Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-16
THE TRACY TROUBLE.
FOLLOWED BY THE DEPORTATION
OF MORE CONVICT MINERS
Inmnn the Scene of the Latest Lawiess-
nsss-The Action Protest Against
the Lease system.
tB5 telegraph to tho Dispatch.l


CHATTANOOGA. Tenn, August 15.-Ihe
convict-lease system which occnsioned the
laplessness of the Coal-Creek miners at
Driceville, in Anderson county, about this
time last year, is again the cause OF riots
IL another district. Mutterings and
threats Of this have filed the ar for
months, and correspondents who were on
the ground at Briceville freely stated that
thero was perfect organization Of all the
free miners in the States of Ten
nessee Georgia, and Alabama who
were sworn to rid all the mines of
cenYicts. The idea was not received with
fpH credence, and no extraordinary pre-
cautions have been taken 70 prevent an
4 outbreak in other districts remote from
the scenes of the troubles OF 1891. The
first intimation was the unexpected attack
on the guards at Tracy City last Friday
night and the liberation of the conylcts.
The story OF how they were sent back TO
Iriceville was told in these dispatches.
Tracy City is on the western branch or
the Cumberland mountains, the eastern
beng separated from it by canoe-shaped
valley, up which runs the lately-built
sequachee-Y Valley branch of the Nashville,
Chattanooga and ST. Louis railroad to
iikeville. About one fourth the way mp
The valley from where the Sequachee
river empties INTO the ennessee. 81 South
Pittsburg. the Tennessee Coal, Iron. and
Hallway Company have a mine az lnman.
ut the end OF n spur track OF about or 10
miles. This spur leaves the line az VictO-
ia. where the COMPANY have in operation
large number of coke-ovens, supplied
rom the surrounding mines. of which that
at lnman IS the principal one.
MORE coSvIcrs SENT AWAY.
From Tracy City it is but a 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
There gathered together about 200
Mell-arIned men, who proceeded to-
wards the stockade. A squad of
guards, formerly on duty at Tracy
City, who had taken the released prisoners
from there to the pepitentiary at Nash
vile. were en- route TO lnman to reinforce
the men protecting the prisoners there. At
White Hail the train was stopped on the
trestle aud the relnforcements were cut
of. Then a movement was made on In-
man. No resistance was made, and 2S2 con-
vets and TWEEN y-seven guards were taken
prisoners by the mob of free miners, led by
X. 7. HeltOn. the party having left Whit
well secretly last night. The prisoners
wero marched 10 Victoria. loaded on cars.
aud bauled away by the switch-engine.
The stockade was not burned and no dam
age was done 20 the property OF the CON-
pany.
Last night work was ordered suspended
bv the company, the free miners having
been missed from the village. The con-
vlcts were taken TO Bridgeport, Ala, and
from there sent ria the Nashville and Chat
tanooga railroad to Nashville under the
charge OF Eth. B. Wade, state Superln-
tcndent Of Prisons. Everything is quiet
at lnman, and the other company works IN
the valley, and the members OF the mob
are returning 10 their homes. BY the
terms of the surrender the property of the
company Is 70 be LET upharmed. Whether
that agreement will be kept remains to be
seen.
TUE MINERS YEAR LOCKOUT.
Judge Moon, of this circuit. holding
court at Jasper promptly and vigorously
ordered the Sheriff TO summon posse, and
If possible protect the captured stockade.
The Sheriff saws be cannot secure suff-
cient torce to enforce the order, but he
left on the fret tram for Inman. II Is
thought that work Will be resumed in tho
mines tomorrow morning, and there seems
TO be considerable uneaslnesss among the
free miners, they fearing lockout as the
result of their action to-day.
The wires were cut early this morning,
aud COMMUNICATIONS we're sent about by u
roundabout circuit to Nashville. A mes
senger boy on horseback was busy carry
ing reports from the station at Whitwell to
the telegraph office. The miners ordered
him to stop, and be, not needing their or
ders, was fired on and the horse shot un-
der him.
The stockade may not be burned. as the
town OF Inman would burn with It, and
there is a high trestle of the branch road
built above the stockade that would also
90, in which case it would render work in
the mines impossible. thus cutting off the
men who composed the mob as well as the
COnyicts.
Sheriff Mason wired Governor Buchanan
the facts IN the case this morning. and
was ordered py the Governor 10 Summon
pose and protect the company's property.
The Sheriff says the people are so much
in sympathy with the miners that he can
not get force. lie does not know any Of
the men in the mob and has little TO say.
He has advised the Governor taat he CHE
Sheriff is utterly helpless 70 do anything
towards bringing the members OF the mob
TO lustlpe.