The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-10-15

The miners ana the tram were chNSF
oped in cloud of smoke and the shoot
ing sounded like a continuous volley.
Engineer Burt Tigar received bullet
in the arm and dropped from his seat.
His fireman seized the throttle, pulled
il open and with jerk the train was
under speed, carrying load OF wound
ed negro passengers TO Springfield.
Fought for His Life.
The supply and provision store of
the Chicago-Virden Coal company Is
known as the Climax Trading COM
pany. with superintendent j. II. Eyster
in charge. At two o'clock, after the
firing at the stockade had subsidized,
an attack without parallel in the
history OF the trouble was made on
Eyster in this store on Main street.
one block from the depot, which will
probably cost him his life. He was sit
ting in his store. when his telephone
rang aud he was instructed from the
stockade TO secure physicians and hur-
~ them 10 the place. Eyster jumped
into his delivery wagon, and, securing
two doctors, rushed them to the mines.
He returned to his store, climbed out
OF his wagon and was just entering
| the door when the cry was raised that
Manager Fred Lukins, OF the mines,
was with him. With rush throng OF
Infatuated miners pressed toward the
store.
Eyster ran behind counter with
a revolver In each hand. The miners
pressed hard after, and as Eyster
sprang upstairs he and the miners be-
gan shooting simultaneously. He ran
to the top of his building and jumped
behind a chimney, while the miners ran.
into the street and opened fire on him
again. Chips flew from the brick chin
ney. Eyster ran from cover across to
the roof of the Sprague drug store, fir
ing into the street below as he ran.
From there he crossed to the roof OF
the Bank OF Virden, where he reloaded
lis revolvers. Blood was flowing from
a wound In his side. but with logged
determination against terrible odds he
continued his fight. Jumping to the
roof OF the Rae & Gish drug store he
halted behind a projection from the
roof OF the building he had just left,
and emptied both his six-chambered re-
volvers. Then springing from cover,
Eyster dashed ahead amid the rain OF
bullets, 10 the roof of the Steed build
ing. the upper story Of which is known
as Miners hall. He either fell or
jumped through the skylight, and land
ed in the arms Of crowd OF miners,
who seized him and carried him down
stairs to the street. Other hands
seized the almost unconscious man and
he was dragged into the middle OF the
street.
BrutaIity OF the Mob.
Local policemen drove back the
crowd and carried Eyster TO the city
square across the street and laid him
In the grass. Eyster was motionless
and supposedly dead. The police left
him lying and attempted to dispers'
the crowd. In few minutes Eystei
was seen 10 raise his hand and wipe
the blood from his face. Two mer
snrang to his side and with the feroci
ty of tigers began jumping on his body
and striking him on the head will
stones. With a yell the angry GROVE
charged into the square 10 Kill Eyster
The police charged in body anc
fought their way TO the center OF The
mob. where they took a stand over the
prostrate, battered, bleeding man. 4
carrier was procured and Eyster wa
taken TO the Buckles hotel. He hat
been shot through the groin and Is ter
ribly battered up about tie head. The
physician states that he has barely :
chance for recovery.
, situation at the stockade.
The stockade surrounds about u
acres OF ground in a square and Il
made Of pine boards an inch thick, se
on edge 10 edge. about IL feet high
On each of the four sides, ahou
midway, is n small watch tower con
tanning a guard armed with a Win
chester There are three entrances
which are closely guarded by half
dozen armed sentries day and night
!. The fight occurred at the east en-
trance. There are about 35 big stronl
: men stationed inside the stockade
. each keeping watch through loop
c hole. The four towers have been de
serted. Manager Lukens remained a
his desk in the office all night issuinI
. orders 10 his men for the preserva
). ton of the property. The momen
i: the militia train appeared, comm
:: frcm Springfield, the guards pointe
= their guns through the loophole'
ready to fire on the train. Manage
Lukens was notified Of the approac
q OF the train, and, running to his ofiic
: door. he shouted "Men. for God
a sake. don't fire on that train; it's tn
!, militia train" Sullenly the men Will
- drew their weapons from the holes.
10 Diames the Governor.
4. Manager Lukens said Wednesda
k, night:
m "The blood OF every man shed here Is {
"a O the governors head. He Is absolute
- outside OF the law and has no justificatiC
VI whatever IN refusing to send troops.
lis this train had come In before the intervie
~ with the governor was printed the
would have been no bloodshed. as the m'
II knew they were disobeying the law Al
We had exhibited an entirely different spir
n than what they did after the Interview wi