The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-07-25
LABOR TROUBLES,

4
Troops and the Convicts-The Governor
Calls Out the Entire Military Force Of the
State.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July 2L-The
crisis in the attempt of the coal miners
of this district. to keep out convicts who
were brought from the state prison al
Nashville has at last been reached.
When about 400 armed strikers at
tackled the guards who had charge OF
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 throughout the entire mining
district in the state. Gov. Buchanan
was Immediately notified and responded
by ordering two companies from Chat
tanooga and one from Knoxville to the
scene. Of the fifty convicts taken from
the guards at Briceville, two escaped
and the others were brought to this
city.
When the militia arrived they took
the convicts along back with them and
warned the mob that they would pro-
tect them at all hazards. Gov Bu-
chanan at once proceeded to the seat Of
trouble and in a speech explained his
position to the rebellious miners. He
told them that it was his sworn duty to
uphold the law and if the convict lease
system was wrong he was not to blame
and the only recourse of the men was
through the legislature. The miners
announced that their families 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 handful of
soldiers and declared that they would
not harm the ''spider-legged, cigarette
smoking dudes" but that as soon as
the militia were withdrawn they would
release every convict in the region.
The crisis came at about IL o'clock
when the miners and crowd of SYM
pathizers from the surrounding country
gathered around the camp of the state
militia, capturing the troops and con-
victs, marched them to the depot and
put them on train to Knoxville
The camp was on little knoll in a
hollow and surrounded on all sides by
mountains The miners and their
friends to the number of 1900 or 2,OOO
were divided into four equal squads
and approached on the four sides of the
square in which the camp was formed.
The miners sent up flag of truce and
sent in a committee to the officer in
command The committee notified the |
officers that they had come to take the
convicts peaceably if possible, by force
if necessary.
Fifteen hundred of the men were
armed with rifles, the rest had shotguns
and pistols. They came from all the |
mines in a radius of fifty miles. The
was complete and their
leaders placed them along the hillsides
with military precision. At the call to
arms, the little garrison turned out gal
lantly and prepared for defense It
was apparent at glance that fight
would result in a massacre and meet
Ing of the officers was called. Some
declared that a stout resistance 20 the
first attack would be sufficient and the
mob would withdraw. Others thought
it would be suicidal Yet every one
was in favor of doing his duty notwith-
the exposed position they were
to defend.
The miners called parley and were
met on neutral ground by Col Sewer.
They stated that they had sufficient
force to overwhelm the soldiers. but !
hey did not care to shed blood if the
,onvicts were quietly turned over to {
hem. This request was emphatically I
refused.
The miners then asked Col. Sewer if
ne would remove his troops, and take
he convicts with him. He asked what
would be done to the mining company's
which was also under his
protection. They replied that it would /
lot be injured. He also asked if an
ttack would be made on the Knoxville
ron Co.'S stockade just below Brice-
lille. If such was intended, he intend l
d to fall back there and fight it out re- 1
ardless of the consequences The lead
rs replied that no attack would be :
made. {
The troops then marched out of camp j
arrying with them the convicts, all 1
heir commissarY supplies and bag
age They marched to Bricevillc and L
here took the train to Knoxville. L
ALL THE MILITIA CALLED OUT.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, July 21.-Gov
buchanan received a telegram from Z
arden B.evins at Briceville that over :
600 men had gathered between that = Z
race and Coal Creek, prepared to c
larch against the Briceville brigade. Q
ov. Buchanan, who has been guided 4
the utmost caution since the troubles !,
egan, at once decided to call out the
ltire military of the state, and for G
lat purpose he Immediately tele- Il
'aphed to each company and instruct 8
Gen. j. L. Weakly to arrange rail. = =
'ad transportation for them. Each | e
'mpany was ordered to secure three o
lys' rations. Tents and blankets were r
sued from the capitol and sent down y
: the special train.
Late last night Gov. Buchanan or C
sred the military to wait at Knoxville H
'nding further instructions This is +
me because he desires to have Attor- y
,y-General Pickett's opinion as to his o
lthority to quell the troubles indie b
'ndent of the Anderson county author. T
eS Sheriff Rutherford, of Anderson
unity, has denied that he has called e
the assistance of troops and
Us he does not want any troops
I'd did not want any. 1t is reported
re that he has left the county to
ep ont of any further connection
til the trouble