The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-13
SAYS 1T is MURDER.
Gov. Tanner BIames Mine Owners
for All the Trouble.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, Oct. I'm an
interview with Gov. Tanner this even
ing regarding the Virden riot he said:
Mr.. 7. G. Louck, president, and Mr..
LUtkin, superintendent Of the Virden
Coal company, at 1890 today made
good their threat to land a trainload
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 en-
tirely, from the criminal class, eX-cOn-
victs who learned their trade while
doing terms in the penitentiaries of
Alabama, after having been fully ad-
vised and having full knowledge that
the landing Of such imported laborers
would precipitate a riot.
Il had wired that, If they brought
these imported labOrers, they did so at
their own peril, and Under the circum-
stances would be morally responsible
and criminalIy liable for anything that
might happen. AS TO what happened
after the stopping Of the train in front
Of the coal shed, my information is
based on Geographic and telephone
communications, and from those COM
Ing from the scene OF the conflict
From the information l 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 en-
ter, the firing began. AS to who fired
the first shot 1 am at this time unable
to determine, but all reports agree that
a general battle was preCipitated with
in just a few moments and the firing
became general from the gurads on the
train, called deputies, estimated at fif-
ty or sixty, and was responded to by
wi OH No
side Of the track. The battle lasted sew
eral minutes, after which time the
train pulled out
THE reports vary as to the num-
Der killed and wounded. The sheriff
telegraphed that 100 were killed and
the battle was still on. However from
conservative estimate and from all the
information L can gather, I would esti-
mate the number Of killed somewhere
from nine to fifteen and possibly quite
as many wounded. The killed and
wounded are largely idle miners, who
were on the outside. The others were
the hired guards who were brought
along by the coal company Most, if
not all Of them, were nOn-residents of
Illinois. There is no means Of learn
ing their names or whereabouts, for
the reason that they declined to give
them out, knowing perhaps that thew
are criminally liable for murder, as
they had no permission from any Off
Ger in Illinois authorizing or deputiz-
Ing them to act as deputy marshals or
deputy sheTiffs
bic [ directed Adjt. Gen. Reece to or
der Capt Craig, of the Galesburg bat
terry, and one company of the Sons Of
veterans regiment, now stationed at
rama, to proceed at once by the quick
est route to the scene of trouble.
I learned later that Capt Craig met
with serious difficulties in securing a
train with coaches to bring his com
mand, and L directed the adjutant gen
eral to advise him to load his troops
upon freight cars and come at once to
Springfield by the B. 81 D. and Virden.
These arrangements were made ana
Capt Craig arrived here at $50 and at
Virden by 1880. Gen. Reece accom-
panied Capt. Craig, and I have instruct
ed Gen. Reece to select a camping
ground, most suitable for the occasion.
to quell the riot and maintain order
protect life and property, to disarIn
all persons bearing arms. making an
inventory Of such arms and taking the
names of the individual owner his
postoffice address, such arm to be held
until further orders; and not to allow
imported labOrers TO unload from any
train within the limits Of the civ. nor
to march in q body.
''These avaricious mine owners have
so far forgotten their duty to society
as to bring about this blot upon the
fair name Of our state; have gone far
enough, yes, too far as they had fair
warming from me, by wire and tele-
phone, that the importation Of labor
which brings to our state an undesira-
BILE class of citizens, had to stop And
say now to such, and all others, that
this thing is a thing of the past, that
1t shall not be tolerated in Illinois while
1 am governor. These men, the presI-
dent and officers of this company, pre-
cipitated this riot by the bringing in
Of this imported labor-are guilty of