Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-25

VIII do.
STURGIs, KY, Sept. 25.-Whiie there
has as yet been no formal outbreak over
the proposed attempt to collect the rail-
road tax, serious trouble is looked for,
when Collector Thomas B. Blackwell will
| begin his job. Another shipment of guns
was received here and the organization
of the citizens may be said to be perfect
A reporter visited the grounds north of
town, which, it is claimed, Blackwell's
agent rented under false pretenses. 1t is
| an ideal place for a rendezvous. being a
| thick woodland northeast from the Nor
| garfield road. There is a small house and
| log stable on the premises surrounded
| by a picket fence. The Ohio Valley
| railroad may refuse to bring his outfit
| here on the ground that they fear damage
| to their property if they should attempt
to unload the goods. The collectors armed
men will ride through from Uniontown
overland.
Say They Are Not Repu diators.
The citizens authorized the correspond
ent to give the following statement as
voicing the sentiments of the local organ
| ization:
1T is due this people to have it unmis-
1 X
the last twenty-five years have we repudi-
! ated an obligation. We say We do not
| owe one farthing of this, yet we offer a
| supposed innocent purchaser all the money
| he had invested in the bonds fraudulently
| obtained from us with per cent. interest.
! This offer has been made three different
| times, the last about ten weeks ago. We
have funding board specially appointed
| to effect settlement, and whate yer
action this committee may take the people
will indorse. Ten weeks ago this commit
tee offered 30 cents on the dollar of all
this principal and interest compounded,
and while the comm ittee was waiting
| reply to their proposition the very parties
to whom it was submitted sent us word
that they were coming with 100 armed
men with Winchester rifles to force from
us the whole amount, making no reply to
our overtures."
| Arms and Bullet Proof Coats.
Blackwell refused to divulge his plan,
| but the correspondent learned from inside
sources that 100 Winchesters and a num-
ber Of tents have been ordered from
Boston, together with patent bullet proof
coats. The provisions and supplies Will
be shipped over the Ohio Valley under
guard to Sturgis The people here say the
train will not be allowed to unload any
Uniontown is at II standstiil. Blackwell
is now drilling at Uniontown a
body of men whom be has gathered
in Indiana and elsewhere, very
few in the county agreeing to assist him.
i A brief history of the matter is that
about twenty or thirty years ago several
railroad promoters. aided by Mr.. Cor
don. lawyer Of Madisonville, got into
their possession bonds voted ey the two
precincts for railroad that was at the
time not begun and which has never been
completed, roadbed of about eight
miles being all that the people have to
show for n debt that now amounts to
nearly $3.50, 600.
| Preston brings Suit.
Preston, relative of the schemers,
claimed to have bought the bonds as an
innocent purchaser, and brought suit. 1t
has been fought In the courts for years,
but lately the county court ordered the
collection in order to keep the matter out
of the federal courts. On account of the
tax the county has been without a sheriff
for years. as it was his duty to collect the
tax. The Felands, who are attorneys for
the bondholders, had Blackwell ap-
pointed collector, and ne is getting some-
thing like $2o, 900 for the job. The people
offered Preston what he paid for the
bonds, with interest and a bonus, in
order to get rid of the burden, but he
declined, aud wan is dollar for dollar