The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-11
TANNERS STATEMENT.
why 1t Was Necessary to Send the
Troops Back to Pana.

Why 1t Was Necessary to Send the
Troops Back to Pana.
Springfield. ILL.,, April 10.-Governor
Tanner this evening had the following
to say with reference to affairs at
Pana:
cat Sheriff Downey's request, about
three weeks ago. 1 removed all the
troops from Pana after he had made
a statement in writing that troops were
no longer needed, that he could pre-
serve peace and protect life and prop
erty with the civil authorities if I
would send him 200 stands of arms
and 1000 rounds of ammunition, which
request I complied with and removed
the troops. About 1890 o'clock this
morning Mr.. Penwell. mayor of Jana,
telephoned me that there was a rot
on, that four people had been killed
and the battle was still going on with
continual firing. and asked for troops.
Il replied that I would advise with
the sheriff, and I called Sheriff Downey
by telephone and got him about II
o'clock and asked him the situation.
He replied that he had the trouble un-
der control and would be able to quell
the riot and it would not be necessary
to send troops. I received kilograms
and telephone messages from time to
time from citizens stating that firing
was going on and people were being
shot, wounded and killed, and about
o'clock I learned that the sheriff had
taken a prisoner, and with the pretense
of saving him from mob violence, had
taken him to Taylorville. About the
same time I received further advices
that the riot was continuing and that
seven people had been killed and,
| great many wounded, and that the
| people We're shooting into the houses
| with their long-range rifles, killing in
nocent citizens.
! "In few minutes I learned that two
more colored men had been killed, and
| unless troops were sent there would be
| a general battle there tonight I was
also advised by Mr.. Schuyler, one of
| Pana's best citizens, that if the mob
| knew the troops were coming there
| would be so people killed before the
troops reached there. I Immediately
! directed Adjutant General Reece to or
| der three companies, those from this
city, Decatur and Taylorville, to pro-
| ceed to the scene of the trouble at the
| earliest possible moment, providing spe-
| cia trains for their transportation. I
| renewed my original proclamation of
| last November, declaring Pana under
| martial law, and directed the adjutant
general to proceed with all haste with
| troops and to quell the riot, restore or
der, protect life and property and DIS
arm all persons found with guns. At
| o'clock l received a telegram from
Sheriff Downey. who was at Litchtield
on his way home with his prisoner,
| stating that order had been restored at
| Pana and that all was quiet and there
| was no necessity of sending troops, and
not to make a mistake of doing SO.
However with the evidence before me
| from citizens of Pana, and the fact
that he had fed from the scene and
was at that time 65 miles away, I paid
no attention to his request At $3.50
| o'clock this evening l received the fol-
lowing telephone message from Sheriff
| Downey from TaylOrVille. where l sup
pose he had landed with his prisoner:
| why were troops ordered to Pana
when everything was quiet? Why are
the troops disarming the deputies? Ev-
| erything could have easily been con-
| trolled if the negroes had kept out of
| the towers.
Il replied: The troops were sent to
the scene of battle and taken a prisoner
to Taylorville. This is the first in
! stance in my experience where a gen.
eral or commander left the field of bat
tie to take a prisoner to the rear. He
/ generally sent such prisoners back in
| charge of corporal and two guards.
The troops have orders to disarm every
| body and the military authorities at
Pana must be obeyed until further or
ders from me-
ITO this Sheriff Downey replied: I
left Pana with my prisoner to prevent
| him being iynched, My chief deputy
was in charge and everything was
| quiet
Martial Law Declared.
Springfield. ILL., April 10.-Governor
| Tanner has issued a proclamation de-
| claring martial law at Pana. The pro-
| ola created "A district g, q