The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-11-06
Another Branch Prison Goes Up i'll
Smoke.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, Nov. 2.-Ihe |
Cumberland Coal Mining company |
stockade at Big Mountain, four miles |
from oliver Springs, was burned anu anu Ioo
convicts released at O'Clock thls morn,
ing. The attacking party numbered |
nearly 200 men, all of whom We're
mounted. The guard-house near t1e |
gate was surrounded ana the SuaIus
therein compelled to surrender AT the
nuzZles of WinchesterS stuck through
the windows. Their arms were taken
from them, and one of the marauders
announced that another extra session
of the Legislature was about TO convene.
He was cheered to the echo.
The guards on the walls of the stock
ade were next taken charge OF, put Ihe
gates were open. By this time the con-
Victs had dressed themselves anu van an
ished Everything movable was ue-
strOyed. This was followed by prlght
flash and in less than twenty minutes
from the time of the attack the quarters
were a mass of flames. The conVlcts
were not given citizens clothes as dC
BriceyiIle and Coal Greek, but were
compelled to wear their convict suits ana
ALI but a few made good the opportunity
offered them to get away. ,,
J. p. Acuff, warden of the stockaue,
had nine men on guard duty when Inc Ine
attack was made. Guy Ramsey, PIN
Baker, Sam Hendricks, jerry GrlgSspy'
Louis Bird, Bill Williams; 1ounS MIL MIL
nard and Vest Polks, all short term
men refused to leave and were DrouSnI
to Knoxville this morning, anu tneil
appearance was the nrst that Ghe PGoplo
there knew that the stockaue n4u p9eh
attacked. The news of the llberat!0h
spread RAPIDLY, and as that OF BrlceVllle
and Coal Greek was much discussed
Warden Acuff came here this morn
ing to consult with Superlhtehueht
Wade and he was asked for an account
of the attack. He lived near the stock
ade and the first intimatlon ne hau ol
the mob's presence was the shooting.
Mar.y of the men were drunk anu were
masked some of them had their races
covered with "gunny" sacks arrahgeu
s0 that thev came to their knees. The
| guards were taken by surprise Ihe
gates were opened and the c0nVlcCs re-
| leased, after which part OF the lhoD
| locked themselves inside ana prohG up
| the furniture and saturated everything
| with coal oil and set fire to the oulluihS'
| So eager were the men to burn the place
| that one of the guards was DaTely SlN',d
| time to get his family out OF MS nOus9
| before it was fired. The men uiu noU ny
| mOlest the company store beyond hrlhS
| a few shots into the door. Ihey re
NAMED until the buildings were burned,
and then mounting they roue away
| yelling like demons and making the
mountains ring with Ire ulschaI S'S VI
| their Winchesters. ,,;I,,
The loss of their stOckades ana pIliu- ia
ings will run up INTO thouSan! s.
Charles Diamond and Will Martin,
negroes from Davidson County for
larceny were at Big Mountain. They
were arrested this afternoon near Ciln-
ton bv ex-Sheriff Kesterson, of Ander-
son County. While on the way 70
Knoxville, Diamond, acting upon the
advice of a white man, jumped from the
train. -, o,.io
Thirteen convicts represent the entire
number captured out of 1856 released 10y
the miners. A heavy guard lett mere
this afternoon for Tracy City, accompa
MED nice by Superintendent of Prisons e E.
B. Wade. They will reach there TO-
morrow and remain if the miners dc
not complete the work there tonight
# * now said that the miners are add
, ing insult to injury by releasing the
releasing the cOnvicts taken by the OH
f GERS of the law as soon as captured.