Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-10-20
Residents of Virden Were
Excitedby Many RumOrs.
CONSPIRACY TO MURDER
Above Charge is Made in War
rants for Mine Officials.
RAILWAY MEN INDIGNANT.
Chicago & Alton Railroad Oncers Propose
to Secure Legal Redress for an Alleged
Lawiess Seizure of the Road by the State
Troops.

ahoops.
Virden, ILL.,, Oct. ia new quiver
of excitement swept over this town
hourly throughout Friday afternoon
and from 2 o'clock till nightfall rumor
followed rumor, and not even the best
informed had any definite idea as to
what would develop during the night.
Rumors that another train load of ne
groes was on its way here kept the
excitement at a high tension, but the
militia are in complete possession of
the stockade and are closely guarding
the railroad property
The coroner's jury heard a large
number of Witnesses. but did not con-
clude its work. The inquest will last
until Monday or Tuesday.
Warrants were sworn out yesterday
before the local magistrate by an Off
Ger of the Miners union charging
President Loucks. Manager Lukens
and others with conspiracy TO muir
der" but on the advice of the military
officers in charge here they were not
served. This action, however, caused
Col. Young to refuse to allow several
guards who had been employed by the
coal company to depart for their
homes in Chicago, as he thought they
might be needed as witnesses. Six ex-
guards from St. Louis, who came upon
the train carrying the blacks Wednes-
day, and who were more or less seri-
ouslv wounded, were allowed to leave
for home.
General Manager Lukens, of the Chi
cago-Nirden Coal Co., has made the fol-
lowing statement in regard to the
wages paid by his company, and the
demands of the strikers:
"Under the old scale of wages. prior
to the summer of 1897, the pay at our
mines was % cents per ton. mine run.
and fairly good miners could and did
earn 1925 per day. The pay rolls
show an average of 1929 per day net
for every miner in the mine. with a
range of $1.1O to S4.56 per day. The
price of powder has been reduced 80
cents a keg since then, which makes
a material increase in the miners
wages. At the price miners are de-
manding-4O cents per ton-an aver
age miner can make from So to 81 per
day and a good workman would have
no difficulty in earning So per day"
Chicago, Oct. l5.-Complicatons
which threaten 10 assume greater pro-
portions than the clash between fed
eraI and state authority during the
railway strike under Altgeld's admin
istration. promise to grow out Of Gov.
Tanners action in refusing to allow
the Alton road to unload negro min
ers at Nirden. General Solicitor
Brown. of the Chicago &, Alton, left
for Springfield yesterday as the result
of conference between the officials
of the road. The governor will he
sought by Solicitor Brown, who will
assume charge of the situation at Vir-
den, so far as the Alton is concerned.
Steps will be taken by the Alton to
secure legal redress for the alleged
lawless seizure of the road by the gov
ernor The officials of the Alton make
no attempt TO conceal their anger and
cast the blame upon the governor for
interfering with common carrier
which has authority to operate as such
under state laws.
Springfield. Oct. 15.--Tn an interview
yesterday Gov. Tanner said: 'On
learning this morning that the ma
tional guard were searching trains 7
at once gave orders to Adit Gen.
Reece to instruct Col. Young that the
national guard have no right to search
trains and that hereafter they must
not board the trains. as their orders
were TO prevent the landing of i'm
ported labor. which would necessarily
result in the precipitation of riot;
that they were there to keep the
peace"
Imported negro miners in this city
were quietly escorted by Company +.
Sons of Veterans. of Macomb, and
Cavalry Troop B, of Bloomington, TO
the Central Union station yesterday
while the union miners were attend
ing the funeral of the men killed at
Nirden. The negroes were sent to ST.
Louis. Later Company F and Troop
Is were sent to Pana.