Democratic messenger., 1894-06-09
CALLED OUT !!
Trouble With the Frost burg
Coal Miners.
SMITH GUARDS UNDER ARMS.
Captain Capper Had His Men
Ready tO March to the Scene
of War.

Late Tuesday night telegram was
received here from Col. Wilmer, com
manding the First Regiment NJ. \. q.
1t was call to arms for the Smith
Guards, telling Captain Capper TO
hold his men in readiness to march AT
a moments notice. Lieutenant Sidney
Truitt drove down to the home Of
Captain Capper and delivered the
message to him. He FASTENED TO
Snow Hill and at the hour of mid
night began to send ont couriers to
notify his men to assemble ut once at
the Armory. Before daybreak 50
of his 40 men were equipped and in
readiness to march. The boys were not
bit scared and made their preparations
as coolly us veterans would have done.
OF course many of them never dream
ed when they enlisted that they would
ever "smell powder in actual warfare,
but they exhibited the courage We'd
nesday morning that their Captain ex-
pected of them, and not Il man showed
the "white feather" although mothers
and wives were heavy hearted and as
they bade their loved ones good-bye
the tears streamed down their cheeks
and fell upon the blue uniform Of the
soldier, whom they were afraid would
he brought home to them MANNED or
dead. But this was not to he, and all
is well that ends well.
When the belated citizen started
down town and saw flags and bunting
streaming from the armory windows,
he thought the Guards were having
frolic, but he soon learned the cause
and felt proud Of the soldierly mein OF
the men as they patrolled in front OF
the armory, neither looking to the right
or left, but going back and forth with
the regulation tramp, tramp. Then
the drum rolled and the guard was
charged. Men who had witnessed the
scenes of 81 were reminded of those
stirring times, and once more felt the
thrill of war excitement. Captain
Capper teiegraphed early in the morn
ing for further orders and kept his
men ON duty until he received an or
der about noon, from Col. Wilmer to
discharge his men until further orders.
Our people will no longer make
light of Company IL" for they now
realize that our boys are the "stufi.
THE TROUBLE AND IFS CAUSE.
For several months there has been
trouble among the miners Of the Cum
berland coal region. And as had been
feared for week or more, on Tues
day ''Sheriff King, of Allegany county,
deemed it necessary to appeal to Gov
ernor Brown for the aid of the militia
in maintaining the law.
In response. the Governor promptly
ordered out the Fourth and Fifth regi-
ments. and both of those organizations
left Baltimore at & o'clock Tuesday
afternoon for the scene of disorder
The troops arrived in Cumberland
shortly after midnight under command
OF Adjutant- General Douglas, and
their presence served TO re-establish
and maintain the public peace.
The crisis in Western Maryland
was precipitated at an early hour Tues
day morning by the marching of about
500 strikers on the Hoffman mines,
near Frostburg, in the Georges Creek
neighborhood. Here the men at work
were driven out of the mines, no re-
sistance being offered. Other mines
were then besieged, but the men ut
work refused to quit, preparations were
begun for an assault. and it was at this
iuncture that Sheriff King found the
movement too formidable for him to
cope with. and thereupon he appealed
to Governor Brown for assistance.
The promptness Of Governor Brown
in responding to the call for help is to
be commended, and too much cannot
be said OF behalf of the gallant MEM
hers OF the Maryland National
Guard for the patriotic alacrity with
which they obeyed the summons to
duty.