The Indianapolis journal., 1898-12-02
JOHN R. TANNER
GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS, INDICTED
BY VIRDEN RIOT GRAND JURY.
Three Counts in the True Dill, AIIeg-
ing PalpabIe Omission OF Duty
and MaIfeasance in Office.
TEN INDICTMENTS In ALL
FIETY-FOUR PERSONS NAMED IN THE
GRAND JURY's REPORT.
Manager Lukens, of the Coal Com
pany, and Others Charged with
Granddaughter and Riot.
STATE OFFICIALS SILENT
NONE WILLING TO DISCUSS THE AC-
TION OF THE JURY.
--A-
Manager Lukens, of the Coal Conn
pany, and Others Charged with
MansIaughter and Riot.
STATE OFFICIALS SILENT
NONE WILLING TO DISCUSS THE AC-
TIoN OF THE JURY.
Both the Governor and Attorney Gem
Once Indicted While in Ohlce.

CARIINVILLE, ILL.,, Dec. 1.-The virden
riot grand jury made it's formal report TO
Judge r. b. Shirley at $3.50 o'clock this even
ing. Judge Shirley came down from Spring
field, where he was holding court, and held
a short half-hour session to receive this re-
port. The grand jury dealt pertinently with
the affair, and, as far as it was able to as
certain returned true bills against the prin-
cipal participants in the tragedy of Oct 12
at Virden. Ten indictments involving fifty
four persons, were returned. Against John
r. Tanner, Governor of Illinois, there are
three counts for palpable omission of duty
and malfeasance in office. Fred w. Lukens,
general manager of the Chicago-Virden Coal
Companies, is charged with manslaughter
on two counts With Lukens, his deputies,
Frank Wilder, ]. e. Siclkles and ]. H. Smith,
are indicted for the killing of Joseph Git
terele, Mount Olive miner. Sixteen Thiel
guards are held for riot.
In the indictments against Governor Tan
ner, the complaining witnesses are John
Graham, VIII Mitchell, William Wilson,
Clarence Ross and Charles Stewart, en-
ployes of the Chicago-Vlrdan Coal Company
They testified that they were intimidated
and prevented from following their legti-
mate employment by an armed body of men
numbering 1000. who unlawfully and feloni-
ously were assembled in Virden; that the
Governor had been notified by the sheriff of
Macoupin county that no protection was to
be had from the county, and was earnestly
importuned for state assistance Judge
Shirley fixed Governor Tanners bond at
$780,
In each Of the indictments against Gov
ernor Tanner the omission of duty was
Identical: Failure and refusal to respond to
the call Of Sheriff Davenport Of this county,
for military aid in suppressing the riotous
demonstrations Of Virden coal miners--a
riot which eliminated Oct II in bloodshed.
The indictments were in brief as follows:
First-Failure and refusal to send troops
to aid the sheriff in checking the actions
of thousand more men who We're pre-
venting certain persons from entering on
their duties in the service of the Chicago
Virden Coal Mining Company.
Second-Failure and refusal to send troops
on the call of the sheriff to prevent the
same men from doing bodily violence to the
same would-be employees.
Third-Failure and refusal to send troops
to aid the sheriff in preventing the same
rioters from conspiring and combining to do
injury to the would-be employees.
The witnesses indorsed on the back of
Governor Tanners indictment are f. w.
Lukins, p. c. Davenport, sheriff; John
Bronaugh DIR. George, George Westlake,
Thomas Appleton, the engineer at the
shaft; b. e. Davenport, deputy sheriff;
Jacob +. Eyster, the company storekeeper
who was nearly killed by the strikers; DR..
Riffey and L. c. Daniels, the Chicago &
Alton agent at Virden. The statutory limi-
tation OF the fine is $4,000.
Chas. Keogh and others are indicated for
parading with arms, Thomas Davis for
carrying concealed weapons, John Jurice
for assault ard battery, John Murphy for
riot and Jonah C. Steer for keeping a tip
ping house open on Sunday.
John d. Knott is charged with making
the assault on Jacob f. Eyster, the COM
pany storekeeper, with malice aforethought
and assault to murder.
The following miners are indicted for riot
Wright Collins, o. ]. Dunnegan, James
Cooley and Frank Chumaker.
The following deputies of Manager Lukins
are indicted for riot-H. Goetzel, G. A. De-
barrow, James e. e. Spey, p. j. Hahnen,
Thomas P. McEntee, o. J. Snyder, James
W. Moonan, f. c. Schumacher, H. x. wy
man, James A. Blackman, Leslie Swafford,
j. H. Bingerman, G. J. Fox, Charles
Keogh, C. G. Sem and II. j. Tierney.
With F. w. Lukins, who is indicted for
the killing OF Ellis Smith also, in the first
indictment are enumerated for the same
charge, f. c. Quincy, Nelson Isaacson, b.
B. Burton, John w. Mckinney and ]. E.
Sickles.
A. j. Roberts, the foreman Of the grand
jury, who was also foreman of the coroner's
jury, is a Virden police magistrate. He was
strongly opposed to indicting Governor
Tanner.