The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-08-07
RULE OF THE RIFLE.
Remarkable State of Affairs
at Spring Valley.
Foreigners on One Side and Ne
groes on the Other Under Arms,
While the Law Officers Are
Consplcuously Absent.

LaDD, Ill..Aug 5.-fhe foreigners
at Spring Valley under the leader
ship of the Italians, and the negroes
who have concentrated their forces
at Seatonv;lIe. are practically under
mob law and deadly conflict is soon
anticipated. The non-English speak
ing miners at Spring Valley, to the
number Of 1000, held mass meet
ing at the lumber yard, near the
Rock Island depotat 10 O'Clock this
morning aud passed resolution that
no negroes, men, women or inva.
lids, would be allowed to remain
inside the city limits after 5 O'Clock
tomorrow evening. Speeches of the
most inaammatory nature were made
advocating the immediate opening up
of hostiiities
The negroes at Eatonville. on the
other hand, held a meeting at Union
Church at Il O'Clock this morning
aud organized themselves for active
service. Bureau county has 300
Winchester rifles stored. in her court
house at Princeton for the protec
tion Of her citizens, and an effort
will be made to secure them
Should this fail, the men will arm
themselves with shotguns or rifles
and snail arms aud make an effort
to regain their homes and household
goods at Spring Valley. They also
adopted resolution that they will
continue to work in the Spring Valley
mines until discharged by the coal
company.
AS the police and sheriff are
making no effort to arrest the rioters,
the spirit of lawlessness is on the
increase.
In addition to the negroes re-
ported injured form yesterdays con-
Aict, four others are missing: Wash
ington Anderson, aged forty-seven
years Arch Fleming, aged thirty
Eve years Sam johnson, aged thirty
years; Lewis Martin, aged thirty
FIVE years.
Of these. it is the opinion that
two. at least are lying dead in the
woods surrounding the late negro
colony, as the seeing of two pros
trate forms have been reported BY
farmers.
The immense whistles at the va
rious coal shafts were blown last
night and this morning, giving the
signal that work would be done in
the mines to-day aud large Numbers
Of miners turned out with their din
ner pals, but were confronted on the
highways leading to the shafts by
Italians armed with rifles and va
rious small arms used i'll the riots
yesterday. At the secret meeting OF
the Italians held last night the plan
OF stopping the men from working
was arranged. Over 1000 miners
were assembled at the lumber yard
today at 10 O'Clock aud the situation
was freely discussed, nearly all of
the speeches being in foreign
tongue. The coal company was
roundly denounced and much infam-
matory language used. One speaker
said if the murdered Italian was
relative of his, he would not stop
with the negroes but would settle it
at once aud effectively with Manager
Dalzell of the coal company, whom
he said deserved all the blame
as he had brought the negroes
here. After an hour of discus
aion, y resolution was adopted,
giving the remnant of the negroes
until 5 o'clock tomorrow evening
in which to leave the city and carry
of their effects Any effects left
after that time would be declared
confscated and destroyed. A com
mittee was appointed to organize
the Italians and see that the iustruc
tlons were carried out. Another
committee of FIVE Was appointed to
wait upon Manager Dalzell to de-
,nand that he discharge all negroes
and agree to employ no new ones
for the present. The committee i'm
mediately called at Dalzell's Office
and stated their grievances Mr..
Dalzell in reply said that he had moth
ing TO say or the subject and that it
was matter he would not discuss.
The committee retired with ne assur
ance During the remainder of the
day the streets were crowded with
men discussing the situation. Anoth-
er meeting Of the miners is called for
a late hour tonight at which time it
ia the general impression the strike
will be ordered to continue until
such time as the demands are grant
ed.
The situation is indeed serious aud
much is feared from those who have