The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-11

here since the union miners inStigated a
strike in April, 1898. was enacted to-day, re-
sulting in seven persons being shot to death
and nine wounded. as follows:
The Dead
FRANK COBURN, citizen.
XAVIER LECOCQ, Frenchman, union
JAMES L. JAMES. Greenville, S. c.,
negro nOnunion miner.
HENRY HOODS, Birmingham, Ala,
negro laonunion miner.
CHARLES WATKINS, Alabama, negro
nonuni6n miner
name cannot be ascertained. She is from
the South and said to be the wife of a negro
UNIDENTIFIED NEGRO, body found to-
night.
The Wounded.
FRANK bALDSWORTH, shot in head.
MRS. HENRIOT. shot in left arm.
WILL KUHN. laundryman, shot in legs
and hand.
CYRUS sTRICKLER. shot in back.
ALBERT NICKERS, shot in hand.
GEORGE KIMBALL, farmer. Rosemond.
shot in right arm.
HENRY STEVENS. negro. shot in neck.
CASS PROFFITr. shot in foot
CARRIE FELIX, shot in breast.
TIE situation quieted down at nightfall
and no more trouble was looked for. Ad-
jutant General Reece, Col. A. f. Culver and
three companies of infantry arrived at s
O'Clock this evening special trains and
perfect order was maintained throughout
the town from that time on. The troops
now here are Company III, from Decatur,
under Captain Castle; Company G., from
Springfield under First Lieutenant Bauman,
and Company B, from Taylorville, under
Capt b. Parish. The soldiers Immediately
began patrolling the streets throughout the
entire town. Miners stood about i'm groups
talking, but there was no outward mani
festaticn of excitement, although 1t was evil
dent that great Indignation existed especial
ly among the townspeople, over the shoot
| ing of the citizens and women.
| Henry Stevens negro miner, who has
| long been considered a leader among his
associates. is declared TO have been the di-
rect cause of the riot. 1t is said he was also
| the leader Of the riot that occurred last
| September Stevens has long cherished
| hatred for Sheriff Downey and has openly
made threats that he would Kill him on
| sight. Yesterday he was on the streets
with revolver saying he was looking for
| Sheriff Downey. He continued this to-day
and Sheriff Downey came upon him on
Locust street. The sheriff commanded Stew
ems to deliver the revolver and told him he
was under arrest for carrying concealed
weapons. Stevens without IA word instantly
1
The bullet went wild. The sheriff imme-
Iiately opened fire on the negro Deputy
Sheriff Cheney. hearing the shoot
ing, rushed to join Sheriff Dow
ney. Stevens took to his heels
and succeeded in gaining Penwells general
| store, on Locust street, the principal
| thoroughfare. two blocks distant, and took
| his stand in the entrance. He hesitated
| there an instant and then stepped TO the
| pavement, leveled his revolver down the
street toward his approaching pursuer and
| fired. The bullet missed the deputy and
| struck Xavier Lecocq. Il Frenchman, who
| was standing in the entrance of a nearby
| saloon, squarely in the forehead, killing him
| instantly. Stevens then turned and ran into
| the Penwell store and sought refuge be-
| hind a counter.
ALL BORE WEAPONS.
BY this time the streets were rapidly filling
| with men, all of whom bore weapons. Dep
uty Cheney dashed into the store followed
| by Deputy Joe Mullen and several citizens.
| a fusillade of bullets was poured into the
! store and Stevens emptied his revolver at his
| assaiants from behind the counter. The in
! furiated crowd at the door continued the
| fire and Stevens, seeing that death was in
| evitable If he remained behind the counter,
made desperate dash from his 10 a
| stairway in the rear of the store. He FELL
| pierced by six bullets before he had gone
! ten feet. One of the bullets had gone through
his neck another through his back and the
| other wounds were of a minor nature. The
firing stopped instantly and Sheriff Downey
| ran TO the scene of the wounded negro and
| placed him under arrest.
Stevens is a negro 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 surrender -
| and with blood pouring down his clothing
walked with his captor to a physicians office
| where he was given medical attention. He
| was then taken 10 Jail
Meanwhile the riot was raging in the
street. As soon as the first shots had been
fired the whistle of the eectric-light plant
was blown as a signal for the citizens the
majority of whom had long ago been sworn
az deputies. to turn cut armed and ready
TO fight AT the same time the miners OF
the Pana and Pennwell mines, which are
located about four blocks distant from the
/ Pcnweu store, which is In the center OF
/ town. rushed into the tipples and opened
/ fire on the thronged streets. the news that
| Stevens. one of their number had been shot
| and arrested arousing them TO a pitch of
fury. They shot at any living mark In sight
| and a result, among their victims are
! three women. two OF whom are white
women, wounded, and one negro woman
| dead.
f! The military on arrival Immediately ar
rested every deputy sheriff, including Chief