The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-04-11
MORN RIOTING IN PANA.
Governor Tanner Places the Illinois
Mine Town Under Martial Law.
SEVEN DEAD AND NINE WOUNDED

The Conflict was Precipitated DN
Negro Miner who Tried to Carry
out Threat to Kin sheriff Downey.
One n Negro Woman Among the Killed
Pana, Ills, April IA deadly riot,
the most serious disturbance that has
occurred here since the union miners
instigated a strike in April, 1898, was
enacted yesterday, resulting in seven
persons being shot to death and nine
wounded. The dead are: Frank Co
burn, citizen; Xavier Lecoq, French
man, union miner; three non-union
negro miners, James l.. James, Green
ville s. c., and Henry Hobbs and
Charles Watkins, from Alabama; negro
woman, said to be the wife of south
ern negro miner.
The situation quieted down at night
fall and no more trouble was looked
for. Adjutant General Reece, Colonel
A. p. Culver and three companies Of
infantry arrived at o'clock last even
ing on special trains, and perfect order
was maintained through the town
from that time on. The troops now
here are Company H, from Decatur,
under Captain Castle; Company G,
from Springfield, under First Lieuten.
ant Bauman, and Company B, from
Taylorville, under Captain b. Parish.
Governor Tanner has declared the city
under martial law.
Henry Stephens, a negro miner, who
has long been considered a leader
among his associates, is declared to
have been the direct cause of the riot.
1t Is said he was also the leader of the
riot that occurred last September.
Stephens has long cherished hatred
for Sheriff Downey, and has openly
made threats that he would kill him
on sight Sunday he was on the
streets with a revolver, saying he was
looking for Sheriff Downey. He con-
tinued this yesterday, and Sheriff
| Downey came upon him on Locust
street. The sheriff commanded Ste
| phens to deliver the revolver and told
him he was under arrest for carrying
concealed weapons. Stephens, with
out a word, instantly leveled his
weapon and fired at the sheriff. The
bullet went wild. The sheriff i'm
mediately opened fire on the negro
Deputy Sheriff Cheney, hearing the
shooting, rushed to join Sheriff
! Downey.
Stephens took to his heels and sue.
ceeded in gaining PenwelPs general
store on Locust street, the principal
thoroughfare, two blocks distant ant
took his stand in the entrance He
hesitated there an instant, and theT
stepped to the pavement, leveled his
revolver down the street toward hi;
approaching pursuer, and fired. ThC
bullet missed the deputy and strucl
Xavier Lecoq a Frenchman, who wa!
standing in the entrance of a nearby
saloon, squarely in the forehead, kill
ing him instantly. Stephens thel
turned and ran into the Penwell stor'
and sought refuge behind a counter
By this time the streets we're rapid!
filling with men, all of whom bort
weapons. Deputy Cheney dashed int
the store, followed by Deputy Joe Null
len and several citizens. A fusillad
of bullets was poured into the store
and Stephens emptied his revolver a
his assailants from behind the counter
The infuriated crowd at the doc
continued firing, and Stephens, seein
that death was inevitable, made a des
perate dash from his cover to a stair
way in tue rear OF the store He fell
pierced by six bullets, before he hat
gone ten feet. One of the bullets hat
gone through his neck, another through
his back and the other wounds wer
of a minor nature. The firing stoppe
instantly, and Sheriff Downey ran t
, the side of the wounded negro an
placed him under arrest. Stephens
a negro of robust constitution, big an
brawny The shock of his numerou
wounds did not apparently hurt hin
for he swore and said to the deputy
81 surrender" and with blood pourin
down his clothing walked with hi
captor to a physicians office, wher
he was given medical attendance. H
was then taken to jail.
Meanwhile the riot was raging in tn
street. AS soon as the first shot ha
been fired the whistle of the electri
light plant was blown as a signal 70
the citizens, the majority of whoI
had long ago been sworn as deputies
to turn out armed and ready to fgh
At the same time the miners of tn
Pana and Penwell mines, which are lC
Gated about two blocks distant froI
the Penwell store, which is the cente
of the town, rushed into the tipple
and opened fire on the thronged street
The news that Stephens, one of the
number had been shot and arreste
aroused them to pitch of fury. The
n shot at any living mark in sight, an
: as a result among their victims al
/ three women, two of whom are whit
g women wounded and one negro W.
II man daa6