The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-07-25
CONVICT LABOR WAR.
Tennessee at Present the Scene
of an Interesting Struggle.
A Temporary Victory for the Miners-
The Troops at Coal Creek Mine
Capitulste - All the State
Troops Ordered Ost.
The Militia Lay Down Their Arms and
Surrender.

The Militia Lay Down Their Arms and
Surrender.
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. and responded BY
ordering two companies of militia from
Chattanooga 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 back with them and warned
the mob that they would protect them
at all hazards.
Gov. Buchanan at once proceeded
to the scene of the disturbance and
In a neat speech explained his position
to the rebellious miners. He told them
that 1t 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.
Al -
lies were starving and that they were
compelled to drive out the convicts if il
cost the life of every man in the valley.
They made al sorts of fun of the hand
full of beardless youths, but declared
that they would not harm the spider
legged, cirgarette-smoking 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as soon as the militia were withdrawn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.
Atnoon the miners sent a 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.
More Convicts and Guards Captured.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July sO.-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 cOnvicts
there with the guards. They were I
shipped away to Knoxville and ar
rived here about $40 o'clock. All the
convicts are now here in an old build
ing under guard. A call of some labor
leaders has been issued for a labor |
meeting here tomorrow night.
1t is reported here tonight that the
miners at Oliver Springs have released
the t3O convicts, but at p. m. this rel
port has not been verified.
The excitement hcse tonight is3h-
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 II 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
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.