Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-08-19
Battle with Miners.

yesterday says information from Knox
vile is that the mob at Coal Creek cap
tured freight train and went to the
stockade claiming they were going to
take it, but failed to attack Early in
the afternoon the wires were cut, and
since then nothing definite has been
heard.
Passenger trains have been wantonly
seized and the occupants left on sid
ing, while the rioters took the engine
and engineers to further their own pur-
poses, and not hand had been raised
by the sworn officers of the law to pre-
vent them or protect the property.
What is to be done with the 900 or
more released convicts is serious
problem which now confronts the State
government The State prison at Nash
vile is wholly inadequate. No pro-
vision whatever exists for their care or
use. and there is no provision i'll the
laws which will enable the State to
properly feed, clothe and care for them
in idleness.
A dispatch from Knoxville, Tenn,
dated yesterday evening says Captain
Keller Anderson, who for nearly year
has held the convicts at Coal Creek, is
in the hands of the miners at last. The
latest reports which are reliable say
that u battle at Camp Anderson was
commenced as early as 10 o'clock this
morning. For several hours the firing
was not general. About 9 o'clock the
miners to the number of 1000 made an
assault upon the forces and were success
fully repulsed The second assault
was easily repulsed. The third attempt
resulted in regular pitched battle and
the gatling guns got in their work, but
TO what extent is not known. Several
assailants were wounded and some
probably killed, but no one knows for
certain. Night came on, and in the
course of the darkness the final attack
was made. Coal Greek fell, and the
reign of terror and of anarchy in Ten
nessee was complete.
The fort occupies the crest Of hill
commanding a range of Coal Creek
Valley five miles east and west. TO
the north is a spur of the valley in
which the stockade of the Nashville
Iron Company is located No one is
allowed to approach within half mile
of the fort unless he is known to be in
sympathy with the miners. 1t is there
fore impossible to get the number Of
killed or injured or their names.
Between the first and second assaults
upon the fort three miners were cap
tured. They sent up flag of truce to
Captain Anderson to ask for release.
He was expecting such a message and
met the men on equal grounds. He
was seized by several of them and rush
cd down the hill and finally taken to
one of the hotels in the village where
he is guarded by Robert Lindsay, a
United States deputy marshal, and
number of friends. They are holding
him as q hostage, and will not agree to
give him up until the troops and con-
victs are withdrawn from the valley.
In the meantime Burl Lindsay,
brother of the deputy marshal, is try
ing to organize q mob to lynch Ander-
son. The hotel is surrounded by some
three hundred well-armed men. This
is one story.
|
feet that Capt. Anderson was drunk
and came outside of the Notifications,
and the boys picked him up without
trouble. He has so far made no state
ment. His force of 100 men are still
holding the fort. The men have been
on short rations for three days. Every
avenue of supply has been cut off.
The Governor ordered other troops
to the assistance of Captain Anderson.
A courier who arrived at Clinton last
night from Coal Creek says that fight
ing has been going on all the afternoon;
that four soldiers were killed and that
their gatling gun is out of order.
The feeling against Gov. Buchanan is
very bitter. He is charged with dila-
tory and cowardly conduct, and people
are declaring that he is responsible for
the deplorable situation and account
able for any loss of life that has occur
red The people think that if he had
been more prompt and courageous the
outbreak could have been checked at
the start.
Gov. Buchanan is still quite sick, and
the acknowledgement yesterday directed
State affairs.
1t is said that the Knoxville Iron
Company, lessees of the branch peni-
Tertiary at Coal Creek, have given the
Governor 20 days notice that they will
give up their lease and turn the COLI
victs over to the State authorities. This
decision if laid before the miners will
probably put an end to the whole
trouble.