The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-22
Details of the Attack Mine Shafts
and Repulse of AssaiIants Ear
ly Monday Morning.
FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED
AND AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF THE
RIOTERS BADLY WOUNDED.
Strikers Well Armed with Winches-
stroy One of the Shafts.

LEADvILLE, Col. Sept 21-This city to-
day resembled an armed camp, all the mi
litia of the State having been called here
in view of the riotous disturbances last
night Little business was transacted and
the banks were closed. The militia is in
command of Brigadier General Brooks. Ev-
erything is now quiet.
The riot last night, which resulted in the
death of five men and the injury of others,
grew out of the miners strike which began
three months ago, when. at IL o'clock at
night, the men in two three of the lead
ing mines walked out. The united scale of
wages in Leadville was IS for everybody,
but in 1893, when the price of silver dropped
below 60 cents an ounce, an agreement was
made that $3.50 should be accepted FOR
some classes of work until silver should
return to SO cents. This agreement, the
miners afterward declared, was unfair and
some refused to work. but others continued
at the reduced scale The strike has para
lyzed business caused hunger and suffer-
ing in hundreds of families and has cut
down the mineral output of the camp more
than half. Last nights riot is believed to
be the last desperate one of the radical ele-
ment of the strikers to force the stoppage
OF all mines that are not paying the in
creased scale of wages demanded by the
union. Many of the strikers have vowed all
along that they would clean OUT the
State and even government troops il
brought here, rather than see outside labor
come into the camp. The mine managers
who at first refused to recognize the union
finally offered a compromise, but this was
rejected, and all efforts by citizens and 9TH
ers to terminate the strike since then have
failed.
LAST NIGHTS RIOT
Late last night unknown men attacked
the Coronado and Emmett mines, using dy-
Mantle and Winchester rifles. The Corona
dos shaft house was destroyed by dyna-
mite and fire. Five men were killed. as
follows
BERT WEIR rioter
JAMES BENSON, rioter
MICHAEL DAuGHERTY, rioter
j. HIGGINS, miner.
JAMES MAHONEY, spectator.
Among the injured are:
WILLIAM O'KEEFE, fireman; shot in
the stomach, dying.
seriously.
MARTIN SCOTT, Coronado miner; not
seriously.
Several of the attacking party were seen
TO fall, but were carried away by their
companions. The Coronado people heard
OF the trouble last night but the SUPPOSE
ton was that the attack was to be made |
at the Emmett mine. Soon after the riot |
commenced many of the citizens responded |
quickly armed with rifles and shotguns, |
but they could do little in fighting the fire
and dynamite. Foreman O Keefe shot
from behind just after ne turned a stream
on the fire at the Coronado The first at
tack at the Coronado was made with dy-
Mantle near the oil tank. The men within !
the Enclosure returned the attack and a
fusilade of bullets followed but the dy- |
Mantle did its work we'll The shaft house, |
which IS in the, city, only half d dozen
blocks from the Dostofice and surrounded |
by residences, was built on a large en-
bankment inclosed by logs, and the ma
level heavy. plank barricade was
erected around the machinery and shaft |
house when the mine resumed operations
last month, and the house was well
stocked with provisions. Winchester rifles
and ammunition.
Beyond assaults on workingmen seen |
coming from the mine at divers times no |
overt acts of violence had been attempted |
against this mine until ] O'Clock in the /
barricade and the men on guard prepared !
first. then faster and faster. All the streets |
were deserted with the exception OF three |
or four persons attracted by the shooting. |
Suddenly after twenty-five minutes OF fir |
ing a sheet OF flame burst out, followed by |
a terrific report. This was caused by dyna- |
mite. The ShafthouSe was soon ablaze and |
the fire department was called out. When |
the hose cart reached the corner the hose !
his men were getting ready for action when |
three men appeared from around the corner
rifles to stop work Meanwhile the flames
grew fiercer and tiercer. The men in the /
shafthouse finally driven from their
fort, but fought to the last. As they ran
over the high trestle work a dozen shots
were fired, but the men reached the dump
i'll safety and escaped. By this time a |
large crowd of people had gathered ready
to assist. but were held at bay by the riot
ers and fire bugs who Were concealed
the building. But presently the sheets
of flame rolled over the buildings it was
apparent that unless there was timely
action the buildings in the vicinity We're
doomed. The firemen rallied, FOR by this
time hundreds of citizens. armed with
partment and volunteers. All attention
was devoted to saving the houses in the
vicinity, but in spite of every effort four
dwellings East Eighth street were de-
stroyed
AT THE EMMETT SHAFT
At $3.50 a. m. an attack was made on the
Emmett shaft house. There were over a
hundred shots fired, but the attack was re-
pulsed. There were many people in upper
windows and on house roofs provided with
night glasses, who, in the brilliant moon
light, the attack the Emmett and
the repulse of the rioters These watchers
say the first volley from the mine was de-
livered at close range, and that the at
lacking party fell like grain before the
sickle 1t was then that Dougherty fell
The story of the defense of the Emmett
mine is Il thrilling one. Easily accessible |
and surrounded only by light board fence
it seems wonderful that ii was not quickly
overwhelmed its men slain and buildings
demolished. But the fifteen buckshot found |
in Doughertys body and the story of the |