The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-10-01
RIOT AT PANA, ILL.
Striking Miners and Imported Ne
groes Clash-Many shots Fired
Several Are wounded.

Pana, H., Sept. 20.--The long-ex-
pected clash between the miners aid
their sympathlzers on one side and the
imported negro miners and deputy
sheriffs on the other occurred Wednes-
day night at $3.50 o'clock, when riot
occurred, during which fully 200 shots
were exchanged. But how many per-
sons were wounded or killed cannot be
learned at this hour, and will prob
ably never be known. 1t is known.
however, that Chief Deputy Sheriff
William Baldwin came near losing his
life and Special Deputy ii. +. Bishop
had his leg almost dismembered by
bullets.
AS usual, the blacks from the stock
AIDES at the Springside and Penwell
mines were making demonstrations
on Second and Locust streets. princi-
pal business streets of the city. by pa
rading, heavily armed. The union
miners were in session at their hall,
being addressed by Chicago labor
leader. One Of the negroes appeared
at the foot of the miners hall and en-
gagged in a quarrel with a union white
miner. Officer Samuel Smith immedi-
ately arrested the black and was es-
corting him to Jail when he was closed
in on by posse of blacks, who, point
ing their revolvers at Smith, threat
ened TO kill him IL he did not release
| the negro under arrest. Smith brave
~ stood his ground and continued on
hisway to Jail with his prisoner. Union
/ miners and others meanwhile went to
:
were driven back. Smith took his
l prisoner to Operator George V. PEN
wells store, and upon Penwelrs stand
ing for the blacks fine he was re-
| leased.
Before Smith had released his pris-
oner David McGavic. leader OF the
union miners, dubbed one OF the
| blacks over the head with revolver.
| For half a block McGavic forced the
negroes 10 retreat and the shooting
began. The negroes quickly retreated
! 10 their stockades, and securing Win
chesters furnished them by the opera
tors returned to Locust street and
/ challenged the miners for fight. The
two factions lined up in the street, the
negroes with Wnchesters and the min
ers with shotguns, rifles and reyolvers.
All business houses were Immediately
closed, the lights eNtinguished and the
occupants hurried home.
Firing between the miners and ne
/ groes continued for five minutes, dur
ing which time bullets rained through
the streets. The first shots were fired
by the blacks, but at the ending Of the
battle the negroes were compelled to
retreat, carrying with them their
wounded 10 the stockades. Follow
ing the first encounter between min
ers and blacks. citizens filled the
streets, armed with whatever arms
they could secure, hurrying to the
scene OF action. and the excitement
was AT fever heat all during the night.
A second encounter between whites
and blacks occurred 20 minutes after
the first battle, near Penwell stockade,
but the result is unknown. 1t is known
that several blacks were wounded, as
surgeons were dispatched TO the stock
AIDES. The miners had full charge OF
the business streets az midnight and
in detachments were parading the
streets.
TThc miners strike in Pana. which led
10 the outbreak. began IN April last when
the coal operators refused longer TO pay the
scale agreed upon at the Columbus con-
Vention. They claimed that they must
cut wages or 20 out OF business. The min
ers promp tly laid down their tools, and all
efforts to settle the controversy were fu-
tile The miners nj length offered to ar
bitrate. but this proposition was rejected
by the operators. During the summer the
state board OF arbitration went 10 Pana
az the request OF the miners and made an
investigation. The operators refused TO
participate. and when the board reported
a compromise scale slightly less than the
Columbus scale they declined TO abide by
IT, They purposed to pay their own fig
ure or keep the mines idle. Both sides
were firm and matters remained un-
changed until a month ago. when the op-
orators determined 10 resume mining with
negroes imported from the south. There
has been trouble in Pana since the first car
load OF negroes arrived. but until last night
no serious outbreak OF violence. Stock
AIDES were built az the Penwell and SPRING
side mines and the negroes were housed
within them. Deputies were sworn I'm by
tho sheriff TO protect them The situation
became so threatening that the sheriff
made q call on the governor for troops TO
preserve order. but after extensive corre-
/ spondcnce by wire the executive declined
10 send the aid asked for and censured
the operators for bringing southern negroes
20 the mines. For two weeks the situation
has been reported ak critical, the bearing
OF the blacks being such as to cxasperate
the people OF pana as well as the strikers,
with whom they sympathized and 10 has
been said that only a pretext has been
needed to precipitats a confictl