Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-10-15
FIRED ON NEGROES.
A Serious ARRAY at virdsn, H.,
Caused by Imported Labor.
Tho sheriff Tries to Protect the Negroes
but $500 Striking Miners Overpowsr
Him-severaI Lives Lost ON
Both Sides.

virden. ILL.,, Oct 13.-The little town
Of virden was comparatively quiet
last night. after day Of riot and
bloodshed, the long expected clash be-
tween the union miners and imported
negroes having taken place. In the
afternoon n Chicago q Alton special
bearing 200 negro miners from the
south arrived at the stockade around
the Chicago virden Coal compapy's
mines and Immediately terrific firing
began. The list at 10 o'clock last night
stood seven dead and IS wounded.
The stoclade surrounds about 20 acres
Of ground in 4 square and is made Of
pine boards an inch thick set edge to
edge, about u feet high. On each Of
the four sides about midway Is small
watchtower containing q guard armed
with Winchester. There are three
entrances, which are closely guarded
by half o dozen armed sentries day
and night The fight occurred at the
east entrance.
For the past two weeks rumors have
reached Virden daily that train hav-
ing negroes from Alabama would
reach the city, and the Chicago &
Alton depot has been surrounded day
and night by vigilant miners deter
minedly awaiting their arrival. Yes
terday the Chicago & Alton limited,
due to pass here at ten o'clock, shot
through en- route for Chicago an hour
late. displaying flags on the rear, in
dicating that n special was following.
Immediately the word was spread and
a dense crowd Of miners lined the sta
ton platform. while another crowd
collected at the entrance of the stock
ade, half mile north OF the station.
D. b. Kiley, n Chicago & Alton detect
i've, stood guard at the switch at the
south end Of the station platform to
see that 1t was not tempered with.
At 1870 the special train passed the
station and signal shots were fred
from the south end OF the train, an
nouncing the specials arrival. I'm.
mediately shots were fred from the
moving train and outside and the bat
tie was on. A few moments after the
train had passed the switch where
Kiley was stationed, and while he was
talking with two citizens, he threw
up his arms and dropped dead with q
bullet through his brain. He was the
first man killed.
The train continued to the stockade,
the miners firing into 1t all along the
route and the negro passengers re-
turning the fire. The moment the
train reached the stockade the miners
opened q desperate FIRE with Win
chesters, revolvers and firearms Of all
descriptions The negroes on the
train were enveloped in a cloud OF
smoke and the shooting sounded like
q continuous volley. Engineer Burt
Tigar received bullet in tho arm and
dropped from his seat His fireman
seized the throttle, pulled 1t open, and
with jerk the train was under speed,
carrying load OF wounded negro pas
sengcrs to Springfield. How many
were wounded is not known.
HOLDS OPERATORS GUILTY.
Springfield, Ill, Oct. 1a-In an In.
terview with Gov. Tanner yesterday
evening regarding the virden riot he
said:
n, m n roro,, r-os,dsn, and Mr. Tr,.,r
" $780, 60, .-,,nanr n,
y. 81 ..s.asS, ,So 80 RAT ,hrsa,s - lana
-. 80 =, isrvc-,sa i.horors ,,or, ,hs
usn tVa ".,s,aS ~ 49,, ,hor,, - ,.o,,, IN
sSusn a.e s ~ .,.l It.. ~. Sasona, 80 ~ :
saen ~ -, .s ,v,.,s..,a. s,,oh iona-srs h.in.
S.a,rn ,o.,a,, !, No, on,;,e,v from the crimi,
orawh ia'sey, IL my ontne , I'LL ,s mi ...a.
ns' s'asS, III. ~ a. ,I,an,,a.,as =, Az
Snie uv.ns snH ~ snS ,,,,,' sS,,,ssd 30 h.v-
Ns ~, ,..,ass az. ~. 1910, - s,oh
,ns Iun s ,l, suss .no -,
,nPoIseu i.oo.s mys.u p.e S,s, 49," In,
naa WIZ mem ,nss saey .'v .,,. s.' 1T,
po,'eu Isoorc.s my u.a ~ ~ ' ,,,S " ~ -
anu unusr rne S ,.,e,a, ,,sS,s %. anv-
MY responsio,o anu n ei.''N"''' ''"'' ''' .-'
'hIns 'na. "'sns A'ppe"
From the iniormationi can gather u. eais
time, the very minute the tram stopped IN
front OF the smart wnerc the doors OF tue stock-
ade were thrown open Tor the imported Iaoor.
ers 70 enter. tue rrlng PECAN. AS 20 VINO nrea
but ali reports agree tina, a general battle was
precipltatea within Jus. ,eM ,S nm ~
,So ,rain coI,es S.ru,iss .s,ima,eS a, So or eo
and was responded 70 BY the idle miners lying
back on the other side Of the track The bat
tie lasted several minutes after wnicn tine
. un pu Ss,,sS Su ana rovnSaS The sberi ala.
graphed that lOo were killed ana ina. tne pat
.e wa, SUI, nS o. I'm o ~, .na ,nformasoo csn
gather. would estimate tho number Of killed
somewhere from nine to Is. and possibly quite
as many wounded