The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-11
SHERIFF DowNEY Is BLAMED.
Tried to Prevent the Ordering Out of
the Troops.

the IIoOpS-
Springfield his, April 1O.-Governor
Tanner this evening had the following
to say with reference to affairs at
Pana:
AT Sheriff Downey'S request about
three weeks ago, i removed all OF the
troops from Pana after he had mace
statement in writing that troops were
no longer needed; that he could pre-
serve Deace and protect life and prop
er,ty with the civil authorities if would
send him 200 stands of arms and 1000
rounds of ammunition, which request 1
complied with and removed the troops.
About 1880 O'Clock this morning, MI.
Penwell, mayor of Pana, telephoned
me that there was, a riot on; that -FOUR
people had been killed, and the battle
still going on with continual firing,
and asked for troops. l replied that l
would advise with the sheriff, ana l
called Sheriff Downey by telephone and
got him about IL o'clock, and asked him
the situation. He replied that he had
the trouble under control, and would be
able to quell the riot, and 1t would not
be necessary to send troops.
L received kilograms and telephone
messages from time to time from cit-
zenS stating that firing was going on
and people We're being shot, wounded
and killed, and about = o'clock learned
that the sheriff had taken prisoner
and with the pretense of saving him
from mob violence, had taken him to
TaylofVille. About the same time re-
ceived fur.h advices that the riot was
continuing. and that seven people had
been killed and a great many wounded,
and that the people were shooting into
houses with their long-range rifles
killing innocent citizens
In a few minutes more I learned that
10 \ hoo LII frlA
and unless troops We're sent there would
be a general battle there tonight. / was
also advised by Mr.. Schuyler one of
Pana's best citizens, that if the mob
knew the troops were coming there
would be fifty people killed before the
troops reached hera. 1 Immediately di-
rected AdjutanG General Reece to order
three companies those from this city.
Decatur and Taylorville, 10 proceed to
the scene of the trouble at the earliest
possible moment, providing special
trains for their transportation. l re-
neWed my original prCci' T'1,tjiOa of last
November, declaring PaIa under mar
tial law and directed The adjutant gen.
eq.al TO proceed with all haste with
troops and to queu the riot, restore
order, protect life and property, and
disarm all persons found with guns.
"AE O'Clock l received a telegram
from Sheriff DoWney. who was at
I.itehfeId on his way home with his
prisoner. stating that order had been
restored at Pana. and that all was
quiet ana there was no necessity of
sending troops, and not to make the
mistake of doing so. However. with the
evidence before me from citizens of
Pana, and the fact that he had fled
from the scene, and was at that time
sixty-tiVe miles away, 1 paid no atten-
ton 10 this request.
AT $50 o'clock this evening I re-
ceived the following telephone message
from Sheriff DoWney from Taylorville
Christian county. where ! suppose he
had landed with his prisoner:
Why were troops ordered to Pana,
when everything was quiet2 Why are
the troops dizu1ning the deputies
Everything could have easily been con-
trolied If the negroes had kept cut of
the lowers.
4 replied: The troops were sent tC
Pana by my order. because You had
left the scene Of battle and taken .
prisoner to T3ylorville. This is the first
Instance 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 81 corporal and two guards
The troops have orders to disarm every
body, and the military authorities al
Pana must be obeyed until further or
ders from me-
ITO this Sheriff Downey replied: q
left Pana with my prisoner to prevent
him being lyrched. Ny chief deputy
was in charge and everything was
quiet. "