Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-15
WARRANTS ISSUED
For Murder Against Manager
Lukens and Others
Of Chicago-virden Coal Company.
Held Until Inquest Closes.
Gov. Tanner Won't Allow Imported NEGROES
to Land at Pana.

w
excitement swept over this town hour
~ throughout the afternoon. From 2
o'clock till nightfall rumor followed
rumor, and not even the best informed
had any idea as to what had developed
during the night Rumors that another
train load of negroes was on it's way
here kept the. excitement at a high
tension, but the militia are in COM
plete possession of the stockade and
are closely guarding the railroad prop
erty.
The coroner's jury heard large
number of witnesses, today, but did
not conclude it's work.
Warrants We're sworn out, today, be-
fore the local magistrate by an officer
OF the Miners Union, charging Presi-
dent Loucks, Manager Lukens and
others with conspiracy to murder
but on the advise of the military off,
GERS in charge here, they were not
served. This action. however, caused
Colonel Young to refuse to allow sew
eral 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 up
on the train carrying the blacks,
Wednesday, and who We're more or less
seriously wounded, We're allowed to
leave for home after consultation
participated in by Colonel Young, Man
ager Lukens. Coroner Hart, Police Mag
istrate Roberts and Attorney Patton.
Three of the men We're so badly in
Jured that it was necessary to carry
them to the train. The men who de-
parted We're: H. Guttgesell, wounded in
shoulder; o. J. Snyder. wounded in the
face and leg; Thomas McEntee, buck
shot wounds in the neck; j. w. Noonan,
wounds in legs; p. J. Harlan, slightly
wounded; J. H. Smith. slightly wound
ed. DIR. Cyrus A. Peterson of ST.
Louis. had charge of the men and ac-
companied them to st. Louis on
special train over the Burlington
Three hundred miners from Virginia,
Carlinville, Nilwood and Greenridge,
attended the funeral of A. Brenaman
at Girard, today. There was no dis
order.
General Manager Lukens of the Chi
caso-Virden Coal Company, today,
made the following statement in regard
to the wages paid by the company and
the demands of the strikers: Under
the old scale OF wages, prior to the
of 1897, the pay at our mines
was % cents per ton mine run and fair
ly good miners could and did earn $225
per day of 10 hours, free of all expen-
ses. The pay rolls show an average of
1923 per day net for every miner in the
mine with a range of s1.1O to s4.56 per
day. The price of powder has been re-
duced so cents a key since then, which
makes a material increase in the min
efs wages AT the price, the miners
are demanding, 40 cents per ton, an
average miner could make from SO to
81 per day and a good workman would
have no difficulty in earning Sc per day.
We have had men in our Virden mine
at SO cents per ton, screened
coal, which equals about % cents per
ton at miner union, making over Sc per
day
The charge that the Chicago Virden
Coal Company is depressing it's miners,
and is not willing to pay it's employees
living wages, is perfectly absurd, and
S not entertained for a moment by
people who are familiar with the situ-
alton. The miners are fighting to get
all they possibly can for their labor
We do not object to the men making
good wages. the more the better. All
We desire is an opportunity to get our
coal dug at a price that will allow us
20 enter the market and sell our coal |
without loss to ourselves. and this is |
at the rate of pay demand |
ID by the. union worlrnen.
This state has taken absolute pos
session of our property and has practi- |
ally prohibited us from operating our |
nines.'
Sheriff Davenport, who left Virden. |
Turing the battle, Wednesday, return
ID from Carlinville, today. He was !
summoned here to appear before the |
croner's jury to give testimony bear |
ng on the riot.
AS the result of meeting
,eld by a number of union
miners during which the fight of |
Wednesday was discussed, a warrant |
las been sworn out by Virgil Bishop,
| union miner, charging the managers
If the Chicago-virden Coal Company.
Messrs. Lukens, Loucks, Yorke and
he leaders among the union miners,
The warrant was sworn out by him
before Police Magistrate Roberts Of
firden. The complaint names Fred
". Lukens, T. c. Loucks, Mr.. Yorke
md others as accessories before and
-fter the fact and as principals.
At first it was decided to serve the
today, but after delibera-
ion it was thought to be best, in order
Q avoid complications, to hold it until
fter the inquest had been completed.
Colonel Young stated to The Associ-1
ted Press that on his suggestion the
-arrants would not be served for the
resent. In the meantime no one
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