The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-10-14
MINERS RIOT AT VIRDEN, ILL.
Battle Betyeen Strikers and Officers
Eight MeA Were Killed and Large
Number Wounded.

at 1880 Wednesday was followed by
desperate battle.
Five hundred shots were exchanged
Sheriff Davenport and his deputies
and railroad police on the other side.
1t is thought that at least 20 men on
both sides were killed and wounded.
The best information is that ten were
killed, five fatally wounded and five
seriously wounded. A Chicago & AL
ton special policeman is among the
killed. His name is said to be d.
Kelley.
When the Chicago & Alton train
bearing the Negroes arrived it was
met by fully l, 500 armed miners who
were lined up on each side of the
track, between the telegraph office and
the mine of the Chicago-Vir-
den Coal company. The train
was stopped Immediately in front
of the east gates of the stoclade
and the trouble began. Dozens OF
shots were fired from the stockade at
the white men, while the strikers were
half mile away, and the Chicago &
Alton policeman was undou btedly
killed by shot from the tower
The town is very much excited,
and men are securing whatever arms
they can get hold of, expecting to use
them for their own protection if the
trouble spreads. Women and children
are running to their homes and bar
Reading themselves behind their
doors.
There. is the greatest indignation
felt here against Mine Operator LUX
ems, who is held responsible for the
tragedy.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Oct. 1S.-Gov. Tan
ner has just received telephone mes
sage from Sheriff Davenport, of Ma
coupin county, that the fight between
the miners and those guarding the
stochades is still going on and over
one hundred men have been killed
The governor ordered Capt. Craig
in command of Battery B, and Sons
of Veterans companies at Pana to pro-
ceed at once to Virden. Capt. Craig
will leave Pana for Springfield in a
short time and thence proceed to
Virden with Battery 3 and one
company Sons of Veterans regiment.
The governor also ordered Col. Hamil-
ton, commanding Sons of Veterans
regiment, to rende zvous four COM
panies of his regiment at once at
Springfield for equipment.
Gov. Tanner said: Il shall give
Capt Craig. who will command the
troops at Virden, orders to sup
press the riot, protect life and prop
erty and to not allow imported la
Dor to be unloaded at that place,
since the mine owners have
carried out their threat, in
fuenced by avarice and gain,
to predicate this riot and bloodshed
L do not propose that they shall further
disturb the peace of the state. The
mine owners and managers are re-
sponsi BILE for and guilty of the murder
brought about by this conflict and
should be indicted by the grand jury
for murder, as believe they will be. :"
VIRDEN, Ill, Oct IA detail of
militia at 1850 Wednesday night kill
ed eX-Lieut. of Police Tom Pres
ton, of Chicago. at the stockade He
was sitting outside the stockade as
guard The militia gave the bystand-
ing miners the command to halt and
Preston stepped back to the gate. The
militia fired and he was shot in the
stomach. He was carried into the Of
fee in the stockade, where he expired.
Wednesday night Ed Green, of Mt
Olive. union miner, died of injuries
received in Wednesdays shooting.
This makes a total of eight dead
john NJ. Hunter, of Pontiac, the presi-
dent of the Illinois district of the
United Mine Workers of America, lies
at the Collins house in a critical condi
ton.
The following wounded miners are
in st. Johns hospital:
Albert Smith, Mount Olive; Gustave
Werseip. Mount Olive; Edward Upton,
| Springfield; Thomas Jennings. Spring
field; Joe Haines, Girard; Joe Runl1,
| Girard; William Herman Girard:
Jos. Easton, Mount Olive; Jos. Long,
! Mount Olive.
The miners are gathered in little
knots on the street of the city Wednes-
day night but there have been no DEM
| ontrations
The dead miners were removed from
the vicinity of the stockade to hotels
and livery stables and the wounded
miners were taken on filters to the
station and taken to Springfield We'd
nesday night on the o'clock train.
SPRIN GFIELD, ILL.,, Oct. 13-The spe.
cial train on the Chicago & Alton.
which brought the Alabama Negroes
from Virden, had eight wounded men,
all deputies, except one, who was a
colored miner, who was taken to