Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-19

|
Difficulty, 1t Would Seem-Negro Miner
Assaults an Alderman and Unknown
Persons Fire on the Negroes Previously
| Quite q Number OF Citizens Indicted
! Indiana Judges Strike Case Decision.
Pana. Ills. Sept. 1e-Not since the
strike of the miners of the four big
| mines Of Pana, inaugurated on April 1,
during which time there have been many
| serious and exciting incidents. has there
been such intense excitement and really
trouble bordering on riot and blood
shed. as was in existence Saturday
night. Saturday evening at O'Clock
one of the negroes working at the Pen
well mines assaulted ex-Alderman Ed
ward Molza, a business man and SYM
pathizer with the miners. Molza re-
sisted, but being no match physically
for the negro. and unarmed. was soon
overpowered and badly used up. The
negro was quickly reinforced by several
blacks from the Penwell stockades, near
the street where the assault was COM
mittsd. Molza stood his ground, how
ever. and upon citizens approaching the
negroes took flight. Some forty or more
of the blacks from Springside, embold-
ened by the victorious and open assault
upon Molza. paraded the business
streets from until o'clock at night.
Looked Like Bloody Riot for Awhile.
They entered the store of Mine Opera
tor George V. Penwell. Large bodies of
miners and business men. with revolv-
ers in sight, quickly filled Locust street
fronting PenweIPs place. and for a time
it looked as though a riot with loss of
life would surely follow. Sheriff Ira
Coburn-cool determined and with keen
fOr6GiRhf-linPd n q Of
cial deputies in front of PenwelPs de-
partment store, and quickly dispatched
force of twenty-five deputies through
an alley to the rear of the store. Enter
ing the building they awaited the trou-
BILE which was imminent. Chief of Po-
lice Kiely and his regular force of men
were stationed near Penwell block
ready to aid the deputies. Trouble was
avoided by Penwell ordering the ne
Groes to leave the store, and Sheriff CO.
burn calmly advising them to go to
their camp at Springside, they taking
his advice.
Somebody Fires on the Negroes.
company of negroes was fired upon
by some parties Friday night, but
whether any shots took effect has not
been given out from Springside camp.
Among the miners indicted for the riot
of Sept. 1. when the operators Overholt
were captured, who have been arrested
are: Thomas Finnefrock. Joseph Null
len, Messy West. John Boyle, Charles
Boyle, Ed FRANKIE, Homer Newcomb,
jeff French, Ed Kane, Samuel Haines,
Albert Pranke and August Henriott.
AS quickly as the men were arrested
they were taken to the city hall audi
ence room. where they were retained
prepatory to their removal to Taylor
Vile and Incarceration in the county
Jail. The city authorities refused to
permit the sheriff the use of the city
Jail.
WOuldn't Eat Non-Union Dinner.
All of the men indicted for inrim-
idation and riot. and the business men
indicted for refusing to act as deputies,
have signified their intention of en-
ploying counsel and fighting the charges
to finish. Sheriff Coburn ordered din
ner for the miners arrested a the new
Grand restaurant. He marched them
down to the restaurant, where dinners
were in waiting for them, but they re-
fused to eat at what they called "scab
restaurant" Coburn then marched
them back TO their prison quarters with
out food. Later State Secretary Ryan
of the Miners union, sent dinner to
them. All the men arrested furnished
bond in the sum of 5000 each to the
sheriff and were released, a few hours
after arrest.