The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-30
MANY WILD RUMORS
But No Outbreak in the Mansfield
Coal Region Yesterday.
Numerous Arrests Made by the Deputy
Sheriffs-Slavs Thwarted i'm an At
tempt to Secure Guns.

MANSFIELD, Pa, Jan. 29.-This has been
an exciting day in the Mansfield coal re-
gion. From dawn to dusk reports Of in
tended outbreaks by the striking miners in
different localities came thick and fast, and
Sheriff Richards was kept busy dispatching
deputies to protect the threatened plants
Early In the morning the miners were said
to be marching on the Armstrong works;
then they assembling for attack
on the works Of Foster & Steen. In the
afternoon a mob was reported to be gath
ering about the Ridgeway mines and late
this evening an assault was feared at the
Rend and Cherry mines, near Mcdonald.
While there were good grounds for the ru-
mors, in every instance the prompt appear
ance of the officers of the law had the de-
sired effect. The strikers would quickly dis
perse without having committed any seri-
GUS breach of the peace.
Sheriff Richards believes that the worst
is over, but while he does not fear further
trouble, he will keep his deputies in the
district for several days. The operators
and railroad men, however, who have had
long acquaintance with the miners do not
share this confidence. AS significant of this.
the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & st.
Louis Railway Company has had two Sec
ton hands watching the Cherry tipple since
Saturday. They expect that ii will be
burned, and that the falling timbers may
block the track and wreck some train.
An agent of several of the operators in
this section Eho has been circulating
among the miners during the past forty
eight hours in the role of a digger from
the MonongahAa district reports that even
If there is not extended outbreak there
will be sporadic rioting that will probably
spread over all the districts where the dis
tress is greatest so long as the condition
of the miners remains as at present. He
bases this statement on what he has learned
in actual personal intercourse with the men,
and, having been a miner himself, is likely
TO understand their position. So long as
the market is such that operators are
obliged to keep putting the screws on the
miners by cutting wages, with slack and
irregular work, even at the reduced rates,
just so long will there be outbreaks of vio-
lence because the men are so destitute
to be driven to utter desperation. He says
it is simply the outbreaking in spots of the
protests of desperate men who find them
selves driven 10 the wall in the struggle for
existence
Very serious reports of trouble were
brought from Mcdonald tonight by Mr..
McCue, owner of the Cherry mines at
Hays Station. He states that early this
morning notices were posted in the black
smith shop notifying the 125 miners who
were working at the 65-cent rate that they
would have to vacate at once or the tipple
would be burned. Frightened over the no
ttce the men prepared to obey. AS they
boss for the mining company, heard two
whistied by his head. He replied with two
shots from his revolver, but could only fire
in the direction of the flash which preceded
the previous reports, on account of the
darkness: There are in the the mine seven En-
the other miners quitting work, stating
that they We're willing to remain at work
they were overruled, and left. About s
o'clock a crowd of from $50 TO 160 men
gathered over the mines and remained there
all day. Toward nightfall they left in the
direction of Mcdonald Station, and the re-
port then was started that the Rend mines
and the Robbins companys store We're TO
Lowery telegraphed the deputy sheriffs at
Mcdonald and they reported that there
was little danger that any attempt will be
made to carry out the threat.
Fearing trouble Frank Armstrong, owner
of mine Bridgeville, ordered his men
10 quit work at noon and the mules were
driven into the fields He has decided TO
make no attempt TO start the mine for sew
eral days.
Considerable excitement was occasioned
at Bower Hill during the day by the an
nouncement that the Anarchists would raise
a red flag and declare for blood About fif-
teen foreigners did appear with their flag,
but when they saw the deputy sheriffs who
were on guard they turned at once and
fed.
Bridgeville, where twelve Slavs entered the
Foster grocery store and demanded guns
then became boisterous and threatened to
wreck the store. squad of fifty vigilance
committeeman, fully armed, pursued the
Slavs and arrested three. Twenty-Five Slays
In the Toms run district who are alleged
to be connected with the rioting at Stems
mines. were arrested this morning, and are
now In Jail charged with rioting. The mine
itself has resumed, and quiet prevails in
that district. An attempt will be made to-
morrow to start number of works. If no
opposition Is met with the trouble for the
present may be considered over
The Beadlings are we'll prepared for any
attack that may be made. A Gattling gun
has been placed at the door OF their
company store and a large cannon faces
the railroad. Besides this, they have Win
chester rifles for all the men and large
Nearly two hundred deputies are on
guard in the district. They arrested a num-
here Not one is an American citizen, and
only few can talk or understand English.
Rosevale and Hazletine mines, on Toms
run. They were found in attics, cellars,
outhouses, under beds, in closets, and sew
Fifteen Of them were found in the settle
ment known as Dutch Hill. where the
fifty men who were injured at the Bead
ling mines have been found, their friends
hhaWing hiH,Ig SO dar sueee19ed In Keeping their their
are dead Is not known. The deputies have
the names OF fifty Of the men who are
charged with riot.
Heidelberg, a hamlet one mile from
Woodville. is said to be the general head
quarters of the riotous element. Three
groups of Anarchists are located there,
and II Is known that the rioters have much
ammunition stored away. This afternoon
deputies searched the hamlet but were un-
able 70 locate ammunition or rtngieaders
1t Is believed that the latter are hiding
in the hills. IL is said that the Anarchists
held nightly meetings last week, and at
these the plot 10 advance on the miners
was hatched and agreed to.