The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-27
Negro Settlement Attacked by Hundreds
of Armed Men and an Unknown
Number We're Wounded.
800 SHOTS FIRED IN ALL
Four Whites Shot by the Negroes
Caused the Uprising.
Appalling State of Affairs at the Mines
of the Island Coal Company, in
Greene County.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LINTON, Ind, July 26.-Since the sinking
of coal mines at this place there has never
been witnessed such riot as occurred at
this little city last night between colored
and white miners. There was a pitched
battle, and the number shot can only be
guessed at. The Island Coal Company has
been working a few colored miners at their
mine south of here, known as Island City.
The miners were enraged at this action,
and have been waiting to vent their anger.
The time came yesterday.
1t was pay day. and the colored men
were up drawing their pay. a few words
were passed between a colored and a white
man. which resulted in general fight.
This gave the miners just the chance they
had been wishing for. The colored man,
seeing he was overpowered. ran down the
street, yelling for help. with fifty miners
after him, hurting bricks and filing the
air with their shouts TO xiii the -"
All out Of breath and trembling with
fear, the negro was caught at the l. & l.
S station. He was knocked down and
beaten to insensibility. being left for dead.
In their frenzy The miners fought TO get
at him and finish the job by numbering
him.
This all occurred before dark The ne
groes soon after began TO congregate and
attacked a party of white miners. About
10 o'clock the fire bells suddenly began
changing, routing out the entire town. Ths
excitement was intense. The news quickly
spread that four white miners. Dude Pet
ty, James Shihet, ]. Thomas and Silas
Payton, had been shot by colored diggers
out of revenge for the assault on the ne
gro in the afternoon This 50 exasperated
the white miners that they broke tor their
homes. and, arming themselves, quickly
reappeared ready to massacre the blacks.
A well-organized mob of several hundred
desperate miners was soon on the march
toward the negro settlement, determined
to kill or hang every negro. Nearly all the
men had guns, but many only carried
clubs or hatchets. 1t looked as if there
would be a terrible slaughter before morn
ing.
The negroes were not taken by surprise.
They had been well armed for some time.
expecting just such an attack. When the
mob reached their neig.hborhood it found
the negroes barricaded in and behind their
bo,,-ac url,a ,,ooh at onca onapad fro fullv
one hundred shots being fired in the first
volley. Several negroes were hit, and the
cries could be heard for blocks away. But
they did not retreat They returned the
fire, shooting into the mob at some places
not over thirty yards distant. Their aim
was poor, although it was bright moon
light and only a few of the attacking
party received slight flesh wounds. The
mob scattered and sought cover, keeping
up the firing whenever negro showed his
head. In all over three hundred bullets
were sent in amongst the negroes. The hat
ter continued to hold their ground, how
ever, and after several hours of BUSH
whacl1ing the white miners withdrew to
their homes.
1t Is impossible to-day TO learn the num-
Der of negroes injured, it is all mans
life is worth to go among them. Although
quite a number were shot, none is reported
seriously hurt. The excitement here II
great, and a repetition of last nights
bloody scene is not at all unlikely.