Evening journal., 1891-07-24
THE MINERS SURRENDER
They Say the Militia Will Not
Be Harmed.
PACIFIC PROPOSALS ARE REFUSED.

The Governor VIII Not Agree 20 ANY.
thing Except That lie wn See ths
Laws Of Tennessee Enforced-Ths
Brutal Shooting of Convict.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, July 24.-The miners
meeting at Coal Creek 20 hear the com.
mittee's plan Of compromise was attended
by about every man in the valley.
Speeches were made by J. Q. j. Williams,
OF this city, candidate before the Demo.
cratic convention for congress, and one or
two miners. General Williams urged a
compromise. The meeting lasted some
time aud i was difficult for the miners to
agree upon a conclusion.
The Goyernor's sole Proposition.
The governor denies that there has been
any proposition made by him. but that Of
sustaining the law. He Is willing. how
ever, he says, for citizens to see what
could be done to settle the difficulty, as he
is warm supporter Of labor.
Finallythe miners agreed on course Of
action and drew up resolutions containing
a proposition 10 the governor
Proposal OF the Miners.
This proposition is that the troops must
be taken home from Knoxville. The con
viets can be returned to Coal Greek for
sixty days only. The legislature Is to
meet and the governor is to propose the
repeal OF the convict lease system. The
official document is now in possession Of
the committee, which was last night in
conference with Governor Buchanan. The
committee arrived here at 8 p. m. 1t was
universally believed at Coal Greek that
the citizens proposition 30 the miners
would be accepted. Men who have watched
the proceedings closely say II would have
been accepted but for what is termed the
revolutionary speech Of Chancellor Gibson.
The governor was obstinate at a late
hour this morning, when the conference
between the miners committee and the
governor broke up The committee is
much depressed. They say the governor
would do nothing at all. Mr.. Ingraham.
the man who has been prominent IN the
trouble in Coal Creek, says not a soldier
will be harmed If they 20 to Coal Creek.
not man hurt; but the convicts will be
turned loose just as soon as they leave.
He says the miners are determined that
the conyicts shall not be worked In the
mines
virtual surrender.
Several Of tho committeeman are very
angry, but unite in saying the troops will
not be resisted II they 60. This city is per
fectly quiet and orderly and no trouble OF
any kind IS feared. One Of the most con
servative men in the city says the PROPOSE
tion TO Governor Buchanan from the
miners was an insult and that ii would
have been an insult to the state for the
governor to have agreed to open violation
Of The law, and, more that he has no power
to do so II he desired it.
The Troops WIN Move.
Governor buchanan has Just been seen
and asked If lac would order the militia Ia
Coal Creek today. He replied by SAVING
that the law would be carried out This
Is construed in the face Of all foregoing
that the troops will move today.
A Convict shot Down.
A convict named Harris, who Is a sleep
walker, was shot here by a guard. The
sleep walker awakened and, ia his fright |
taught hold Of the guards arm. Ihe 1
guard shook him on, drew back a little /
and pointed his Winchester. The negro
urned to run. The guard fired and the
legro fell mortally shot. At the explosion
he convicts half raised themselves from
heir beds. When they saw what the cause
vas they sank back and lay without stir
ing. At their rising the four guards
umped into line ready TO open general fire.
nd the wretches knew that the slightest
movement meant death, for none ever
card Of guard being punished for dis
harging his duty.
Harris died in twenty minutes Ten
ainutes afterward the guard relieved from
uty was sitting in a hotel Office putting
igar and laughing over the entertaining
etails OF the affair.
They Arc All Dead shots.
Those who have not been Ia this region
an get no exact idea of what a war be-
ween mountaineers and state troops
-ould mean. In the first place, these
'fty, precipitous mountains, so wide
1me so unknown to all but the mountain.
rs, are covered with forest which
.retches eighty-dve miles in every direc
on.
The miners and their friends, the noun
lineers, know every foot OF it, The,
now all the hiding places, all the inaccessi
e natural Notifications. These men arr
aimed in the use Of arms from boyhood.
heir sole recreation is shooting matches.
hey kill squirrels by shooting them in thu
,ad that the body may be untouched, and /
mountaineer who hits a squirrel in the
'dy feels certain sense Of disgrace. The ,
ees are Of great diameter and are so thick
at to talk of Gatling guns is the sheerest
'nsense. These facts will give some ides
by the state Of Tennessee is at the mercy
the mountaineers
School Directors Arrested.