The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-17
MINERS BENT ON MURDER.
Eight Lives Lost in Two Battles in
Alabama.

White Strikers Lie in Ambush for
Negroes Who Took Their Places to
Come Out of the Mines-Firing Be-
gan the Moment the Negroes APP
peared-The State Militia Again on
Duty and. Birmingham Greatly Ex-
cited.
Birmingham, Ala, July 16.-About 3
o'clock this afternoon large body of
men armed with Winchesters were dis
covered near Slope No of the Pratt
mines of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and
Railroad Company, seven miles from
birmingham. 1t was the hour when the
men at work at the mines came out.
The men at work were negroes who had
taken the places of the striking miners
and the attacking party We're
strikers and their sympathizers. AS the
negroes came out, the strikers, who were
squatting around behind bushes and
fences, opened fire. The people who heard
it supposed it was Gatling gun in the
hands Of the troops. Several hundred
shots were fired before the strikers scat
tered. Guards stationed around the mine
returned the fire, but they were few in
number.
TWO KILLED.
The casualties are
B. w. Tierce, q white guard, killed.
| A negro miner, name unknown, killed.
One of the strikers, a Frenehman,
name Racquet, was badly wounded and
will die
! Several on both sides were wounded.
One of the wounded strikers was
! dragged off by his friends 1t was a de-
| liberate attack by the strikers on the
miners put to work in their places and
| they shot to kill. Two local military
companies were hurried to the scene and
| are in the neighborhood tonight.
All the companies ten in number,
which have been sent here from other
cities on account Of the railroad strike
had been ordered home last night. This
afternoon the Montgomery companies
were stopped en- route and turned back,
and all the others will be here in the
morning for duty at the mining camps
THE FEELING BITTER.
The mining strike has been on since the
| middle of April, and the feeling Is being
accentuated by the railroad strike.
| Gov Jones saw the miners committee
this afternoon aud begged them to accept
the compromise lately offered, but they
declined. The proprietors are proceeding
to open all the mines with such labor as
they can get, and Gov. Jones is of the opin-
ion that troops will be needed here indef-
nitely. The attack this afternoon followed
In less than two hours after the de-
parture of the troops. The bitterness OF
the strikers is illustrated by the captured
Frenchman. He was kneeling behind a
cow pen fence firing his Winchester, when
a bullet from guard knocked him over.
He raised up and emptied his gun. He
could not speak a word Of English.
The negroes scattered in all directions
when fred upon. Only few had gotten
out of the mines when the firing began,
which accounts for the small loss of life.
SECOND BATTLE.
Washington, July 1G.-A special from
Birmingham, Ala, says "a second bat
tie was fought at Slope No 4 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 ther-selyes
near the mouth of No. 4, whence
the negroes came in box cars. The
train was guarded by deputy sheriffs who
were placed in the cars and on the en-
gine. The train had proceeded but a
short distance from the mine when the
party in ambush opened fire. Che first
shot went through the window of the en-
CINE cab, f1icked some hair from the head
of Mine Supt. J. j. Moore, and nearly
killed the engineer. The deputies re-
! turned the Volley with vigor and in a
short time the mob began its retreat to-
ward Center Point
posses of scouts were 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 escape, except those unable to walk
for their wounds
TEN BODIES FOUND.
Ten bodies were picked up, Of which
six were lifeless. Many wounded were
helped away by their comrades.
"rhe names of the negro dead are un-
known. George Campbell, one of the
negro laborers, had his leg broken and a
bullet passed through his chin. He says
the strikers came on him after he was
shot down, beat and kicked him, and
then fred the bullet through his face
The remains of the dead were all
brought to Birmingham. Great excite
ment prevails, the streets being crowded
with terror-stricken people
EVERY precaution has been taken TO
guard the mines against further depreda-
ton. The Third regiment of the state
guard has been ordered into camp here,
and, altogether, there will be 500 soldiers
in this vicinity by morning"
Another special from birmingham says
! can attempt was made to-day to blow up
the Lockhart mines, In Walker county,
where negroes had taken the places of
the strikers. Two explosions ofdynamite
were fred simultaneously in different
places in the mine and damage done.
James Kelley, a colored driver. and his
mules were Instantly killed. There Is no
clue to the guilty party"