The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-05


fields and thickets. The distractions were
removed and the freight train proceeded,
while the soldiers returned to the coaches.
General Mckee deemed it advisable to pull
his train back a few miles before follow
ing the freight In this manner he sur
prised the dynamiters. After both trains
disappeared men came down to the track
again, and when General McKee's train
approached a second time twelve or
more men were working at a trestle work
near the graveyard. They spraug away
and plunged through a wheat field to the
west The soldiers tumbled off the train
and dashed after the men, who had four
hundred yards the start. For = mile the
chase was hot. two hundred men following
like hounds after hares. scrambling through
barb-wire fences and buffeting the growing
wheat. Soldiers from Jeffersoneille and
yincennes displayed the oest training on
the double quick. Major Stunkar1. of Terre
Haute was soon in the van. One Of the
dynamiters had taken to tree for secur-
ity but when he saw Stunkard coming he
jumped to the ground. fired two shots at
the Major and fled. When he turned again
to shoot the Major opened lire and emptied
his revolver. The fugitive stumbled, per-
haps being shot, but recovered sufficiently
to escape. Other shots were fired, but none
was effective.
While the chase was on. Sergeant Charles
Kissick. of Company A, Vincennes. ran to
the rear Of the train to see if any miners
were in the graveyard. At the trestle works
his hat fell off. AS he stopped to pick it
up he saw alongside the track four OBJ
jects similar to large roman candles, with
long, greasy fuses. The fuses had it ap-
carried his find to the car of General Nc
Kee. An examination showed that the
stuff was dynamite in pound packages,
and, to lessen the danger Of concussion, the
packages were carried the remainder of the
day in the lap of Captain Baird, of Jeffer-
sonville. Captain Baird occupies a cot by
dental discharge of pistol.
The soldiers captured NJ. NJ. Singer,
Sheburn miner, found near the graveyard.
He is supposed to know something about
the attempted wrecking. When asked what
he had been doing in the locality he re-
piled that he had been there all afternoon
studying, but told General Mckee, when
questioned concerning the nature of his
study. that it was none of the soldiers
business. The sheriff took the man in
charge. and the militia set out again to
the north.
CAPTURED A TRAIN.
At Farmersburg the militia came up to
the freight train and found that the miners
had captured it and split up. Twenty or
more miners. most of them armed with
rifles. were lined up near the track. and
engineer Charles Hyde thought 1t best to
slow up A few shots fired over the cab
further impressed him. The miners COM
PEELED him to switch off the coal cars and
run them down a branch road which joins
the main line at Alum Cave. The coal cars
were gone when the soldiers arrived, and
so were the miners and their guns The
engine of the militia train was dispatched
to Terre Haute for fuel while General
McKee's command, at o'clock, prepared
to spend the night at Farmersburg. Alum
Cave is ten miles down the branch. and
in a somewhat wild country, which would
make dangerous scouting grounds for the
soldiers at night.
1t was reported late tonight that the
miners had burned the trestle between
Farmersburg and Alum Cave. but this
could not be confirmed. General Mckee,
although reticent does not feel that it
would be safe to withdraw troops from this
territory. The Curryville trestle has been
injured by miners, but not sufficiently to
1t this afternoon. The Indianapolis inen on
the militia train were General Mckee, AS
sistant Acknowledgment f. w. Frank,
Capt II. c. Castor. Capt. G. I. arcIntire,
Surgeon Stone. Lieut.. d. J. Mccormack,
bugler Otto Pfafflin. Capt Harry Eagle and
Quartermaster Sergeant Charles Gammer-
ding. G. L. p.