Huntsville gazette. [volume] (Huntsville, Ala.) 1879-1894, 1891-07-25
CONVICT LABOR WAR.
Tennessee at Present the Scene
OF an Interesting Struggle. "
Temporary Victory for the Miners
The Troops at Coal Creek Mine
Capitulate All tho State ~,
Troops Ordered Out.

Ndpitui - All tho state
Troops Ordered Out.
The Militia Lay Down Their Arms and
sHtEe Surrender. : 9ogEgstyat-s
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July 20.-The
crisis in the trouble between the ousted
miners in this district and the convicts
who were brought here from the state
prison at Nashville, has at last been
reached. When about 400 armed strik-
ers attacked the guards who had charge
of the fifty felons at Briceville, last
Wednesday night, and liberated their
charges, it was confidently predicted
that this would be but the beginning of
a general movement of this kind
throughout the entire mining district
of the state Gov Buchanan was inn
mediately notified, Dand responded by
ordering two companies of militia from
Chattanooga and one from Knoxville to
the scene AlfiA Sha fuA'A- ''41s
Of the fifty convicts taken from the
guards at Briceyille, two escaped and
the others were brought to this city.
When the militia arrived they took the
convictsi back with them and warned
the mob that they would protect them
at all hazards. NJ,
Gov. Buchanan at once proceeded
to the scene of the disturbanc and
in a neat speech explained his position
tosthe rebellious miners. He told them
that it was his sworn duty to uphold
the law, and if the convict lease sys-
tenn was wrong he was not to blame,
and that the only recourse of the men
was through the legislature. IAi'l 9tuH.
The miners answered that their faIni-
lies were starving and that they were.
compelled to drive out the convicts if it
cost the life of every man in the valley
They made all sorts of fun of the hand7i
full of beardless youths, but declared
that they would not harm the spider
legged, cirgarette-smolsing dudes'' as.
they characterized the militia, but that.
as soon as the militia were withdrawn
they would release every convict IN the
region. Becoming impatient, however,
at delay in the recall of the troops,
they decided to-day to overcome by
force Of numbers and succeeded only
too well. 80
AT noon the miners sent committee
to the soldiers and demanded immediate
surrender. The soldiers laid down.
their arms and the miners are now in
possession of the stockade. They COM
peeled the convicts, forty in number,
and 100 soldiers, to get aboard the train,
which took them away from the scene
of the trouble .. -atE. ,.
More Convicts and Guards Captured.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July 20.-After
the release of the convicts at Briceville
this morning, and the troops and con-
victs had been placed on the train, the
mob went to the mines Of the Knox
vile Iron Co., and surrounded the,
stockade and captured the 125 sconvicts
there with the guards. They were
shipped away to Knoxville and ar
rived here about $50, o'clock. All the
convicts are now here in an old build
ing under guard. A cali of some labor
leaders has been issued for a labor
meeting here tomorrow night. Z
1t issreported here tonight that the
miners at Oliver Springs have released
the 100 convicts, but at s p. m. this re-
port has not been verified. 49,
vThe excitement here tonight is in-
tense The streets are crowded and a
diversity of opinion is heard. Many of
the labor men say the miners have done
right 1t is reported that a special
train will arrive here at 12 o'clock to-
night with the first lot of troops, and
at o'clock the second train will ar-
rive. Troops are undoubtedly being
hurried forward. -
The troops who arrived here, hearing
the statements made that they would
not fight, but wished the miners to cap
ture the convicts, deny the report most
vehemently. The Chattanooga boys
show a brave, determined mind to go
back to the front Many miners from
Jellico and Newcomb were in. the mob
to-day. F 1
Another story Of the Surrender.
KNoxvILLE, Tenn. July 20. The
troops from Briceville arrived here at
o'clock. They are all in good spirits
and will return in the morning with re-
Inducements. The boys were badly
treated by the people of Knoxville,
who seemed to be in perfect sympathy
with the Iawless element in Coal Creek
valley.
At 10 o'clock this morning 1000 min
ers, farmers and other natives who
have no occupation at all. took posses
sion of the hills around the Briceville
camp. Fifteen hundred of these were
armed with rifles, the rest had shot
guns and pistols. They came, from al
the mines in radius of fifty miles.
The organization was complete and
their leaders placed them along the
5hillsides with military precision
q At the call.fo arms the little garri-
son turnedzout CALAMITY and prepared
for defenseAv1t was apparent at q
glance that tight would result in =
massacre netting Of the officers
was called Some declared that q
stout resistance 2 tosthe first attack
. would Be srfiicient and the mob wond
lwithdraw 8. Others : thonght that Il
would be suicidal, yet every one was
in favor, Of doing his duty, notwith-
standing the exposed position they