The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-14

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Aug. 13.-This morn
ing the stockade at Tracey City was
burned and 800 convicts were placed or
cars. which were ordered to start fol
Nashville.
At o'clock this morning committee
of the miners awoke O. E. Nathurst
superintendent of the mines of the
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railway com
pany, and asked him that the miners be
allowed as many hours work in each week
rs the convicts. Mr.. Nathurst replied
that he would submit the matter to the
company and would do what he could.
The committee then left and Mr..
Nathurst, knowing that a secret oath
bound organization had been formed some
weeks ago for purposes unknown, sus-
pected trouble. He went to Deputy
Warden Burton, and, together, they tried
TO influence the miners to keep quiet.
Their efforts were of no avail. Slowly the
ominious air of suppressed excitement be-
came tinged with open threats and
promises of destruction to the stockade or
a battle.
At $50 o'clock an organized body of 80
men, 100 of them armed and fifty appar-
emily uDarmed, advanced on the stockade.
To capture it was the work of a minute.
Without undue confusion every piece of
property belonging TO the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad company was removed
Ito a safe distance, and the cOnvicts who
were in the stockade. were let out under
guard. Then the torch wasapplied and at
80 o'clock the buildings were a mass OF
flames. The miners at once proceeded to
the mines, took charge of the convicts and
marched them to the railroad station and
loaded them in box cars. Next the tele-
graph wires were cut and guard was
placed over everything in the yards.
There has been much dissatisfaction
among the free miners at Tracey City be-
cause of the lease system, which allowed
the bulk of the work 10 ne done in the
mines by convicts. Yet, the miners at
Tracey City have been among the most
conservative in the state, and there has
been very little trouble with them.
Governor Buchanan stated that the con-
victs would be brought to the main prison
here and kept until a new stockade could
he built when they would be returned, as
had been done at Coal Creek.
James Rogerson, secretary of the COM
Dany, said: THE trouble has come from
D alout $50 Of the miners at Tracey City, or
about one-thrd of the whole. 1t is the re-
suit OF IA secret oath-bouud organization,
which was formed some weeks ago. That
was where definite action was begun. Ia
cident was a reduction of hours, necessi-
tated by lax markets We contemplated
shutting down the furnaces two weeks
ago, but thought it better to run even on
half time than TO not run at all The at
tack on the stockade was absolutely uuex-
pected."
Captain Benton, with twenty five guards.
had charge of the conyicts on the train.
Between Sewanee and Mount Eagle the
convictS cut the train in two, and ten or
fifteen made break for liberty. Several
shots were fired. Matt Wilson (white)
was killed and Sam Smith '(colored) was
wounded. Six or eight made good their
escape.
The wires were cut between here and
Tracey City, and nothing further can be
learned of the insurgents.
= Sensational reports have come from
Coal Creek regarding the conduct of the
Tennessee standing army. The citizens
claim that the watchers need watching
and they have assumed an aggressive po-
.sition toward them. They claim that the
Soldiers amuse themselves by firing oyster
aans loaded with mud from their cannon
Unto the village and that Gatling gun
was fired recklessly into the town. The
Somplaint has stirred up much bad feel
ong.
: NASHVILLE, Tenn, Aug. l2.-The re-
LEASED prisoners from Tracey City were
brought TO Nashville and placed in the
penitentiary here.