The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-14

| capped lnfantrymen at each corner in the
| business district are about the only evil
dences Of yesterdays riot, outside of the
| O'Neill home, story and half cottage.
In the front yard of this humble home
stand five black covered oofins, on each
of which is a simple plate. engraved with
the words cat Rest"
| Under the lids are the remains of five
victim of yesterdays battls. They are
| Ernest Kittery,' Mount Olive; Ellis
Smith, Mount Olive; Ernest Keutner.
Mount Olive; Ed Wetz, Springfield;
William Blue, Springfield.
Coroner Hart has empanelled jury
and will endeavor to place the RESPONSE
biiity for the shooting.
Colonel Mcknight of the Governors s
staff, accompanied by Adjutant General
Reese, at midnight visited the stockade
and served formal notice on Manager
Lukens, who has been inside the stockads
throughout the trouble, that the soldiers
would visit the stockade today and dis
arm the inmates
Colonel Mcknight says that no objec-
tions were offered to this proposition. He
anticipated no trouble at that point and
he expresses his opinion that there will
be no further outbreak on the part of
OiOhOl oho olioA OI = hehl ho ou buO
stockade.
Colonel McKni ght said that he drove
over from his home at Girard last night.
On the way he passed numerous squads
of miners, returning to their homes in
Girard, Mount Olive and neighboring
towns. The parties numbered from half
a dozen to twenty-five or thirty and in
most cases the men were wsll armed.
Willis martial law has not yet been
declared The town is virtually under con-
troll OF the state troops, under Captain
Craig of Battery B, First Illinois artil-
lery.
Upon the arrival Of the soldiers from
Pana two Gatling guns were iaken to the
pu bile square where tthey command tbs
business section. Guards were thrown
out and the remainder of the sol,:iers were
quartersd in the Opera house. Adjutant
General Reese expects troops A, b. q 2nd
ID, of the LIST Illinois cavalry, and flour
companies of Sons Of Veterans from
Rockford, Dekalb, Oregon and Macomb
today. On their arrival the Epecial guards
in the stockade VIII be disarmed and the
soldiers will take possession.
There is feeling among the people
of the town who are not connected with
the miners that the Virden miners are
not responsible for yesterdays TRAGEDY.
One citizen expressed his views in q
very en- hattie manner, saying that all
the trouble had been caused by outsiders
who came here and induced the local
strikers to acts of violence.
A striking incident that bears out this
statement is the fact that in yesterdays
bloodya-work not single Virden miner
was killed and one slightly injured.
LUKENS BLAMES STRIKERS.
St. Louis, October ia special to the
Post Despatch from Virden, ILL.,, says:
Captain Charles A. Fervier, command
ing Co. d, Sons of Veterans of Elgin,
Ill, is in charge of the stockade built by
the Chicago Virden Coal company. With
part of his men he entered the stockads
today and disarmed the detectives and
the deputies employed by the operators.
The men within the stockade offered no
objec tions.
In an ante room of Mr.. Lukens's Office
lay the body Of Thomas Preston, the
dead detective, whose home was in
Chicago.
Mr.. Lukens saie: s'The trouble of yes
terday was not of our making. The strik-
ers simply surrounded the stockade. On
the east and south gates there must have
been at least 900 miners. They were
in an orchard and were higher than We
and they opened fire. The fact that we
had only one man killed and six slightly
wounded. consider a miracle. There
were thousands upon thousands of shots
fired. The strikers Eegan the firing when
the train bearing the minors arrived. In
short time their shots were directed at
the train. After it pulled out the strikers
turned on us. We returned the shots.
deplore the matter as much as anyone.
I never supposed such a thing would re-
suit when we brought the negroes here.
EISTER IMPROVING SLIGHTLY.
Virden, ILL.,, October I3-Latest reports
are that ]. F. Eister, superintendent Of
Climax Trading company, the establish
ment controlled by the Chicago Virden
Coal company, who was so severely
beaten in the scrimmage, has improved
slightly. Mr.. Eister is 27 years old and
a membe of The Knights of Pythias, and
stands high in the Masonic lodge. He
was removed from the Buckles hotel dur
ing the night and IS now in hiding at
private residence. 1t is thought he will
recover.
Rumors to the effect that he died last
night were circulated to deceive the strik-
ers. Some of the miners claim they were
under the impression that it was Mana
ger Lukens they were chasing and il
Eister had not shown fight he would save
been allowed to- escape unhuFt. Not
withstanding tho raw cold wind th st
swept the dust in binding clouds thrt ugh
the streets crowds congregated in he
vicinity Of public SQUARE Tbs crowds
ing the streets. Soon the white tents uf
Battery B dotted the square ana The com
missary served hot coffee to the shiYering
members of the battery.
An incident showing the intense feel
ing of the miners developed when word
was passed that members of stockade was
in barber shop on the square. Word was
passed by th soldiers on picket duty to
head quarters and reinforcements sent on
the double quick to disperse the crowd
that gathered. The man returned to the
stockade unmoested.
FIRST SHOT WAS SIGNAL.
St. Louis, October ia special to tho
Post Despatch from Virden, ILL.,, says:
NJ. Turner, one of the guards stationed
in the yards south of the town to an
pounce the approach of the train carrying
the negroes, says he fired the Fl st shot
yesterday as a signal to the main body Of
min ,rs near the uepot 4 he miners ha
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