Evening journal., 1898-10-13

"Mr. r. c. Louck. president. and Mr.
Iuilens, superintendent of the Virder
Coal company. at 1890 o'clock yeater-
day made good their threats TO land g
train load Of imported laborers fronc
the south and attempted to put Their
20 work IN their mines at the point Of
the hayonet and the muzzie OF the Win.
chester such laborers being drawn
largely II not entirely from the crimi-
ndl class ex-cOnvicts who learned theii
trade while doing terms In the peniten-
tiary Of Alabama, after having been
fully advised and having full knowledge
that the landing OF such Imported la
Dorers would precipitate a riot. / had
wired them that II they brought these
imported laborers they did SO at their
own peril and under the circumstances
would be morally responsible and Grim
inally liable for anything that might
happen.
"As TO what happened after the stop
ping of the train In front OF the coal
she'd my Information Is based on tele-
graphic and telephone communications
and from those coming from the scene
OF the conflict From the Information
can gather at this time the very min
ute the train stopped In front OF the
coal shaft where the doors Of the stock
ade were thrown open for the imported
laborers 20 enter the firing began.
LAS to who Aired the first shot 1 am
at this time unable TO determine, but
all reports agree that a general battle
was precipltated within just a few mo-
ments and the firing became general
from the guards on the train, called
deputies. estimated at SO or GO, and was
responded to by the idle miners lying
back ON the side of the track. The bat
lie lasted several minutes. after which
time the train pulled out. The reports
vary as to the number of killed and
wounded. The sheriff telegraphed that
100 We're killed and the battle was still
on. However, from conservative esti-
mates and from all the Information !
can get, / would estimate the number
Of killed somewhere from to 10, and
possibly quite as many wounded.
THE killed and wounded are largely
idle miners, who were on the outside.
The others We're the hired guards, who
We're brought along by the coal COM
pany. Most If not all of them were nom
residents of Illinois. There is no means
OF learning their names or Whereabouts
for the reason that they declined to
give them out, knowing perhaps that
they are crimnally liable for murder,
as they had no permission from any Of
tcer in Illinois authorizing or depu-
tizing them TO act as deputy marshals
or deputy sheriffs
Instantly on learning of the trou-
BILE | directed Adjutant General Reece
TO order Captain Craig Of the GalesbuIg s
battery and one company of the Sons Of
Veterans regiment, now stationed at
Pana. to proceed at once by the quick
est route TO the scene of the trouble.
II learned later that Captain Craig
met with serious difficulties in sccur-
Ing a train with coaches 20 bring his
command, and / directed the adjutant
general to advise him to load his troops
on freight cars and come at once to
Springfield BY the Baltimore and Ohio
and secure a train on the Alton to car
ry the command 10 Virden. These arr
rangements were made, and Captain
Craig arrived here at half past and
at Nfrden by 1880. General Reece ac-
companied Captain Craig, and 1 have
instructed General Beece TO select q
camping ground most suitable for the
occasion to quen the riot and main
tain order, protect life ana property
90 dlsarm all persons bearing arms,
making an inventory of such arms and
taking the name of the Individual own
er end his postohice address. such arms
10 be held until further orders. and to
not allow imported laborers to unload
from any train within the limits Of the
city or to march i'm a body.
These avaricious mine owners have
so far forgotten their duty to society as
20 bring about this blot upon the fair
name of our state; have gone far
enough-yes. too far-as they had fair
warning from me by wire and tele-
phone that the importation of labor
which brings TO our state an undesira-
bic class OF citizens had to stop, and /
say now 10 such and all others that this
Is n thing OF the past-that It shall not
be tolerated IN Illinois while I am gov
ernor. These men-the president and
officers of the company -precipitated
this riot by the bringing In Of these
imported lahorers, are guilty OF muir
der and should be and will I believe
be indicted by the grand jury of Ma
coupin county and tried and convicted
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