Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-10-12
BLOOD AND CARNAGE
Terrible Battle Between Illinois Coal
Miners and Deputies When
Negro Train Appeared
OVER 100 men ARE KILLED
One Deputy Shot All to Pieces Governor
Tanner Sends Troops At Once to the
Scene = Manager Lukens
Blamed.

Virden, ILL.,, Oct. 12.-The arrival OF
imported negroes from the south al
1890 today was followed by a desperate
| battle. Five hundred shots were eX
changed between the strikers on one
side and Sheriff Davenport and depu
ties and the railroad police on the othel
side The best information Is that l,
men were killed, five fatally wounded
and five seriously wounded. A Chicago
& Alton special policeman is among the
killed.
When the train bearing the negroes
arrived it was met by fully 1,5OO armed
miners lined up on each side of the
track. The train was stopped in from
of the east gate at the stockade. Doz
ems of shots were fired from the stock
ade at the white men, while the strik-
| ers were half a mile away.
-! The widest rumorS are afioat, one be-
ing that as many as SO miners We're kill
| ed. The town Is in the greatest excite
| ment, men securing whatever arms
| they can get hold Of. Women and chill
dren are fleeing to their homes and bar
| ricading themselves behind doors. Some
| of the wives of the dead miners, how
ever decline to go home and are almost
| mad with grief and anger.
Shortly before 1870 Manager Lukens
tried to escape from the shaft. This at
tempt was the signal for another fusil-
ade from the miners, when the man
ager and small force Of detectives
ran into an alley behind the postoffice
The city marshal has telegraphed
Springfield to send special train with
doctors. Sheriff Davenport sent a tel
egram to Governor Tanner asking that
troops be sent Immediately. The sher-
iy,tr t,at t1>1x
ed and wounded. There is the greatest
indignation felt against Mine Operator
Lukens, who is held responsible for the
tragedy.
Fighting Still In Progress.
Springfield, ILL.,, Oct. IA train rid
died with bullets has just pulled into
the Chicago & Alton depot here this
afternoon from Virden, ILL.,, with one
deputy dead. He was riding in the
front of the car with his Winchester,
when miners fired upon him. He dis
charged his Winchester, but was shor
almost to pieces. Engineer Bert KY
ger. who was drawing the train, was
shot in the arm. Fe gave way to En-
gineer Anderson at Auburn, 127 miles
north Of Virden, who drove the train a
mile per minute. There We're about $50
armed miners at Virden. The train was
loaded with negroes, who say they
came here under false representations
from the operators.
Governor Tanner has received a tele-
phone message from Sheriff Davenport,
or Maeoupin county, that the fight be-
tween the miners and those guarding
the stockade Is still going on, and that
over 100 men have been killed The gov
ernor ordered Captain Craig, with bat
nj
panies at Pana. to proceed at once to
Virden.
Tanner After the Operators.
The governor also ordered Colonel
Hamilton, commanding the Sons of Vet
erans regiment, to rendezvous four com
panies at Springfield for equipment.
Governor Tanner said: II shall give
Captain Craig, who will command the
troops at Virden, orders to suppress the
riot, protect life and property, and not
allow imported laborers unloaded since
the mine owners carried out their threat
and influenced by avarice and gain, to
these riots and bloodshed. l
40 not propose that they shall further
disturb the peace of the state The
mine owners and managers are guilty of
murder and they should be indicted
Many Miners Wounded.
Carlinville, ILL.,, Oct. 12.-Reports
say that every deputy in the stockade at
Virden was killed. The operator at
Virden Is afraid to stick his head out of
the door on account of the flying bullets,
but saw two or three wagon loads of
wounded pass.