Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-06-29
NEGROES IN DISTRESS.
Men Taken to Pana, Ills, During
the Long Strike Appeal to
Gov. Tanner.
WANT TO BE SHIPPED BACK SOUTH.

Governor Promises Transportation-Many
Leaving for Strike Points in Indiana
Pana Coal Operators Said to Have Left
the Town-Anti-Union Editor Missing
Reported Negro observation-disclosures
of Arkansas Makes an Important Issue.
Pana, Ills, June 29.-Mayor German
sent>a committee of negroes, headed by
their discharged mine boss, William
Pinkleton. and Ephriam Dorsey, in
charge of State Secretary Ryan, of the
Mine Workers, yesterday to explain
their situation, since their first inporta-
ton to Pana until their discharge. to
Governor Tanner, and appeal for aid in
leaving the state for their former south
ern homes. They returned last night
and reported to 400 discharged negro
miners at the meeting at the city hall
that the governor asked that list OF
all families, the number in each and
the destination they desired to reach be
sent to him Immediately, and he would
furnish them transportation. A dis.
patch from Springfield gives the details
of the interview between the governor
and the negro committee as follows:
Complaint of Broken Contract.
''E H. Dorsey and Vim. Pinkleton, a
negro miners of Pana, saw Governor
Tanner yesterday in regard to the con-
ditions at Pana. They stated that the
Pana operators had brought them from
Alabama under false pretenses, agree
ing to give them a contract for one year
as long as they wanted to work,
and had failed to do so. They
claimed that the operators had
not discharged them, but had sim
nj hni Off all
the miners that wanted a settlement,
throwing them out of employment,
leaving many with little money, and
women and children even suffering for
the necessities of life and unable to
leave Pana. They said the operators
have been asked to make provision for
sending the negroes back to Alabama,
but declined, saying they had all they
could do to look after their own affairs,
and have absolutely failed to assist
their late employees in any manner.
Union Miners Their Best Friends.
"They declared the union miners have
become the best friends of the nom
union negro miners, and that Mayor
German is doing what he can to aid
them. Governor Tanner asked the ex-
act number of the families of the negro
nom union miners there. The commit
tee was unable to give the list. Gov
ernOr TANNER expressed MS regret at
the condition of affairs in Pana, and
his sympathy with the negro miners,
and said when he obtained the list he
would see what he could do for them.
E. H. Dorsey is one of George v. Pen
wells negro guards who was badly
wounded in the riot on April TO-"
Operators Charged with Crime.
Fifty blacks left for Viola, Ills, last
night and 100 more went to Gainesville
and Evansville, Ind, this morning. All
the operators have left the city. Edi-
tor Childress, of the Beacon Light, who
was directly opposed to the union min
ers during their long contest, has mys-
teriously disappeared. A number of
blacks have made confessions implicat-
ing the operators and men who did the
firing from the mine tower on the day of
the riot. April 10, and regarding the
promptings of the operators and bosses |
to fire on citizens and commit depreda- |
tions. They will be detained by the civ |
ii authorities and delivered to the grand |
jury. At a negro melting last night res
olutions were passed stating the offers |
which induced them to come to Pana, |
how they have been treated since COM |
ing here, condemning the operators in |
the strongest language, and appealing |
to the governor for aid.