Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-11-20
CONNECTS RELEASED.
Tennessee StOckades Burned
and $50 FelOns Freed.
The Prison Guards Overwhelmed
by a Mob of Miners.

The Tennessee convicts employed in the
| mines of the Tennessee Mining Company and
the Knoxville Iron Company, at Briceville
| and Coal Creek, were liber ated few nights
ago by the free miners, and the stockades in
which the convicts were confined were
burned to the ground.
The guards in charge of the stOcGades saw
| that the free miners were in overwhelming
force and made no show OF resistance, so
that the raid was not attende with fighting
or bloodshed.
Not the least hint had been received at
Briceville or Coal Greek that the miners
intended any aggressive movement. Al
ter the courts had decided that the
lease of the convicts was legal and
the State authorities announced that the law
would be upheld at all hazards the Miners
Committee, which had represented the dis
satisfied elements since the July outbreaks
and which rad pledged their words that
| there would he no resort to violence, called
meeting of the miners, gave full account OF
what had been done and disbanded.
They urged the miners 20 refrain from
violence and accept the decree of the courts,
depending on their power at the polls to cor
rect the evil. This advice was taken, ap-
parentiy in good part
The first lntinlatlOn that there was any
thing out of the common going on IN tne
mining region came when it was discovered
and Offutts station and between Offutts and
Clinton had been cut.
Shortly aTterWard a series OF signal tires
were seen in various places among the
mountains. Hardly mad the signal fires
been lighted when the miners began to
gather at Briceville. They came in little
parties from all the surrounding hamlets
and settlements. Every man had his rifle
and many were armed with revolvers in adj
ditiOn.
F,,llrr
had gathered in Briceville, and the advance
was made on the convict stOckade OF the
Tennessee Mining Company at that place.
When the stocl1ade was reached the lead
ers Of the mob called for the Warden and i'll
formed him that they had come to release
the convicts and that if the guard resisted
they would do SO at their peri
w lille the Leaders were parIey1ng with the
Warden another party OF the rioters placed
a heavy charge of dynamite under a portion
of the stOckade and the conference at the
gate was terminated by an explosion which
blew great hole in the outer wall Of the
stockade
This was the signal for a volley of rifle
Shots but they were all fired in the air and
nobody was hurt.
Hundreds of the rioters rushed into the
breach and in q few 10 nutes the stockade
was in their hands. Convicts and guards
were ordered out at the point OF the rifle,
and they came
The cOnvicts were wrought up into a state
of intense excitement. AS they came out of
the breach in the walls OF the stockade they
were hated and each man ordered to
remove the striped convict uniforms. In its
place he was given a suit Of citizens clothes,
OF which the miners had brought an i'm
mense quantity.
AS the convicts made the change Of clothes
they were headed for the North Carolina
and Kentucky borders and ordered to leave
n
with.
Alter the stockade had been cleared OF all
its inmates the torch was applied in many
places and it was soon enveloped in flames.
A guard was left to see that no attempt was
made to quench the flames, and the main
body of rioters started for Coal Cre4n
Tho work at Coal Creek was simply a
repetition Of that done at BricevilIe. The
Warden was called out and informed tnat
the conYicts were to be released. He saw
that there was no chance for q successful
resistance and surrendered. The con
victs were marched OUT their convict stripes
changed for less conspicuous ralment and
they were told to leave the State as quickly
as possible. They lost no time in doing so
Then the stockade was fired and destroyed.
After the destruction of the stockade an
attack was made by the liberated convicts
on the company store, which is run by Cap
tain Chumley, formerly superinten dent Of
convlcts. There was about $1,000 worth of
goods in the store, consisting o. a general
stock. The convicts took as much Of this as
they could aud destroyed the balance.
The total number OF convicts released was
$50. Of these al were at Briceville and 209
at Coal Creek. Trainmen who passed
through the coal regions next day say that
they saw large numbers CT convicts making
their way towards the Kentucky line. They
marched along the roads in small parties
openly, and do not appear to be in fear of
being arrested.
Nothing was done looking to the re-arrest
of the liberated men beyond notifying the
Kentucky and North Carolina authorities Of
their escape and requesting them to be on
the lookout for them.
Governor Buchanan, of Tennessee, has
offered Il reward OF $4,000 for the arrest and
conviction Of the Briceville moo.