The Wichita tribune., 1898-10-15
ALL QUIET At vIRDEN, I'LL.
Soldiers Patrol the Streets and
Keep People on the Move.
GATLING GUNS ON THE SQUARE
Miners, Detectives aud Deputy Sheriffs
Ulsarmed by the Troops Manager
Lukens Never Expected Bloodshed-
Miners President Talks.

guns of the Galesburg battery on the
public square and blue capped infant
-yman at each corner in the business
district is about the only evidence Of
riot, save at the O'Ncill
cottage In the front yard of this
humble home are five coffins, on each
Of which is simple plate engraved
with the words, cat Rest" They con-
tain the bodies of men killed yester-
day.
Notwithstanding the raw, cold wind
that swept the dust in binding clouds
through the streets, crowds began TO
to-day in the vic o'ty or
the public square. The people, how
ever, were kept moving by the soldiers
patrolling the streets. Soon the Wmte
tents of Battery b dotted the square
and the commissary served hot coffee
to the shivering members of the bat
terry.
Captain Charles A. Fervier, COM
manding Company B, Sons of Veter-
ans, of Elgin, Ill, took charge of the
stockade to-day. W part of his men
he entered the st"cn,.de at 8 oc>ocR
this morning and disarmed the Thiel
detectives from st. Louis and the local
deputies employed by tle operators.
The men within the stockade offered
no objections to Captain Ferviers COM
mand to lay down their arms
A reporter was admitted to the
stockade Soldiers with fixed bayo-
nets patrolled the stoclSade, and the
detectives and deputy sherifts, dls-
armed and without overcoats, walked
around and shivered with the cold. In
the anteroom to the office OF i. W.
Lukens, general manager of the mlnes'
Law the body of Thomas Preston, the
dead Thiel detective, whose home is lp
Chicago.
Mr.. Lukens said THE trouble was
not of our making. The strikers SIM
ply surrounded the stockade. On the
east side and south side there must
have been at least 1000 miners They
were in an orchard and were higher
than we and they opened fire. That
we only had one man killed and six
slightly wounded 1 consider miracle.
There were thousands upon thousands
of shots fred.
1.-THE strikers began the firing when
the train bearing the miners we had
employed arrived. For long time
their shots were directed at the train.
After it pulled out the strikers turned
on us. We returned the shots. l de-
plore the matter as much ss anyone.
never supposed such thing would
result when we brought the negroes
here"
In view of the result, Mr.. Lukens
was asked; "Do you expect to import
other negroes when the soldiers
leave?"
II do not feel disposed to answer
that question.
"All these stories about us having
port holes and shooting out of the
tower are absolutely false, concluded
Mr.. Lukens.
At 10 o'clock Mr. Lukens asked Cap
tain Fervier's permission to go uptcwr
to have a consultation with Adjutan'
General Reese. The permission wa
accorded and ten militiamen were dc
tailed to escort him. Mr.. Luken
knew of the bitter feeling that th'
miners had for him. and ut the las
minute decided that it would not b.
wise for him to attempt the trip. In
stead he sent a request for Genera
Reese to visit him at the stockade.
Ed Cahill, the president of the Vir
den Miners union, is only 80 years old
= and he held back an infuriated ban
I of 1, 500 men from wrealzing vengeance
A number of strike leaders were advc
eating the storming of the stockad
after their companions had been lille
and wounded. They knew the troop
j. were coming and wanted to dcstro
the stoc!zade before the soldi"rs al
rived The mob was already c lee
ing when Cahill appeared among men
He told them that if they precipitatc
: the battle this time they would los
all they had gained. They had a
tanned their object of keeping out tn
colored miners, though the cost w;
fearful
There were fully 800 strange mine
~ ~ in town yesterday" said Cahill. "Ihe
lnat were around the stoci-ade. Our me
y were mainly around the north swit'
as we expected the train to stop ther
The deputies upon the train began II
firing. We could only return it.
"I am sorry about that Esyter q
~ ~ fair, they used him too rough Gu
o5 then he was the man who was sta
45 ioned in the tower at the stockadc al
a. killed most of our men. When tn
saw him they could not restrain ther
10 selves. Sheriff Davenport was large
25 to blame. He sided with the operator
wv and gave them 200 state rifles to fig
citizens of the state with. we TIL
our best to get him to stop the ira
and let us have peaceable conteren
with the negroes, but he refused
neace overtures and did just as Luke
is, wanted him to. guess the trouble
Is over temporarily. OF course if aft
-, the soldiers leave they attempt to |
-" port other negroes, cannot be he
responsible"
Upon arrival of the soldiers tr
Pana two Gatling guns were taken
ou the public square, where they CO
nand the business section. Qua
were thrown out and the soldiers w
chartered in the opera house.
iutant General Reece expects Iro'
A. b, C and D Of the First Illinois
airy and four companies 81 sons