The Topeka state journal., 1899-06-21
FIRED UPON
FROM AMBUSH.
Imported Negro Miners Attack
ed In the Darkness
By Union Men at Evansville,
Indiana.
FIRE is RETURNED.
IRE is RETURNED.
Six Men Badly Wounded and
One Will Die.
Negroes HuddIed In a Building
Expecting Further Trouble.

Evansville. Ind, June 21.-The coal
miners strike assumed a serious aspect
here early this morning. Operators of
the Sunnyside mine had imported 80 ne
gro miners from Kentucky and were
delivering them at the mine at 1:3O a.
m, when unknown parties concealed in
bushes near the mines opened fire on
stampede followed.
Some Of the non-union men responded
with revolvers and many shots were
fired. Six men were badly wounded.
James Moore, a stockholder in the mine
was shot in the back and is likely to
die. Henry Smith and John Phillips,
both colored, were probably fatally shot
Ed Geiger, a merchant, Charles Smith,
colored, and John NorseweatheF, color
ed, were each badly wounded.
A riot call was sent to police head
quarters and response was given The
attacking party all disappeared There
is great excitement at this hour in the
vicinity of the mine. The negroes are
huddled in a building and another as
sault is expected.
DETAILS OF THE ENCOUNTER.
Evansville, Ind, June 21.-The first
bloodshed of the coal miners strike that
has been in progress for two months oc-
CURED shortly after last midnight 1t
had been decided by the proprietors OF
the Sunnyside mine that foreign miners
would be imported to start the mines
This decision was made known to the
union men when the Chicago scale had
been offered them without recognizing
the union.
About thirty colored miners from
Madisonville, Ky, came in over the
Louisville and Nashville and were met
a the station by James H. Moore, book
keeper and a stOckholder in the Sunny
side company. The Wagonette was
driven by Edward Geiger, son of the
proprietor of a furniture store
Ia located
northwestern edge of the city, about
quarter of a mile from the salt wells
and is reached by road branching
from the right of West Maryland
street. Moore and Geiger were in the
front part of the wagonette. While the
vehicle was passing vacant lot just
before making turn in the road to go
to the mines, parties on both sides OF
the road fired in the dark upon the
wagonette. The driver whipping up his
horses hurried to the mine. A few
minutes later Patrolman RustOn ap-
peared, having been attracted by the
flring. 1t seems that one or two Of
those who had fired on the wagonette
remained in the neighborhood, and see
ing the policeman opened fire on him
The shot struck his helmet but he was
not injured. Three other officers reach
ed the place soon afterwards but they
were not fired upon.
Six men were found wounded. They
were:
James Moore, serious.
Charles Smith, negro miner, critical.
John Phillips, severe but will recover.
E. D. Gieger, driver. ear shot off.
John Norsweather, negro, slight
The Sunnyside mine remains closed
today and the imported men are in
hiding.
The serious wounding of Moore, the
bookkeeper. has made a deep impress
sion on the management. The mine is
getting into a serious condition because
of lack of operation. 1t is a machine
mine and for this reason the longer it
remains idle the heavier the loss.
Fred Ditcher, the national committee
man of the u. M. w. of A, and State
Secretary Kennedy deny all knowledge
of the shooting and say they are as
much surprised as anyone over the af-
fair.
All is quiet. Governor Mount will
proba bly, be asked to prevent the impor-
tation of foreign labor.