The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-09
UNDER MARITAL LAW.
No Troops Sent to COneen. ILL.,, ana
Deputies in Command

MOUNT OLIVE, ILL.,, Aug. S.-The inter-
est in the strike situation of the coal min
ers in this district is now centered in Cof-
feen. The president of the village has is
sued proclamation and declared a. system
of martial law by which he has cut off
Coffeen from all connection with outside
communication kilograms can neither be
sent from nor received at that point and
while Mount Olive has direct connection
with Coffeen by telephone 1t is impossible
to have any one called to the phone. The
delegations from this and other points,
numbering about four hundred, are en-
camped near the village while an armed
body of marshals patrol the corporate
limits and permit no one to enter, no mat
ter what their business unless with permis-
sion from the president of the village
Several wagon loads of provisions were
taken from here yesterday to feed the en-
camped miners as they are not permitted
to enter the village to buy provisions. The
mayor Of Mount Olive went over yesterday,
accompanied by a physician, to look after
some OF the men who have become sick.
1t was dark when they approached the viii
lage lines, and they were halted by the
marshals. who presented shotguns and re-
fused to permit them to go further. The
doctor explained that it was absolutely
necessary for him to secure medicine, and
on this statement he permitted to visit
a drug store, but was accompanied by tive
marshals with their shotguns.
To-day people from the surrounding coun-
try were stopped by the marshals ON their
way to church and in several cases refused
admission 10 the corporate lines.
A dispatch from Hilsboro says: The sits
uation at Coffeen mine is changed for the
worse. Strikers have arrived there all day
from different points until 500 men are there
and 1OJ0 will be present by tomorrow
morning A number of arrests OF strikers
were made last night. The prisoners were
brought here for trial. one striker from
Mount olive was bound over TO Keep the
peace and in default Of bond was sent TO
Jail. This has tended to incite the strikers.
A number Of small fights and dimcultes
occurred to-day General Bradley is on the
ground and says that every miner in the
district has been ordered to Coneen TO pre-
vent work. Sheriff Randle in anticipation
of trouble tonight or in the morning, has
sent out to other towns for additional dePu-
ties At present nearly every man In Cot-
feen is on duty. with many from Hillsboro.
Twenty-Five armed deputies have been or
dered from NOkomls and nifty from Hills
boro to proceed at once 10 Cotfeen. and to-
night the sheriff has an armed force OF 20.
Every striker Is armed with short stick
or club. and in addition those so far ar
rested have been found to be armed with
reVolvers. Two heavy trains of coal were
run out OF COffeen this morning al a high
rate of speed so that they could not be
I StOpped. The request of Sheriff Randle to
Governor Tanner to send State troops has
been refused the ground that the shertw
has not exhausted his resources. The gen.
eral opinion is that the sheriff VIII be able
to control the strikers. AT this writing g
number OF deputies are starting for Goueesf.
Good Judgment and coolness Will avoid
trouble but every aggressive act on The
tion of affairs. precipitate a riot and blood
shed.