Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-06-08


HENDRICKS SAT- UP ALL ONE NIGHT
READING THE PAPERS.
Paducah and telegraphed to the gov
ernor that the English company's
property was in danger and he de-
manded the protection of the state.
At this juncture n large number of
the remaining uorkmen who had
taken no part in the strike protested
against the action of the director and
went out with the others.
The whole town was now in Il fer
ment of excitement, and that night
Mr. Matlocls began to take measures
10 have his gold transferred,
The next day an event occurred
which IS unprecedented in the history
of strikes. In order to understand it
In its extraordinary details, it is neces-
eary to explain the topography Of st.
Mary's.
The town Is built on the first and
second of the natural terraces and COW
ers in a scattered way an area of per-
haps three square miles. To the south
west and overlooking the town is
what looks like a portion of - third
and larger terrace, but which Is the
level of long stretch of tableland
that extends south and west with
steady fall for fifteen or twenty miles.
1t is a poor and sparsely inhabited
country covered with scrub oak and
gum trees and answers in many re-
spects to the southwestern land of
Kentucky which is still called the
"Barrens" There are few roads and
these are very bad. All local travel
skirting this region follows the
Clark river on the line of the Paducah
railway II is not at all inaccessible
from st. Mary's. 1t is simply uninvit-
ing. About mile out there is an old
house standing half hidden in the gum
trees and brush near the one road. 1t
was built ten years before by man
who manufactured potash and tannin
from the oak stumps and is said to
have done quite business there in n
drudging way. About six weeks be-
fore the troubles broke out at st.
Mary's the place was hired from an old
negro into whose possession it had
fallen by a man who gave ont that he
was going to fit it up for the manufac-
ture of emery paper, great deal of
which was used at st. Mary's and ma
terial for which had been found in
crude state somewhere in the neigh
borhood. He had been receiving his
stock of machinery and implements
over the Paducah road.
On the morning to which reference
has been made, st. Mary's was in a
4
had gone out over the country and
hundreds Of strangers had poured In
across the Ohio and from Louisville
and Cairo. 1t was expected by every
body that a collision would take place
between the worltmen and the colony
which the English company had
planted on the bank Of the river. The
sheriff of the county had arrived, but
the governor had declined to interfere
at the present state of affairs.
Such was the condition Of matters
when at nine o'clock, to the astonish-
mcut of everybody, n regiment Of in
fantry, one thousand strong, in full
marching order and armed with maya
zine guns, made its appearance at the
edge of the town on the Paducah rail
roas and came down the main street
as far as the bank in fine order, pre-
ccded by drum corps Of -four pieces.
The astonishmcnt and excitement at
this sudden invasion were increased ten
fold by the banner which spread out to
the morning breeze, and which had
inscribed on IL lcgibly: First Battal-
ion American WorkinPmen. No Tyr
No (fnarsfan ff (furt~
ital.'
Where the regiment had come from,
how far IL had marched or what
were its intentions, no one knew. But
it. did not take long for the rumor to
form and fly that IL was IA working
mans regiment and would not take
the side Of the employers.
When IL had reached the little
square where the bank stood IL was
drawn up. A skirmish line was
thrown out, piclsets stationed and the
crowd forced back.
The colonel and his staff then went
into the bank. The disposition Of the
men In the street was such that access
10 the bank was impossible, and as the
doorway was on level with the street
IL was impossible for the crowd 10 see
what was going on, save that there
was constant 6uctuation In the
ranks Of the men.
The regiment stood there quite two
hours and IA half In the meantime
there was great commotion at the
company's works. The sheriff set Off
in IA carriage with Mr.. Matlock, fol-
lowed by half score of deputies to
reach the bank. but were stopped by
the picleets. The officer protested and
threatened. but In vain. When asked
IL the governor had sent them, the
soldiers replied: "You must talk TO
the colonel, but you cannot pass the
lines at present"
III the colonel desires 10 protect the
bank, he will confer with me- said
Mr. Matlock.
81 don't know what his orders are"
said the soldier. Better wait till he
calls on you at the works"
The sheriff, in high dudgeon, then
rushed to the telegraph Office. IL is an
hour before he gets an answer from
the governor at Lexington and IL Is:
Have not authorized use Of troops
Bust be mistake about regiment. What
do you mcan2"
Then followed aevcraf-pf the absurd
est Of dispatches.
mo mistake" !" says the sheriff Reg
imcnt, one thousand strong, armed
with rpnauti iny rifles -