Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-20

quest brought out no evidence OF I'm.
portsnce yesterday. After the exam
instion Of about 80 miners the hearing
IVES adjourned until to-day.
The excitement Of Wednesday, prior
to the arrival Of the negro train, was
equaled last night when II became
known that special train, consisting
Of one box car, three apparently
empty coaches and caboose, that
passed through here at 5:25 in the
evening, bore two carloads Of negroes
taken through here TO Springfield.
The train went south, and by clever
ruse succeeded in passing through
Virden quietly and without interior
ence. A big crowd Of miners was ut
the station, but the militia held
them in check. When the train
stopped at the stockade, Capt
Fervier, who was In command, then
shouted: Don't allow anyone to dis
embark from that train" The gate
was opened and file Of soldiers rushed
out on the double quick, with fixed
bsyonets and lined up alongside Of the
train. General Manager Lukens made
= formal request that their employees
be allowed to land and enter the
stockade. Capt Fervler declined to
grant this Then Manager Lukens
put it In the form Of q demand, but
the officer replied that he was under
orders from Gov. Tanner to prevent the
disem barking Of any negro miners at
the works and he would have to carry
out those instructions General Man.
ager Lukens protested in vain, and the
train pulled out, headed south.
BY this time the advance guard OF
strikers gathered at the depot and ad'
vanced up the track to within 100
yards Of the stockade. The presence
Of armed blue coats In the lookout
boxes evidently halted them, as they
remained there until the train passed,
when they greeted 1t with waving hats
and cheers for Gov. Tanner, who, they
believed, had been instrumental in
starting the blacks on their homeward
journey.
While the streets were practically
deserted last night, there is still a
feeling Of unrest among the miners
demonstrated by the periodical visits
! Of small groups to the station oil night.
! 1t Is felt that an attempt will be made
to quietly smuggle the negroes back
10 town and place them within the
stockade. 1t is stated on the best au.
thority that President 7. C. Loucks, Of
the Chicago virden Coal company, last
night wired Gov Tanner saying In
substance that their negro miners
would most certainly be placed within
the stockade. 1t cannot be learned
that the special train has reached East
st. Louis aud there is an air OF mys.
terry regarding just where 1t is, but the
generally accepted theory is that the
train has stopped at Plainville, about
s5 miles south Of here, and 1t is con-
fidently expected that before sunrise
an attempt will be made to run the
train back to the stockade.
| THE NEGROES IN SPRINGFIELD.
Springfield, ILL.,, Oct l4.-All OF the
negro miners from Alabama who came
here to work In the Chicago. Virden
Coal company's mine at Virden, with
the exception Of few who went north
on the train from Springfield, are in
Aliens hall, the headquarters Of the
local miners union, in this city.
Policemen are guarding the hall.
Mayor Wheeler yesterday afternoon
had the streets cleared of miners for
several blocks from the hall. The
negroes number l06. 1t was under
stood that the negroes would be
shipped back to Alabamaat night, bu'
it was not done.
VOLUNTEERS MAN lie CALLED ON.
| Washington, Oct l4.-Secretary AL
ger has sent the following dispatch tt
Gov. Tanner, OF Illinois: I'm the even
that the national guard Of the stat
proves insufficient to cope with thu
difficulty Of protecting life and prop
erty and maintaining order in you
state, the Fifth Illinois volunteer in
fantry, now at Springfield, will in tina
emergency be subject to your orders.
virden, ILL.,, Oct ia new quive