Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-09-20
SEVEN NEGROES SLAIN
Terrible Shooting ARRAY at Car
terviIle, Ills.
UNION MEN CLASH WITH NEGROES.

When the Smoke of Battle Clears Away
Seven of the Latter Are Found Dead on
the Ground How the Outbreak Occurred
Militia Again Patrolling the Streets of
| the Mining Town-More Trouble May
| Break Out.
Cartervilel, ILL.,, Sept. 1S.-Soldiers
are again patrolling the city's streets
and guarding the mine property as
result of clash between union miners
| and colored workmen Sunday, in
| which seven of the latter wer killed
and two wounded. Quiet has appar-
| emily been restored, but the authori-
ties believe an outbreak may take
place at any time. The negro miners,
Infatuated by what they consider the
murder of their comrades, threaten to
leave the mine Enclosure and invade
the town to deal out vengeance to the
whites. The union men are also deter
mined to finish their work and they
VOW that they will continue the war
until every black man has left the
county.
The List of Victims.
While the shooting ocured at mid
day in the principal street of the city,
all efforts to learn the names of par
Elephants have proved futile. The
dead T. J. Floyd, a preacher, who is
known at Virden and also Pana; Sim
Cummings, Huse Bradley, William
Prentiss, John Black, two unknown
negroes.
All wer literally riddled with shots.
| (yYnn min raontund IN hn
head just under the left eye, another
in the left side and third in his right
knee. He Is one Of three Of the men
dead who were not killed outright.
Floyd was the colored man who &C.
c0mpanied the first contingent of ne
groes from the south that attempted
to land at virden, Sept. %, 1898, and
who addressed the Virden people In
the public square the evening of Sept.
%. He was also with the contingent
that caused the fearful battle at vir-
den Oct. IL. 1t is claimed he was
brought from Pana to Carterville with
the negroes who are now at work In
the Brush mines.
Scene and Time of the Battle.
The battle occurred shortly after
noon. But few people were on the
streets at the time, many being at
church and others at Inner. Two col
ored men came into the city in the
morning, intending, as they claimed,
to go to the county seat to attend
church services, there being no colored
church in the city. In front of a meat
market were several union miners
whose places had been filed at the
Brush colliery by the negroes. The
feeling toward the negroes in the
city has been intense for many weeks
and only the presence Of the state
troops has kept the oposing parties
apart. Words passed between the
miners and the colored men left for
the mines, claiming as they left that
they would return with help, and as
their men knew how to shoot and were
not afraid they would run the union
men out of the city.
Thirteen Come in Body.
A few hours later thirteen negroes
were seen coming down the highway
that leads from the Brush mine to the
city. They passed through the city
and to the railway station, which is
situated in the eastern part of the
town, without being molested, or
without any hostile demonstration
being made. The miners were stand
ing in the streets and the blanched
faces were more indicative of danger
than words. 1t was q time of acts,
not words, and both sides seemed to
believe the crisis could not be passed
without loss of life. At the station
the negroes began a war of words and
fired one shot, the bullet piercing the
fieshy part of a small boys hand.
Miners appeared on the scene and
the negroes at once threw stones at
the men, who started down the main
street of the city. They had not gone
far before they were REINFORCED by
about fifteen heavily armed men, who
at once opened fire on the negroes.
Killed in q Running Fight.
The negroes ran and were pursued
by the miners. The colored men
started to follow the switch which
leads through the edge of the city and
only one block from the business Gen.
ter. Three fell dead, riddled with bull
miners. Still the pursuit was contin-
ued and when only one block from
the police station another negro fell.
n Htit luTtueT Oh ciIH CuIuIlluSS IelI
MORALLY wounded. Still the pursuit
was made until not negro was in
the streets Of the city, all who lived
through the few moments of carnage
being safe, it was thought, within the
village of Greenville, which surrounds
the Brush shaft. Later, however,
two Of the colored miners were found
dead near the shaft. Cummings died
after being taken to the city hall.
Two others, it is said, received
wounds. Eye-witnesses to the battle
claim not more than fifty shots were
fired and only three or four by the
fleeing negroes. Communication with
the mines can only be had by tele-
phone, no one wishing to pass the
guards there stationed.
Sword for Captain Chadwick.
Washington, Sept 1S-The orders di-