The record-union., 1898-10-14

clai poHcemen sworn in to help protect
lie and property, but this handful Of
men was OF no avail. The miners made
1t warm for Sheriff Davenport and he
left town, friends taking him four miles
to Girard, and later he was taken on
to his home in Carlinville, where he
now is. AS soon as he left I felt the
weight of responsibility rested on me.
The town has resumed it's normal con-
df>ion to-day, l cannot closely esti
mate the number of miners here yes
tefday, but judge there were between
l,o0O and 1000. Great numbers of
these have gone, and the wors : un-
doubtedly over. The business houses,
as you see, are open to-day and there
is little excitement. The town is in the
hands Of the militia now and my duty
is ended"
j. f. Eyster, Superintendent of the
Climax Trading Company, the estab-
hshment controlled by the Chicago
Virden Coal Company, who was SO Sc
Verely beaten in the scrimmage, has
improved slightly. Mr.. Eyster is
member of the Knights of Pythias and
stands high in the Masonic lodge He
was spirited away from the Buckles
Hotel during the night by his fellow
Masons and is now in hiding at a pr-
vate residence. 1t is thought he will
recover. Rumors that he died last
night We're circulated in order to de-
ceive the strikers, and it is believed by
his friends that should it become known
that he still lives there would be con-
certed action on the part of the miners
to finish their bloody work Mr.. Eyster
isl25 years old.
Business men speak very highly of
hlm but all are unanimous in saying
that he was too rash. If he had heed
ed the advice of his friends he would
not have been molested. Some of the
miners claim they We're under the i'm
preston it was Manager Lukens they
were chasing, and if Eyster had not
shown fight he would have been allowed
to escape unhurt
Notwithstanding the raw, cold wind
that swept dust in binding clouds
through the streets, crowds began to
congregate to-day in the vicinity of the
public square. The people, however
were kept moving by the soldiers. An
incident, showing the intense feeling of
the miners, developed when word was
passed that man from the stockade
was in barber shop on Jackson street
near the square. In a few moments a
crowd gathered in front of the place
Word was passed by the soldiers on
picket duty to headquarters for rein
forcements on the double quick to dis
perse the gathering throng The man
returned to the stockade unmolested.
A meeting of the Executive Commit
tee of the strikers was held late this
afternoon. Chairman John Belgar as
serted that not man among the Thiel
and Pinkerton detectives stationed
within the stockade had been sworn in
as Deputy Sheriff. He followed this
statement by declaring that all of them
could be held as accessories on a charge
of murder. The matter was discussed
and decision made to employ counsel
and lay the matter before the Grand
Jury.
The union miners this afternoon re-
ceived their semi-weekly allowance of
~ from the union.
The excitement of yesterday, prior to
the arrival of the negro train, was
equaled tonight when it became known
that special train consisting of a box
car, three apparently empty coaches
and -caboose had passed through here
at 5:25 this evening and bore two car
loads of negroes taken through here to
Springfield yesterday The train went
south and succeeded in passing through
Virden quietly and without interfer-
ence. A big crowd of miners was at
the station, but the militia held them
IN check
When the train stopped at the stock
or IL +oi,
mand, shouted: Don't allow anyone to
disembark from that train" The gate
was opened and a file of soldiers rushed
out on the double quick with fixed bay
onets and lined up alongside of the
train. General Manager Lukens made
a formal request that their employees
be allowed to land and enter the stock
2de. Captain FEWER declined to grant
this. Then Manager Lukens put it in
the form of a demand, but the officer
replied that he was under orders from
Governor Tanner to prevent the disem-
barking of any negro miners at the
works. and that he would have to carry
out these instructions. General Man
ager Lukens protested in vain and the
train pulled out, headed south.
BY this time the advance guard of
strikers gathered at the depot had ad-
ganced up the track to within 100 yards
of the stockade. The presence of
armed bluecoats in the lookout boxes
evidently halted them, as they re-
manned there until the train passed,
when they greeted it with waving hats
and cheers for Governor Tanner, who
they believed had been instrumental in
starting the blacks on their homeward
journey.
After the departure Of the train Mr..
Lukens made this statement: when
the special train carrying the blacks
arrived this afternoon at the mine the
troops. under orders from Governor
Tanner. refused to let them get off the
train, and they We're compelled to go
through I protested to the Captain
commanding the guard at the mine at
this action. and told him there was no
law. except the law of force. that would
justify this action. He replied that he
had strict orders from the Governor not
TO permit the blacks to land and that
he was compelled to follow instruc-
tons"
At 1920 o'clock tonight special
train arrived bearing Troops A and c,
dismounted cavalry. from Chicago and
three companies of Sons of Veterans.
Colonel Young stated that he had no
definite orders other than to reinforce
the soldiers already here.
GEO. D. SAxTON'S WILL.