Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-16
THEY MADE A RAID
The tennessee Miners Again
Attack
THE CONNECTS IN The MINES
Carrying Their Pesnt in Spite OF Extra
PIssxnt,sns--A Horse Sho< uudes


CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Aug. la
Early this morning about 500 miners
met at Whiteweli. Tenn. q few miles
from Imam, where 80 convicts are at
work In the iron mines of the Iennes-
see Coal, Iron and Railroad COMPANY,
and proceeded IN body toward lnman
on train on which some forty un-
armed men were going 10 lnman TO IN
crease the guards AZ The stock&de.
About $50 OF the miners took charge OF
the guards, while the remainder, about
100, went forward 20 the stockade. de-
termined to burn ID, turn the convlcts
over 10 the guards. put them on q tram,
and send them out of the country.
The miners had determined upon the
return OF the convicts to Nashville and
carefully laid their plans. by descend
ing upon tho stockade esrly IN the
morning, when the night guards would
be asieep and the convicts in the mines,
they would have . better opportunity
of making tine capture. Having agreed
In the early hours OF the morning, they
put pickets on the roads leading to the
mines 10 prevent anyone from inter-
fering with their work After this the
msiu body of officers moved toward
the stockade, timing their movements
so they could make sudden Fush 1t
the proper time.
Clarence Livingston who had been sent
TO whitewell At midnight to notify the
lnman authorities that danger was
near, was discovered by pickets. HIS
horse was shot from under him as he
tried to pass on and bear the message
entrusted to his care and he WAS caught
and whipped. In the meantime the Car
containing the extra guards ordered to
Iuman was on Its way to Inman. Sud
denly the train came to q stop and the
guards were prisoners, no serious re-
sistance being offered. Having thus
provided against assistance being
rendered by the stockade guards
| from the outside, the miners pressed
onward and reaching the stOckade.
| swooped down upon it.
There were enough guards to have
kept them a. distance for reason
able time, but the mob of 200, which
it is said included negroes and some
ex-conv;cts, had no trouble in taking
possession of the building and the con.
vlcts. There was talk Of burning the
| stockade. The convictswere made TO form
| q line and under guard marched from
the mines to Victory, six miles away.
| Arriving there the convicts were placed
| in ceke cars confiscated for that pur-
pose, and the conductor of the train
was ordered to proceed to Bridgeport.
The fact that sixty-five guards at In
man offered little if any resistance
upon the approach OF the mob has
| caused much comment. However,
the guards at the other stockades
visited by the miners during the past
year made no resistance end the men
at Inman seem to have
merely followed the example set them.
The sheriff of Marion county tele-
graphed to the governor this evening
| IN reply to the message ordering him to
summon assistance and arrest members
| of the mob, that he was helpless and
could do nothing. The governor
has not indicated what further
| steps he will take, but says he
| will 90 the full limit of the law.
He can only order out the troops when
called upon by a sheriff for and, and
then the members of the militia must
be sworn in by the sheriff as civil Off.
GERS. Mr.. Baxter, vice president of the
Tennessee Coal 4 Iron and Railroad
company said today. :'Ths company 1.
willing to surrender its lease contract
| and leave the state free to
make such disposition of the con.
| victs as the state authorities may
deem best. The company offered tint
| to the last extra session Of the genera
assembly, but no action taken upon is
This offer has stood open to the state
authorities since that date and is nov
open to them. The cOnvicts sent Il
Nashville from Inman arrived 1T Nash
Vile tonight and are 1T the prison
There are l 100 Of the convicts all tolC
and as the prison has accommodation
for only 700, they are packed away Ink,
sardines in Q box.