The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-07
One Dead and Others Found Suffering
with Gunshot Wounds After the
Rioters Had Departed.
BAD WORK NEAR M'KEESPORT
Coal Tipples and Other Property
Destroyed by a Mob.
Tube Works at Duquesne Visited by Six
Thousand Rioters and the
Plant Damaged.

PEKIN, ILL.,, June 6.-There was bloody
battle at Littles coal mine, five miles down
the Illinois river from Pekin, to-day. Word
was received at Pekin this morning that
five hundred miners from the west of the
river were about 10 attack the mine. Sheriff
Frederick swore in posse and set out for
the scene. The strikers assembled at Ben
tonville end crossed the Illinois in ferry
boats. There were about four hundred men
and some women. The posse remon-
strated with the mob in vain. The
leader of the strikers with a revolver in
each hand cried OUT Follow me-" and
the crowd charged on the mine. The two
Littles and their two sons and a colored
man retreated TO the tower above the
shaft and opened fire on the attacking
party. some OF whom were seen to fan.
The Little mine is one OF the few ma
chine mines in this district and has kept
working through all the trouble. the Little
brothers themselves doing most OF the
work and keeping their machines going.
Rumo-s have been afioat for several days
that the strikers were intending a visit.
and when definite information was received
to-day that they intended coming Edward
Little called on the sheriff for protection.
Twenty-Five deputies came. but as no
strikers had put in an appearance at
p. m, they returned to Pelxin They had
not been away from the mine half an hour
when the mob started over the river and
the fight soon began. The men who were
in the coal chute say that at least two hum
dred of the strikers were armed. So inces-
SAINT was the storm Of leaden missiles that
in a few minutes every board In the chute
was splintered. In the meantime lot or
xxyffh hro of had sad,
rated the woodwork of the buildings and
a half dozen coal cars standing near. and
applied a match. When the flames began to
rise the besieged men were forced to de-
sert their place Of shelter and make dart
for life.
William Dickson. a colored man. was shot
through the shoulder and probably fatally
injured: Peter Little had an eye shot away
and the engineer was probably fatally
wounded. Peter Little. jr.. received seri-
Gus wound in the breast. A hundred yards
from the mine was found the lifeless body
OF Edward Blower a man who accom-
panied the strikers to assist them. though
he not a miner. A negro miner en-
ployed by the Lttles, name unknown, had .
hand shot off.
After the defenders OF the mine had been
driven off the mob stood about and
watched the destruction of the building.
The fire spread to the powder house. To-
Gated a short distance from the other
buildings, and IL exploded with a frightful
roar After this the mob returned TO its
boats, crossed the river and scattered
among the ravines and hills. The loss on
the property amounts to over $4,000. which
the Littles say they will make the county
pay.
There was trouble at the Consolidated
coal mine near Peoria to-day also, and a
nonunion man was probably fatally beaten
by strikers.
Two hundred strikers are tonight camped
along the Illinois river, and the miners
who have been working fear an attack on
their residences. Many OF them have
sought protection in Peoria and declare
they will not return until after the trouble
has been adjusted. The early reports that
a number Of men were in the Little shaft
when the buildings were destroyed proved
to have been unfouHded