The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-07-23
THE MINERS IN BATTLE.
STRIKERS EIY IN AMBUSH AND
SHOOT DOWN NEGROES.
THE GUARDS RETURN THE DEADLY FIRE.
Each Side Kills Some Which Causes Gov
ernOr Jones to Order the soldiers Back
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 10 Ugly.


Birmingham, Ala, July 16.-(SpeciaG-
About o'clock this afternoon large body
of men, armed with Winchesters, were die
covered near slope No of Pratt mines, Oh
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railway
Company, seven miles from birmingham.
1t was the hour when the men at work
in the mines came out. The men at work
were negroes who had taken the places Oh
striking miners, and the attacking par
~ were strikers and their sympathizerS.
AS the negroes came out the strikers, who
were squatting around behind bushes ana
fences opened fire. The people VINO heard
A. supnosed it was a Calling gun IN the
hands of the troops. Several hundred sho''
here fired before the strikers scat'eleu'
Guards stationed around the mines re.ui IL
ed the fire, but they were lew III iiuiiioeA''
{ The casualties are:
b. W. Tierce, white guard, Killed
A negro miner, name UNKNOWN khieu'
One of the strikers, a Frenchman, naiheu
RACQUET was badly wounded and VIII dle.
Several on both sides We're wounded. one
pf the wounded strikers was dragged OIL cy
his friends.
II was a deliberate attack by the strikers
nm the miners put to work in their places,
and they shot to kill.
Two local military companies were hur-
rted to the scene and are in the nelShpor-
number which had been here from other
cities for a week on account of the rail-
road strike had been ordered home last
might This afternoon the Montgomery
companies were stopped EN- route ana turned
back and all the others VIII be mere III
the morning for duty at the mining camps
The mining strike has been on since the
middle of April, and the feeling Is growing
bitter, being accentuated by the railroad
strike.
Governor Jones saw the miners COM
mittee this afternoon and begged them to
accept the compromise lately offered, but
they declined
The proprietors are proceeding to open
sill mines with such labor as they can get,
and Governor Jones is of the opinion that
troops will be needed here Indefinitely.
The attack this afternoon followed in less
than two hours after the departure of the
troops. The bitterness of the strikers is
illustrated by the captured Frenchman He
was kneeling behind a cowpen fence, fir
Ing his Winchester, when bullet from
guard knocked him over. He raised up and
emptied his gun. He cannot speak a word
of English.
The negroes scattered in all directions
when fired on. Only few had got out of
the mines when the firing began, which ac-
counts for the small loss of lite.
A Fight Mt Pratt Mines.
second battle fought at slope No
d, of the Pratt mines, simultaneously with
that at No. 3, and the total dead reaches
Six, with at least a score wounded.
Another mob of strikers had ambushed
themselves near the mouth of No 4.
whence the negroes came in box cars. The
train had proceeded but a short dis
tance from the mine, when the party in
ambush opened fire. The first shot went
through the window Of the engine cab
iicked some hair from the head of Mine
Superintendent J. j. Moore and nearly
she voiley with vigor and in a short time
the mob began its retreat toward the
center point.
SIX Dead Bodies Found.
Posses of scouts We're hastily formed in
the vicinity of the mines and the work of
searching for the dead and wounded was
entered upon. The miners made their es-
cape, except those unable to walk for their
wounds. Ten bodies We're picked up, of
which six were lifeless. Many wounded
Were helped away by their comrades. The
names OF the negroes dead are unknown.
George Campbell, one Of the negro la
borers, had his leg broken and bullet
passed through his chin. He says the
strikers came on him after he shot
down, beat and kicked him and then fired
the bullet through his face.
The remains of the dead were all brought
20 Birmingham. Great excitement prevails
here. the streets being crowded with ter
rOr-strcken people. Every precautlon has
Deen taken TO guard the mines against
further depreciation.
The Third regiment of the state guard
has been ordered into camp here, and al
together there will be 500 soldiers in this
vicinity by morning.
abe Rioters Condemned.
Birmingham Ala, July H-(Special)-
Two hundred warrants have been sworn out
for men who. it is known, attended the
meeting by the creek yesterday at Pratt
mines Up to ? O'Clock today tifty-four of
the warrants were served. Men and boys,
both white and colored. are now locked
ell - h.. 10
The coISIty Jail is crowded. Around the
place for almost block, eager people are
sheriff has placed deputies at the mouth or
the alley leading UP TO the jail TO Keep tile
crowd back,
4 Law and order Meeting.
Erswelrs hail was packed to its utmost
capacity by $50 o'clock this morning with
the citizens of rmingham, called together
TO express themselves upon the MASSACRE I {
at Pratt Mines yesterday. There We're iuii -
seven hundred or eight hundred people III
the hall and more crowded at the doors
who were unable TO get i'll.
No More Aid for Strikers.
After other speeches a resolution was
adopted agreeing to refuse further support
70 the striking miners, and all others every
where We're asked TO decline to give any
thing more for the support OF the strikers
The attack of the strikers on the miners at
Iratt mines Yesterday was denounced. The
following committee of safety WAS a2-
pointed: D. J. McCord. Samuel Ulman'
a
J Miner, j. W. Bush. w. II. Graves, n
T. Thompson Rufus y. Rhodes, j. >. Hut-
ton r. ID. Johnston, b. +. Roden. f. u
Shepherd W. II. Stanley, Charles l. har-
man. w. c Ward. John Towers: II; r.
Burrls, Henry Johnston. H. A. Caid-
well, Ed Warren. w. G. Shackeiford, w.
M. Nails. G. W. Ratchff and William Shy-
der.
Soldiers Control.
birmingham. Ala. July lS.-(Speciai.)-T
military is still duty at Pratt mines,
ana all men who desire to work are protect
ed.
It now seems certain that five men We're
killed in Mondays riot at Slope 3 They
were Deputy Il. w. Tierce, Andrew Gam
bell, colored. Jim Hannabel. colored, I'M
known negro who found dead in the
woods yesterday and unknown French
man. who is reported to have died at one
of the strikers houses vest erday.
hour of the Mob Wounded.
1t is believed now that at least four or
five of the mob We're wounded One was
the unknown negro. who was found yester-
day, and the other was the unknown
Frenchman, who died at one of the striker s
houses. There is air Of mystery about
the death of the last man. No one has been
able positively to ascertain what became
of his body. 1t is supposed to have been
flxrh ia1 Nv