o that he did not see what the governor
r could do but use his utmost endeovors
z to recapture the convicts and bring to
t justice the participants in the riots.
5 The state board of prison inspectors
n has received dispatch stating that q
d large majority of the convicts had es-
d capped into Kentucky, but that eight
o had been arrested and started to Nash
n vile.
+. Gov. Buchanan has offered reward
IS of $25 for the capture of each of the
l. convicts that have escaped and S.
k for the arrest and conviction of the
II leaders in the releasing of the convicts
1t and the destruction of property.
r. 1t is supposed that in addition
,r to the Tennessee detectives who
re will endeavor to effect the capture
t. of the leaders in the insurrection the
e. large offer will induce some of the
Is most skillful officers in other states to
k engage in the dangerous work. That
ID it will be attended with danger there
e. can be no doubt, as the LADDERS are
ID backed by thousands of miners and
Sc sympathizers. Besides the reward of
lie fered for the leaders there is also one
is of $3.50 each for the apprehension and
IS conviction of men participating in the
TX recent riots.
" The fact that the work of arresting
lg these men will be exceedingly haz
il ardous is shown by news received
he from Campbell county Monday. 1t is
~ said that deputy sheriff in that
N county who took two escaped convicts