The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-06-07
SOLDIERS ON GUARD.
The Mines in Possession of Maryland
Militiamen.

was reached TUESDAY morning when
Sheriff King photographed the Coy
ernor for help, who promptly or
dered the Fourth and Fifth Regi-
ments to Frostburg. He also or
dered the balance of the Maryland
National Guard to hold themselves
IN readiness to move at moments
notice.
Monday afternoon the strikers
had been parading through Eek
hart, and at night they occupied
Ravenscraft's Opera House as head
quarters. There were many strange
faces among them and there is no
doubt that men from Pennsylvania
and West Virginia were Oh the
ground as reinforcements. Quiet
reigned all night at Frostburg, while
the rain patted and the raw winds
blew across the crest of the noun
talns.
At four a. M, the rain ceasesfa and
the strikers filed out toward Eek
hart. In Il short time every alley,
street, lane and path of that village
was filed with striking miners, and
it was but the simple truth to say
the town was terrorized. There
was no road to the mouth of the
mine unguarded and the men who
wanted to work were met at every
point, and compelled to halt, listen
and be "persuaded' to turn back.
In some cases violence was offered.
An old man and his son were
jostled along the gauntlet of strik-
ers until he was finally knocked
down. His son shared like fate,
while three or four deputies were
standing in plain view of the out
rage and made no attempt to arrest
the perpetrators.
A man who lives in Frostburg
named Murphy and who works at
Eckhart ran the entire gauntlet of
strikers from his home down the
Eckhart pike to the mine. He was
insulted at every step and headed
off here and there but he persevered
and finally reached the mine in
safety. His nerve gave away when
the danger had passed and he fall
tered, stopped and sat down to re-
cover his equanimlty. 1t was of no
use. He was unable to work and
returned home.
Another man who was assailed at
the railroad cut leading to Hoffman
and here another arrest was made.
In an instant mass of strikers sur
rounded the deputies and for a few
minutes it looked as if a collision
was inevitable.
The crowd surged around in
overwhelming numbers demanding
the mans release, and declaring
they chad come there for business,
and were ready for anything" The
man arrested declared he had not
offered any violence, and did not
intend to break the law. He was
released, which prudent course
probably prevented bloodshed.
Sheriff King then saw that it was
useless to try to cope with the i'm
mense mass of angry and excited
men. But he meyer lost his head,
and after telling the men that if
they were determined to defy this
authority and continue to violate
the law he would be compelled to
turn them over to the governor,
and that when he next returned it
would be with bayonets and not
deputies behind him. He then held
a consultation with States Attor-
ney Sloan who had been summoned
to the scene, and at six O'Clock, a.
M. called upon the governor for
troops to mai ntaln the peace and
uphold the law in the coal region
A few brave men of Eckhart for
ced their way through the lines and
went to work, but large majority
were forced to remain at home, or
were turned back while on their
way.
At Hoffman only few men were
at work. At Allegany nearly the
entire force was in the mine. The
output of coal shows great falling
off, however, it amounting TO only
800 tons for the day.
The news of the call for troops
was early noised about the city. and
at three O'Clock special was bulle-
tined to the effect that Governor
Brown had ordered Adjutant GEN
eral Douglas to send the 4th aud
9Th Regiments Maryland National
Guards to the county, and directed
him to assume command of them.
A later dispatch stated that the
troops would leave Baltimore at
2.10 p. m. This proved to be
erroneous, as the trains did not
leave until $50, 7 and 7.30 O'Clock
p. m.
The troops arrived in Frostburg
and marched to the different mines
to protect the men that wanted to