The Portland daily press., 1898-10-13
GUILTY OF MURDER.
Gov. Tanner Puts Responsibility on Mine
Officers.

Gov. Tanner Puts Responsibility on Mine
Springfield, ILL.,, October 12.-In an
interview this evening regarding the
Virden riot, Governor Tanner said: Mr..
T. @. Louck president, and Mr.. Lutkin,
superintendent of the Virden Coal COM
pany, at 1890 today made good their
threats to land "a train load of imported
laborers from the South and attempted to
put them to work in their mines at the
point of the bayonet and the muzzle OF
the Winchester, such laborers being
drawn largely. if not entirely, from the
criminal GLASS, ex-convicts who learned
their trade while doing terms in the peni-
tentiary of Alabama. After having peen
fully advised and having full knowledge
that the landing of such imported laborers
would precipitate a riot, l had wired
them if thy brought these laborers they
did so at their own peril. and under the
circumstances would be morally RESPONSE
BILE and criminally liable for anything
that might happen. AS to what happened
after the stopping Of the train In front
of Coates my information Is based on tel
egraphic and telephone communications
and from those coming from the scene OF
the conflict.
From the information can gather at
this time. the very minute the train
stopped in front of the coal shaft Where
the doors of the stockade were thrown
open for the imported laborers to enter,
the firing began.
AS to who fired the first shot I am at
this time unable to determine. but all
reports agree that general battle was
participated within few moments ana
the firing became general from the
guards on the train, called deputies, estl-
mated at fifty or sixty. and was re-
sponded to by the idle miners lying back
on the other side of the track. .ai'
"The battle lasted several minutes,
after which time the train pulled out.
The reports vary as to the number OF
killed and wounded. The sheriff tele-
graphed that 100 were killed and the bat
tie was still on. However, from CONVEX
sative estimates and from all the infor-
nation can get there, I would estimate
the number of killed somewhere from
to Is and possibly quite as many
wounded The killed and wounded are
largely idle miners who were on the out
SIDE The Others were the hired guards
pany. Most if not all OF them, were nom
residents of Illinois. There is no means
of learning their names or whereabouts,
for they declined to give them out,
knowing perhaps. that they are criminal
ly liable for murder, as they had no per-
mission from any officer in Illinois au-
thorizing or deputizing them to act as
deputy marshals or deputy sheritfs.
"In stantly on learning of the trouble,
/ directed Adjutant General Reece to
order Captain Craig of the Galesburg
battery ana one - ipany of the Sons of
Veterans regin! stationed at Pana
to proceed Il, } the scene of the
trouble.
"I learned later that Captain Craig
met with serious difficulties in securing
train with coaches to bring his com
mand and directed the adjutant general
to advise him to load his troops on freight
cars and come at once to Springfield by
the B. O., and secure a train on the
Alton to carry the command to Virden,
These arrangements were made and Cap
ia in Craig arrived here at half past SIX
and at Virden by 7.S0. General Reece
is accompanied Captain Craig and have
instructed General Reece to select camp