Iron County register., 1897-10-07
ILLINOIS MILITIA CALLED OUT.

sui Northcott stoned by Mob and Be
sieged fn the Railway StatlOn-ArchIve
Finally Transferred to Rock Island by
the Sherin.
Rock ISLAND. Ill, Oct. 1.-The records
of the Modern Woodmen of America
were landed in Rock Island yesterday
evening, thus ending the struggle
which has been progressing for five
years between that order and the citi.
zens of Fulton, who desire to keep the
head officers at all hazards The day
was marked by an outburst of turbu-
lence at Fulton, during which Lieut.
Gov. Northcott, head consul of the or
der. and Adjt--Gen. Reece narrowly es-
capped with their lives. Judge Gest,
sitting at Morris, dissolved the last of
the injunetions issued by Master in
Chancery MePheran, in defiance of the
ruling of the state courts, as well as of
Judge Showalter, of the United States
circuit court.
Mr.. Northcutt and Gen. Reece there
upon proceeded to Fulton to move the
effects in Office, serving notice on
Sheriff Fuller and Mayor Schwab that
troops would be sent for if they were
not protected. The tug-boat Henry
landed at Fulton. Mr.. Northcott then
commenced carrying the records to the
boat, assisted by five men. They had
carried only Is books when the mob
assembled and began stoning them,
Mr.. Northcott, as well as others, being
hit. He thereupon ordered the boat
to pull away from shore to avoid
further trouble, and later, under
instructions from him, they started
for Rock Island, reaching here this
evening. This was in accordance with
an agreement with Sheriff Fuller, who
pleaded that the boat be sent away,
pledging himself to load the records on
Northwestern train and deliver them
in Clinton, La. He did not wish to have
the county and himself disgraced by
the sending Of troops. Mr.. Northcott
and Gen. Reece consent ted.
The crowd during the afternoon was
tractable, and Sheriff Fuller succeeded
in holding them under control while
transferring the books to the express
car, but when the train was ready to
leave at seven o'clock the crowd. TAX
ing advantage of the darkness. assault
ed Northcott, Reece and employees OF
the Office at the depot. Gen. Reece, af-
ter being knocked down, succeeded in
scrambling on board the train, but Mr.
Northcott, with the sheriff, was locked
in the depot surrounded by bowling
mob, who were by this time as eager
to kill Fuller as Northcott.
At Clinton Reece was apprised OF
NorthcOtts danger, and kilograms
were sent to Gov. Tanner, who ordered
six companies of militia to proceed to
Fulton. The Dixon company arrived
after 9 o'clock, and another company
arrived soon thereafter.
When the first company arrived the
crowd was driven from the depot, and
the imprisoned lieutenant-governor re-
leased. Late reports indicate that he
was not seriously hurt, and that the
danger of further rioting was past.
The express car containing records
was transferred to the Chicago, Bur-
lington & Quincy at Clinton, arriving
here at 9 o'clock. The entire popula-
tion turned out to welcome the officers
of the order who were able to get here.
The removal of the archives and
headquarters Of the order to Rock Is
land was authorized in 1890 by the
head camp, but court injunctions by
judges in Whiteside county, on three
occasions, prevented the removal. The
last injunction, issued by chancellor,
was set aside yesterday by Judge Gest.
Requests for Militia and Ready Compli-
ance by the Governor.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Oct. 1.-Gov. Tan
ner last night received the following
telegram from Lieut-Gov. Northcott,
who was at Fulton attempting to re.
move the headquarters of the Modern
Woodmen from Fulton to Rock Island:
FULTON, Ill, Sept. 3d. 1897.
Hon. John r. Tanner. Springfield:
There is a bowling mob, and my life is in dan.
ger. Reece has left town. Send troops al once.
The sheriff and are penned in the depot.
w. A. NoRTHCoTT.
AS soon as this message was received
Gov. Tanner hunted up Col. Theodore
Evert, of the adjutaut-generaPs Office,
and directed him to issue orders to five
militia companies to report immedi-
ately at Fulton by the quickest route,
for the protection of life and property,
and to enforce the order of the court.
By this time Gov. Tanner received
the following additional messages:
FULTON Ill, Sept. so
Cor. John r. Tanner:
I have exhausted the civil authorities Send
the militiat once. We are penned in at the
depot. c. c. FULLER,
Sheriff Whiteside unity.
FULTON, ILL.,, Sept. so
Cor. John r. Tanner, Springfield, H.:
Gen. Reece is in Clinton, Ia He was attacked
on the train on his way over.
w. A. NoRTHCoTT.
FULTON, ILL.,, Sept. So
Hon. John r. Tam er, GOrer-nOr, Springfield:
Please wire militia to come here at once.
City authorities are powerless.
W. A. NoRTHCoTT.
FULTON, Ill, Sept. 80.
RO n. John r.. Tanner, Gorernor, Springfield:
Mr.. Northcott is imprisoned in depot at Full
ton by a mob He has wired Reece, whom he
at once. Reece is at Revere house. Clinton. ]
think the situation very dangerous Mob at
tackled Reece. WM. JACKSON.
As soon as he had read these mes
sages Gov. Tanner sent the following
telegram to Sheriff Fuller:
SPRINGFIELD Ill, Sept 80
C. c. Fuuer Sheriff, Fulton, III.
Have ordered five companies, including Nor
rison company, to report at Fulton by the
quickest route, with orders to protect life and
property and enforce the order OF the court
JOHN R TANNER, Governor.
When the orders had been issued
Gov. Tanner said:
1T is time for this farce at Fulton to
stop, and 1 intend to stop it, and to
have the orders OF the courts enforced
and the headquarters of the Woodmen
removed if it takes the entire militia
force of the state to do it"
As soon as the news that the trOOps