Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-04-19
MANY KILLED ATPANAI
TROOPS QuELL RIOT IN A MIN.
ING TOWN.
Bloody Resnlt of Battle Between
Negro Miners and Deputy sheriffs
Woman Among the eDead-Governor
Tanner ProcIaims Martial Law.

The riot at Pana, H., Monday resulted
in the killing outright of at least seven
persons. Nine more were wounded IN the
battle, and reign Of terror prevailed
throughout the city until the arrival of
three companies of the Illinois National
Guard Every street in the city was soon
patrolled by soldiers. The same rigid mar
tiai law which was invoked few months
ago, immediately after the bloody riots be-
tween the union and non-union miners,
sileneed the hot heads and suppressed the
Indignation of the citizens over the wan
ton sacrifice of life. There is mourning
IN many homes, and heaft-rendng scenes
were enacted on the streets
The refusal of Henry Stephens. negro
miner. to submit TO arres Seems to have
precipitated the trouble Stories confiicted
as TO the origin of the affray, but all agree
that Stephens was the direct cause of the
fusillade which aroused the whole city,
lie is giant in stature and strength, and
one of the leaders OF the negro miners
1t is said on good authority that he was
the foremost in melting the riot last Sep
tember. His desperate character stood
him in such good stead that he evaded
a
the hands of Sheriff DowRey.
Sunday he was waki' h -eets arm
ed with revolver, a 49, d.. that he
was looking for Sheriff Downey. He had
made repeated threats that he would kill
the sheriff on sight Monday morning
Stephens appeared on the streets again
and made threats that he would shoot the
sheriff at sight. Sheriff Dowuey had been
warned of Stephens a 'tiols, and was on
his guard when .,e encountered the negro
In Locust street. The sheriff commanded
Stephens to deliver the .evolver and told
him he was under arrest for carrying con-
cealed weapons. Stephens, without
word, instantly leveled his weapon and
fired at the sheriff. The bullet went wild.
The sheriff Immediately opened fire on the
negro Deputy Sheriff Cheney hearing
the shooting, rushed to join Sheriff Dow
ney.
Stephens took to his heels and succeeded
in gaining Penwell's general store in Lo-
Gust street, the principal thoroughfare,
two blocks distant, and took his stand in
the entrance. He hesitated there an in
stant, and then stepped to the pavement,
leveled his revolver down the street to-
"oAN Ills HIGu.
The bullet missed the dfputy and struck
Xavier Lecocq, a Frenlhman, who was
standing in the entrance of nearby sa-
loon, squarely in the forehead, killing him
instantly. Stephens thtn turned and ran
into the Penwell store and sought refuge
behind counter.
Citizens Rush to Arms.
BY this time the excitement was great
and the streets were rapidly filling with
men, all of whom bore weapons. Deputy
Cheney dashed into the store, followed
by Deputy Joseph Mullen and several citi-
Zens. A fusillade of bullets was poured
into the store and Stephens emptied his
revolver at his assailants from behind the
counter. The infuriated crowd at the door
continued firing, and Stephens, seeing that
death was inevitable if he remained be-
hind the counter, made a desperate dash
from his cover to a stairway in the rear
of the store.
He fell pierced by six bullets before he
had gone ten feet One of the bullets
through his back and the other wounds
were Of less serious nature. The firing
stopped instantly and Deputy Cheney
ran to the wounded negro and placed him
under arrest.
Stephens is of robust constitution, big
and brawny. The shock of his numerous
wounds did not apparently hurt him, for
he swore and said to the deputy, Il sur
render" and with blood pouring down his
clothing walked with his captor To c ply
sician's Office, where he was given medical
attention. He was then taken to jail
Meanwhile the riot was raging in the
street. AS soon as the first shots had
been fired the whistle of the electric light
plant was blown as signal for the citi-
zens, he majority of whom had long ago
been sworn in as deputies, to turn out
armed and ready TO fight. At the same
time the miners of the Pana and Penwell
mines, which are located about four
blocks from the Penwell store, which is
in the center of the town, rushed into the
tipples and opened fire on the thronged
streets. The news that Stephens, one Of
their number, had been shot aroused them
to pitch of fury. They shot at any liv-
ing mark in sight, and as a result among
their victims are three women, two of
whom are white women, wounded and one
negro woman dead
ne military upon ils arFlfdi lHlmeul-
ately arrested every deputy sheriff, inelud-
ing Chief Deputy Cheney, all of whom
were disarmed and then released Chief
of Police William Kiely was also arrested
by the soldiers and taken before Col. Gull
yer, who disarmed him.
Late the same evening Gov. Tanner is
sued proclamation placing Pana under
martial law. After calling attention to
the existing state of affairs and reviewing
his late action in removing the troops
from Pana, the Governors proclamation
continues in the exact language of his for
mer proclamation. issued on Nov. 81 last
The troops were ordered to dsarm al per.
sons and seize all arms in Pana wherever
found.
DIG TAI c AMI thDC