Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-02

Spirited Talk by Governor Tanner.
Galesburg, Ills, Sept. 2.-Battery B.
Illinois National Guard, received orders
| last night to leave for Pana- About
! sixty men with five Gatling guns un-
der command of Lieutenant Frank Hen
| ry will start a special Chicago, Bur-
lingtOn and Quincy train by. way of
Beardstown as soon as possible.
Springfield, Ills, Sept .. A state
Register special from Pana says that
| George A. Powell. president of the Pen
well Coal company. escaped the miners
by crawling through his mine through
the escapment shaft to the Springside
mine. a mile and one-half distant.
Springfield. Ills, Sept. 2--John w.
Kitchell. a prominent capitalist and
attorney of Pana, and Mayor Warren
Powell, of Pana, a son of the operator
of the Penwell mine and himself a stock
holder. and Sheriff Ira Colburn, to whom
Governor Tanner referred Mayor Pow
ellis telegram, and whom he asked to
investigate the situation. all sent mes
sages to Governor Tanner yesterday on
phoned Governor Tanner yesterday aft
ernoon. and the conversation between
himself and Governor Tanner was very
animated.
City Controlled by n Mob.
Kitchen declared that the city of
Pana was in control of a mob and that
two of the Messrs. Overholts, operators
of the Springside mine, had been cap
tured and were being held. Kitchell
stated that the mob threatened to
march to the mines protected by the
deputies with the two operators held
in the van and to capture and seize the
property. He declared the civil authori-
ties had lost control of the situation.
Governor Tanner replied saying he
would not send troops to guard mines
worked by imported labor. 1t is not the
intention of the legislature or taxpay-
ers. or the province of the National
Guard, he said. that it be used as a
means of protection to imported labor,
many of them convicts of southern
states, in peaceable enjoyment of jobs
which actually belong to our own citi- |
zens.
VIII Not Protect Convict Labor.
will you use arms to release those
men restrained of liberty by miners?' |
The governor replied: II understand |
the sheriff OF Christian county has 100 |
deputies armed with WincheSterS and |
why does not the sheriff do that duty ?" |
Kitchell replied that the deputies could
not be spared from the mine. Governor
Tanner said: Il suppose they are
guarding the imported negroes from
the south. Very well, if the operators
care more to protect the mines than |
their own lives, they could not expect |
the state to intervene. However, if |
become convinced that life or property |
in the city of Pana is in danger 1 shall |
not hesitate to use the army for its |
protection, but I want it understood |
that 1 am opposed to imported convict |
or any other labor into our state 1t /
must be stopped or the operators cannot /
depend on the army of the state. That |
army shall not be used for that purpose /
while am governor
Miners Capture the Mine Owners.
The governor received a message from /
Mayor Powell later stating that the /
miners had captured the mine owners
and asking that the governor send |
troops. Instead of replying the governor
sent telegram to Sheriff Colburln, of |
Christian county, saying: Have re-
ceived following message: Armed mob
controlling the city, have captured op-
orators. and have them in their power:
send troops. (Signed) Warren Powell,
Mayor Please report fully the con-
dition, and advise me if you are able
to maintain order and protect life and
property"
In reply the governor received the
following: send troops at once. 1 am
unable to control situation. Have cap
tured two operators and positively re-
fuse to give them up (Signed Ira