Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-07
The Little Bill Driven OF.
DEATH TO THE PINKERToNs.
Attempt of the Strikers to Sink and Set
Fire to the Barges

Attempt of the Strikers to Sink and Set
Fire to the Barges.
The cry on the other hand was Death
to the PinkertonsI" They could not cast
of their barges and let them float down
the river because any man who had shown
himself for that purpose would have been
the mark of 100 rifles each handled by an
expert shot. The fight went on in de.
sultory fashion until $50 p. M, when the
mill men tried to blow up the barges with
dynamite. This failed, and the cannon
were loaded with scrap iron and broad
sides poured into the two crafts; but few
shots took effect, and when a white flag
was hoisted by the Pinkertons the man
who held it was fired at and 1t is believed,
wounded. Then the strikers determined
on terrible mode Of warfare.
Trying to Burn Them Out.
An oil tank on the river above the
barges was punctured, the oil let out Oh
the river and fred in the hope that it
would float down to the barges and set
them in flames. But this failed for some
reason yet unexplained. Then new coal
oil tactics We're adopted. The strikers got
q hand pump in motion and tried to pump
oil on the barges, thereby saturating them
with the inffanmable fluid, after which
they were to be fired in some manner, but
the hose was too large and it..wouldn't per-
form the service required. During these
scenes there were thousands Of persons
watching the fight and the strikers were
numerously reinforced, and at p. m. the
situation of the Pinkerton men was
desperate Many of the spectators were
wounded more or less severely.
President weihe on Hand.
For an hour previous to this time Presi-
dent Weibe of the A. A. l. S. W. had been
in consultation with other leaders, and at
4:30 he left headquarters for the mill. Be-
fore going Weihe said: ave have Just
! ended a long discussion of the situation.
We will now 60 to the works and try to
prevent the firing of the boats, though we
! may be too late. Sheriff McCleary has
agreed to remove the barges and the Pink
| erton men provided the strikers would
agree to stop firing from the river banks
l don't know how the men will receive
| this proposition, but you can rest assured
we will do all we can to prevent further
destruction Of human life. The men are
desperate, and may refuse to listen to any
| offer, the conditions of which are that the
Pinkertons are permitted TO withdraw
Thursting for Pinkerton Blood.
Before Weihe left headquarters a com.
] mittee arrived from the mill and one OF
| them said: "It Weihe or any other man
| asks the men to withdraw or to give up
the idea of burning out the Pinkertons
he, or they, will be run off the grounds
We are not going to leave one of those
murderers on the boats alive to tell the
tale" Upon arriving at the scene OF the
| battle Weihe and the other officers made
passianote appeals to the mer
to cease their lawless proceedings
telling them Of the proposition
P. H. McEvoy, vice president
Of Mahoning and Shenango Valley
district said: ~ know full well that II
you continue doing as you are, the state
militia will be ordered out before dark and
You will be defeated"
An Explosion Breaks Up the Confereuc Q
| While the officers were addressing tn,
men loud explosion was heard and in
stantiy the crowd broke for the river bank
and the officers seeing that they were do
ing no good returned to headquarters anC
went into conference. Later Hugh ODon
| nell seized small United States flag an,
mounting pile Of iron addressed the mel
begging them 70 stop the battle and offe
a truce. The men refused, saying that tn
Pinkertons had fired on one flag of true
and must show the next one themselves
(This contradicts the report that it wa
the strikers who fired on the white flag.
As O'Donnell could make no impression
he quit speaking and went among the me-
imploring them individually to stop figh,
ing.
THE PINKERTONS SURRENDER.
They Ask for Protection Against Lynch
ing, Which Is Granted.
While the meeting was in progress il
the mill another was being held by tn,
beleagured ones in the boats The result
CONTINUED on Fourth page)