The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-11
BLOODY AFFAIR AT LEM0NT
One Striker Killed, Two Fatally
Hurt and a Number Wounded.
Miners Burning Bridges in Ohi0-Train
Fired Into Near StreatOr, ILL.,
COlOrad0's SITUATION.

battle this morning at Lemont. There were
six deputies on one side and a mob of
strikers on the other. Unbiased testimony
is to the effect that the mob not only pro-
voked, but compelled the deputies to fire
on them after the strikers had compelled
them to retreat and had fired several shots
at them.
The circumstances that led up to this
latest of the many tragedies of the coke
region were developing since yesterday aft
ernoon. Four American workmen-John
Delaney, Oliver Atleby, John Britt and
James Furlough-who live at Leisenring,
have been working at the Frick Coke Com
panys valley works for some time. They
came to New Haven yesterday afternoon,
where they were to take the Leisenring cleo
trio road for home, where they had not
been for a month. AS soon they alight-
ed from the train at New Haven they
were surrounded by a mob OF several hun
dred strikers from Trotter ana other works
in the vicinity. The strikers first beat the
four workmen, and then put tags on them
bearing the inscription "Blacklegs," also
covering them with chalk marks. They
then marched their prisoners to the Leisen-
ring works, and from there to Trotter,
Morrell, and, in fact, to all the works on
w
them up as decorated samples of "scabs''
for the revilings and abuse of strikers ev>
erywhere The four prisoners were sub
jected to all manner of insults and indig-
mites to such an extent that many of the
more rational strikers protested that it was
cruel and cowardly for so many men to
assail four helpless fellows in that way.
ABUSED NONUNION MEN.
The Frick Coke Company heard of the
perilous position their workmen were in, and
called on Sheriff Wilhelm to release the
men from the custody of the mob Field
Deputy Matt Allen and six men were sent
TO New Haven on the evening train They
were misled by false information, the
friends OF the strikers battling them at ev-
cry turn, but they followed every clew
they could find, and were securing the
country all night in search of the mob.
They were tricl1ed by the fact that the
whole matter was a conspiracy, in which
different nobs were concerned, and when
one crowd had tired of the prisoners or
were pressed closely by the pursuit the
four prisoners were handed over to another
crowd and the former gathering would dis
perse to their homes. The prisoners were
especially ill-treated when their captors
marched them TO the strikers homes,
where the women and children slapped and
spat upon them and called them vile
names. The women at every plant they
passed were the most violent in the abuse
of the ''scabs,' and the little children
screamed "Blacklegs'' at them and struck
them.
1t was daylight when the squad of depu-
ties reached Lemont. They had been Joined
by superintendent Slater, of the Leisinrng
plant, who had helped in the all-night hunt.
Not long after daylight the men began to
assemble on the commons by the hundred,
and engaged in the widest demonstration.
When Deputies Michaels and Hastings
came from under cover they were quickly
discovered Then the mob raised a howl
and surrounded them. Many of the strikers
had revolvers. and all carried clubs. They
moved against the deputies, who retreated
under a shower of clubs and stones. At
this juncture Deputy Allen and three other
deputies came up. Allen was mounted. Rid
ing up to the advancing crowd of miners,
he told them TO go back, saying he did not
want any trouble and that there would be
trouble If he or his men were attacked or
injured.
The answer to Allen a general yell,
and one of the strikers covered him with
shave for the top of Aliens head. Allen
turned in his saddle and called to his five
men to fire. Each OF the men afoot had
a Winchester; Allen had revolvers.
They opened fire together and the strikers
stood to il and fought gamely. The first
shots were fired by them and they fred
as coolly end as RAPIDLY as lid the Jepu-
ties. They kept closing in on the men who
were working the Winchesters realizing
that the rifles would be useless in the
melee at close quarters. while their own
hn fsruf aff1
those of the officers. The deputies gave
ground, but kept up their fire. They were
driven to the extreme end Of the COM
pany's ground, where they made a stand
BY that time three of the strikers were
down. and when the deputies stopped ard
prepared to fight it out there the mob re-
coiled-
NUMBER WOUNDED UNKNOWN.
The instant the strikers stopped firing
the officers stopped also glad enough tC
| have things go that way. The strikers be-
| gan at once TO carry away the wounded
| The dead man and two who were fatally
| wounded were left in the road where they
| fell, but there were others who were able
| to get away with little assistance. There
| were so many shots fired at close range
! the firing being continued for a quarter oi
| an hour, that a number of the striker:
must have been hit. The number of wound
| ed may not be known fer several days, as
4 tney VIII De cOncedlel Wnese cOncealmen
! is possible. Allen estimates that fifty oI
| sixty shots were fired by both sides. 1t wa:
| not strictly battle of bullets. as those Of
/ the strikers who were not armed were busy
| throwing stones The only injuries inflicted
TO the deputies were by such missiles.
Sheriff Richardson sent Deputies Richards
| and Allebach to the scene, and ten deputies
| arrived from the valley about the same
| time. The force was soon increased tC
| twenty men, each with Winchester. The
| last of the strikers lingering at safe dis
tance then dispersed, leaving the authori.
/ ties in possession. No move was made tC
/ care for the wounded. Late tonight the
| two Slavs most seriously wounded were
taken TO the Cottage Hospital at Connells
Vile for treatment. They are fatally
wounded, being shot through the hips
| DIT. Smith, who attended them. says they
| can live but a. short time At dark the
man who was killed was still lying where
i he fell, and a canvas had been stretched
| over him Coroner Baton said he woulC
view the bodies tomorrow.
The sheriff and his attorney will ask fol
| a full investigation. The names of tn.
| dead and wounded cannot oe learned a.
| vet. Nobody but the strikers know them
| Their names are on the records OF tn.
| Mcclure company, but they were mo-
l available aS the cOmUauV refused fo Qivs