The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-13
It WAS A DAY Of RIOT AND
BL0ODSHEO At VRDEN
Fierce Battle Waged by Miners and Imported Negroes
at Virden, 1lnois-Seven Men Dead.
Eighteen Wounded.

the mines. He returned to his store,
climbed out of the wagon and was just
entering the door when the cry was
raised that Manager Fred Lukens Of
the miners was with him. With a rush
throng of infuriated miners pressed
toward the store. Eyster ran behind
counter with a revolver i'm each hand
The miners pressed hard after him, and
as Eyster sprang upstairs he and the
miners began shooting simultaneously.
He ran to the top of his building and
jumped behind a chimney, while the
miners ran into the street and opened
fire on him again. Chips flew from the
brick chimney and Eyster ran from
cover across to the roof of another
store, firing into the street below as
he ran. From there he crossed to the
roof of the Bank Of virden, where he
reloaded his revolvers.
Blood was flowing from a wound in
his side, but with dogged determination.
against terrible odds. he continued his
flight. Jumping to the roof of the Rae
IL Gish drug store, he halted behind a
Ing he had just left and emptied the IL
chambers of his two revolvers. Then
springfng from cover. Eyster dashed
ahead amid the rain of bullets to the
roof of the Steed building, the upper
story OF which is known as Miners hall.
He either fell or jumped through the
skylight and landed i'm the arms of a
crowd of miners. who seized him and
carried him downstairs to the street.
Other hands seized the almost uncon-
scious man. and he was dragged into
the middle of the street. Local police
men drove back the crowd and carried
Eyster to the city square across the
street and laid him on the grass. Eys-
ter was motionless and supposedly
dead. In few minutes he was seen
to raise his hand and wipe the blood
from his face. Two men sprang at him
and, with the ferocity Of tigers. began
jumping on his body and striking him
on the head with stones. With a yell.
the angry crowd charged into the
square to kill Eyster. The police
charged in body and fought their way
TO the center of the mob. where they
took a stand over the PROSTATE. hat
tered, bleeding man. A carrier was
procured and Eyster was taken to the
Buckles hotel. He had been shot
through the groin and is terribly bat
tered up about the head The physi-
clans say that he has barely a chance
for recovery.
The dead miners were moved from
the vicinity of the stocade to hotels and
livery stables and the wounded miners
were taken on litters to the station and
taken to Springfield tonight on the s
CLOCK train. An associated press re- |
porter secured admittance to the stock
ade late tonight. The list of dead and |
wounded inside the stockade follows:
DEAD-A. w. MORGAN, Chicago.
Wounded-H. Gritgesell. shot in the |
shoulder. o. ]. Snyder. shot in face
and legs. James Sickles. Chicago. shot |
N leg. Two doctors were at work with
he wounded and communication with
hem was prohibited.
The stockade surrounds about 20 acres
u ground in a square and is made of
'ine boards an inch thick. set edge TO
'dge about IL feet high. On each of the
our sides. about midway, is a small
watch tower, containing a guard, arm
d with Winchester. There are three
ntrances. which are closely guarded
~ half a dozen armed sentries day
md night. The fight to-day occurred at
he east entrance. There are about "a
zig, strong men stationed inside the
tockade tonight, each keeping watch
through loophole. The four towers
ave been deserted. Manager Lukens
emained at his desk in the Office ell
light issuing orders to his men.
Manager Lukens said tonight: "The
lood of every man shed here is on the
overnor's hands. He is absolutely out
ide OF the law and has no Justification
whatever In refusing to send troops.
lis public statement that the miner
ad the same right to fight for his
roperty, which was his lapor, as tn.
nine owner did to protect his prop
rty. inspired the men TO the &C ion
Thich they took to-day Il. firing upon
he trai, as soon as 1T came into our