The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-31
BURNED THE STOCKADE.
Trouble Between Miners and
COnyicts in Tennessee.
A Prison Destroyed and the In
mates Sent Away.

A Nashville (Tenn., dispatch says that the
scenes enacted at Bricsville, Coal Creek and
Oliver Springs one year ago when the free
miners rose up in arms against convict la
Dor and, capturing the prison stocka1e, ap-
piled the torch to them, have been repeated
at Tracy City. the stockade at the branch
prison there being burned. In this case the
convicts were not released, but the 390 men
were taken from ths stoc lades and mines
placed on board box cars and sent to Nasll-
vile. The wires were cut by the miners to
prevent communication between the local
representatives Of the Tennesses Coal, Iron
and Railroad Company and the home ottics
in Nashville, and all the engines in the rail-
road yards were held for similar purpose,
but the convicCs were guarded.
At O'CLOCK A. NJ. a committee Of miners
awoke E. U. Nathurst Superintendent OF
the mines for the Tennessee Goa, Iron and
Railroad Company, and asked him that the
miners be allowed as many hours work in
each week as the convicts. Mr.. Nathurst
replied that he would submit the matter to
the company an do what he could.
The committee then left, and Mr.. Nathurst,
knowing that secret, onth-bouud orsani-
cation had been formed some weeks ago for
purposes unknown, at once began to suspect
trouble. He went to Deputy Warden Bur-
ton. and together they began to circulate
among the miners, who were gathering in
groups, and to try to influence them to keep
quiet.
At SBq o'clock an organized body OF l59
men, 100 Of them armod, advanced ON the
stoc <ade. To capture it was the work or a
minute. Without undue confusion every
piece of property belonging to the Tennessee
a J,;Ir
fully removed to q safe distance, and the
conyicts who were in the stockade were led
out uuder guard. y
Then the torch was applied, and at
o'clock the buildings were mass OF flames.
The miners at once proceeded to the mines
took possession OF the convicts, marched
them to the railroad station, and loaded
then, in box cars. Next the telegraph
wires were cut and guard was placed over
every engine in the yards to prevent IL from
carving the news down the mountain.
Between Sewanee and Monteagle tns con
yicts cut the train'in two, and ten or hfteen
made a break for liberty Several shots
were fired. Mat Wilson, white, was KILLED,
and Tom Smith. colored. wounded. SIX OF
eight made good their escape. The train was
held at Cowan until orders to come on wers
received from Nashville.
There has been much dissatIstactioa
among the tree miners at Tracy City De,
cause Of the lease system, which allowed
the bulk Of the work to bs done In tne mlht
by convicts. Yet the miners at Tracy
CITY have been among the most c2nser1a
tive in the State, an the company mas hae
yery little trouble with them. They naV'
been determined to support no party or can
jidate in the coming election that was no
pIe iged to the prompt abolition OF the sys
tenn. Governor Buchanan stated that IN
conyicts would be brought to the mai
prison at Nashville and kept until ne'
stockade could be built, when they would
returned, as had been done at Coal creek.