The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-10-19
GUNS RESISTED IMPORTED LABOR.
THIRTEEN MEN KILLED.
Tfainlcad Of Negro Miners Greeted With Bullets At
virdcn, Ill., Gov. Tanner Had Refused
Military Protection.

/
wounded. Wednesday was n day Of
riot and bloolshed, the long expected
| clash between the union miners and
Imported negroes having occurred. At
| 12.f0 O'Clock Wednesday afternoon a
Chicago & Alton special train bearing
| zoo negro miners from the South ar
| rived Mt the stockade around the Chi
-Virden coal conipany's mines and
Immediately terrific firing began.
| The known dead are: Edward
| Springfield: Albert Smith, Mount
Give; Joe Kitterly Mount olive; Ern-
est Keutner, Mount olive; A. n.
Breneman Girard; ID. II. Kiley, Chi
cago and Alton detective.
Battery Is, OF Galesburg, ILL.,, under
Captain Craig, numbering 100 men, ar
rived during the night from Pana.
For the past two weeks rumors have
reached Virden daily that train hav-
ing negroes from Alabama would reach
the city. and the Chicago a. Alton depot
has been surrounded day and night by
vigilant miners determinedly awaiting
their arrival
At 1910 o'clock the special passed the
station, and signal shots were fired
from the south end OF the train an
nouncing the specials arrival. Imme-
diately shots were fired from the NOV
Ing train and outside, and the battle
was on. The train continued to the
stockade. the miners firing into II all
along the route, and the negro passen-
gers returning the fire. The moment
the train reached the stockade the
miners opened a desperate fire with
Winchesters, revolvers and firearms OF
all descriptions. The negroes on the
train answered with n steady fire.
Engineer Bart Tigar received bullet
In the arm and dropped from his seat.
His fireman seized the throttle, pulled
IL open, and with n jerk the train was
under speed, carrying load of wound
ed negro passengers to Springfield.
The tower of the stockade was filled
with sharpshooters armed with Win
chesters. and they kept up steady fire
into the crowd of union miners.
Eye witnesses say the dead miners
were killed after the train had depart
ed. 1t Is not known how many men
are stationed behind the walls Of the
stockade. but an estimate Is placed at
between 20 and 40. IL Is claimed that
six within were wounded, but those in
side refuse to hold any communication
with the outside and nothing authentic
can be learned. Word was, however,
sent from the stockade to physicians In
town that their services were needed.
d. n. fNSter, In
charge of one of the company stores
was beaten to death by the enraged
miners The wounded man was res
cued several times from the infuriated
mob by the police, but again and again
fell into the hands of the strikers who
finally succeeded In numbering him.
The dead miners were removed from
the vicinity of the stockade to hotels
and livery stables. and the wounded
ff.ft, t.I..
station and taken to Springfield to-
night on the o'clock train.
Wednesdays shooting has resulted
In thirteen deaths so far, as follows:
Ernest Kitterly, Ellis Smith, Ed
Welsh, William Blue. Ernest Kemm-
Ter, A. II. Brennaman. Frank Bilyen,
Ed Green, Ernest Long. ID. ii. Kiley,
A. w. Carroll, AL w. Morgan, Thomas
Preston, William Harmon.
Thursday troops were landed at Vir-
den, with positive orders from the gov
ernor to allow no colored miners to
allght from southern trains.
The cause Of the strike was de-
mand from the miners for 40 cents a
ton and they were offered 2S cents.
Manager Lukins Of the mines. re-
mained at his desk in the office all
night Issuing orders to his men. He
said tonight:
THE blood of every man shed here
Is on the governors head. He Is abso-
lutely outside of the law and has no
justification whatever In refusing to
send troops. III this train had come in
before the interview with the governor
was printed there would have been no
blcodshed, as the men knew they were
disobeying the law and had exhibited
an entirely different spirit from what
they did after the interview was pub
lished. Most OF them were ignorant
enough to believe that they had right
to do as the governor said they had.
His statement that the miner had the |
same right to fight for his property,
which was his labor. as the mine owner
had to protect his property inspired
tfese men to the action which they |
took In firing upon this train as soon |
al It came into the town.
In an interview with Governor Tan
rer regarding the Virden riot he said: |
IT. c. Louck, president. and Mr.. |
Lutkin superintendent of the Virden |
Coal Company. have made good their |
threats to land trainload OF imported |
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 beins |
drawn largely. II not entirely. from the |
criminal class, ex-convicts, who learned |
their trade while doing terms In the |
of Alabama, after hav-
ing been fully advised and having full |
knowledge that the landing OF such |
imported laborers would precipitate a
riot. / had wired them that IL they
brought these imported laborers they |
did so ut their own peril, and would
under the circumstances be morally
responsible and criminally liable for
anything that might happen. / intend |
to take such action as will prevent any
further attempt to import labor into
this State. do not intend to have any
more trouble OF this kind"
Col. Young Of the First Illinois cav
airy. commanding the troops at vir-
den. was in Springfield Monday and
reported to Adjt. Gen. Reece that all Is
quiet here. and that he does not fear
any more trouble. Battery b. under
Capt. Craig. remains at Virden, and
Adjt. Gen. Reece says he will not or
der 1t away for few days yet.
The village of Laparade. Paris. is suf-
fering from plague of snakes.
Unfsrtunsts Result Of Lsvs Afsr
Annie Contard, 16-year-old shop