Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-16
A CONVICT srOCKADE RAIDED.
Tennessee Miners Take Possession of Work
at Inman.


The SrAR's dispatches yesterday from Chat
tanooga announced that 500 miners had pro-
ceeded in a body to Inman, where $50 conyicts
were at work in the iron mines.
Imam is about 100 miles by rail from Chat
tanooga, in Sequatchie valley. on branch of
the Nashville, Chattanooga and 81. Louis rail-
way. From Tracy City it is but short days
walk down the mountain to Victoria, and
trouble was partially expected after the out
break at Tracy City. The suspicion was well
founded, for early Sunday morning little knots
OF miners began to congregate, among them
some strangers from Tracy City. and every
miner was visited by them. They gathered
together about 200 well-armed men and pro-
ceeded toward the stockgde. A squad of guards,
formerly on duty at Tracy City, who had taken
the released prisoners from there to the peni-
tertiary at Nashville, were on route to Inman to
reinforce the men protecting the prisoners
there. At whitwell the train was stopped on q
trestle and the reinforcement cut of. Then q
movement was made on lnman. No resistance
WAS made, and 2s2 convicts and twenty-seven
guards were taken prisoners by a mob of free
miners led by r. p. Helton. The party having
left Whitwell secretly Sunday night. the pris.
oners were marched to Victoria, loaded on cars
and hauled away by the switch engine. The
stockade was not burned and no damage was
done to the property Of the company. The
cohNicts were Aken 10 bridgeport, Ala, and
from there sent via the Nashville and Chatta-
nooga railroad to Nashville under the charge Of
Eth B. Wade, state superintendent Of prisons.
Everything was quiet ut Inman last night,
and the other company works in the valley,
and the members Of the mob were returning to
their homes. Judge Moon. holding court at
Jasper. promptly and vigorously ordered the
sheriff TO summon posse and, il possible, pro-
tect the captured stockade. The sheriff says he
cannot secure . sufficient force to enforce the
order. but left on the first train for Inman
II is thoughs that work will be resumed in the
mines today, and there seems to be considerable
uneasiness among the free miners, they fearing
q lockout the result OF their action Yesterday
The wires were cut early yesterday morning.
and communications we're sent by a roundabout
circuit to Nashville. A messenger boy on horse
back was busy carrying reports from the station
at Whitwell to the telegraph Office. The miners
ordered him TO stop, and he, not needing their
orders, was fred on and the horse shot under
him
sheriff Morrison wired Gov. Buchanan the
facts In the case yesterday morning and was
ordered b. the governor to summon o posse
and protect the company's property. The
sheriff says the people are 80 much In sympathy
With the miners that he cannot get q force. He
does not know any of the mon in the mob and
has little to say. He has advised the governor
that be Cthe sheriff. is utterly helpless to do
anything toward bringing members Of the mob
to justice.
A second mob assembled at Inman in the
afternoon, and, armed with axes, practically
demolished the stockade. One side was cut
down, the roof crushed in aud the interiors of
all houses are in ruins and dining hall wrecked.
Fire was not used for fear of burning the rail-
road trestie and several private buildings.