The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-13
RIOT AND BLoODSHED Striking Miners at Virden, Ill.,, Attack Special Train
 Bearing Imported
 Negroes. MANY KILLED AND WOUNDED
MINERS WATCHED TTGILANTLY
 FOR THE TRAIN.


 FOR THE TRAIN.
 RiddIed It With Bullets as Soon as 1t Pulled Into the Station-A Supertn- tendent Chased, Shot and Beaten Al most to Death-StrOng Military Force Ordered Out-Governor Tanner Says Guilty of Murder-They Say the Cow ernor Is to Blame.
 Virden, H., Oct. 12.-The little town ot Virden is comparatively quiet to- .nght after day of riot and bloodslled the long expected clash between the l,ion miners and imported negroes. Al 12:40 o'clock this afternoon Chi cago and Alton special train bearing 200 negro miners from the south arrived at the stockade around the Chicago virdin Coal company's mines and im- mediately terrific firing began. The list at 10 o'clock tonight stands seven dead and eighteen wounded. The dead: Ed. Walsh, Springfield.
 Frank Bilyeu, Springfield.
 Albert Smith, Mt. Olive.
 Joe Kittrely, Mt. Olive.
 Ernest Keutner, Mt. Olive.
 A. H. Breneman, Girard.
 D. H. Riley, Chicago and Alton detective. The wounded: Ans Ankle, Mt Olive; Gus tav Wevsiep, Mt. Olive; Ed. Upton, Spring field; Thomas Jennings, Springfield; Joe Joe Hayes, Girard, shot in leg; Joe Runk, Sir ard, shot in arm; George Bunk, Girard, shot in stomach; William Herman. Girard, shot in hand; Joe Baston,. Mt. Olive shot in stomach; Joe Sprim, Mt. Olive shot in arm; Bart Tigar, engineer Chicago and AIon, shot in arm; J. F. Ayster, superintendent Climax Trading company, shot and beaten.
 Miners Watched for Negroes.
 For the past two weeks rumors have reached Virden daily that train having negroes from Alabama would reach the city and the Chicago and AL ton depot has been surrounded day and night by vigilant miners determin- edly awaiting their arrival. To-day the Chicago and Alton limited due to pass here at 10 o'clock shot through to Chi cago an hour late displaying flags on the rear, indicating that a special was following. Immediately the word was spread and a dense crowd of miners lined the station, while another crowd collected at the entrance of the stock ade half mile north of the station. D. B. Kelly, Chicago and Alton de- tective, stood guard at switch at the south end of the station platform to see that it was not tempered with.
 Opening of the Battle.
 At 12:4O the special train passed the station and signal shots were fired from the south end of the train announcing the specials arrival. Immediately shots were fired from the moving train and the battle was one. A few moments after the train had passed the switch where Kelly was stationed and while he was talking with two citizens he threw up his arms and dropped dead with bullet through his brain. He was the first man killed. The train continued to the stockade, the miners firing into it all along the route, and the negro passengers returning the fire The moment the train reached the stockade the miners opened a desper- ate fire with Winchesters, revolvers and firearms of all kinds. The negroes
 
 fire The miners were enveloDed in 8 cloud of smoke and the shooting sound ed like a continuous volley. Engineer Burt Tigar received 8 bullet in the arm and dropped from his seat. His fireman seized the throttle, pulled it open with a jerk and the train was under speed carrying a load of wound ed negro passengers to Springfield. How many were wounded is not known.
 Sharpshooters i'm Tower.
 The train stopped at the stockade but two minutes. Its departure did not cause the firing to cease. The tower of the stockade was filled with sharp shooters armed with Winchesters and they kept up a steady fire into the crowd of union miners. Eye witnesses say the dead miners were killed after the train had departed. It is not known how many men were stationed behind the walls of the stockade. It is claimed that six within the stockade were wounded but those inside refuse to hold any communication with the outside and nothing authentic can be learned Work, however, was sent from the stockade to physicians in town that their services were needed.
 Superintendent MurderOus1y Attacked. The supply and provision store of the Chicago Virden Coal company is known as the Climax Trading company with Superintendent J. F. Eyster in charge. At o'clock an attack without paral- Tel in the history of the trouble was made. on Eyster in his store on Main street. one block from the depot, which will probably cost him his life. He was sitting in his store when his telephone rang and he was instructed from the stockade to secure physicians and hur- ry them to 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. A throng of infuriated min orc rushed toward the store. EySter