The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-04-13
MARTIAL LAW IN PANA.
Another Deadly Riot in the Illinois
Mining Town.
SEVEN DEAD AND NINE WOUNDED

SEVEN DEAD AND NINE WOUNDED
The Coni1ict Was Precipitated by n
Negro Miner Who Tvicd to Carry
Out Threat to XIII Sheriff Downey.
One Negro w oman Among the Killed
Pana, Ills, April IA deadly riot,
the most serious disturbance that has
occurred here since the union miners
| ilstigated strike in April, 1898, waS
enacted yesterday, resulting In seven
persons being shot to death and nine
wounded. The dead are: Frank CO.
burn, citizen: Xavier Lecoq, French
man, union miner; three non-union
negro miners, James l.. James. Green
vile, S. c.. and Henry Hobbs ana
Charles Watkins, from Alabama; negro
woman, said TO be the wife of a south
ern negro miner.
The situation Quieted down at nighr
fall md no more trouble Was looked
for. Adjutant General Reece, Colonel
A. +. Culver and three companies Of
infrntry arrived at o'clock last even
ing on special trains, and perfect order
was maintained through the town
from that time on. The troops now
here are Company II, from Decatur.
under Captain Castle: Company c,
from Springfield, under First Lieutcn'
ant Bauman and Company b, from
Taylorville. under Captain b. PARISH.
Governor Tanner has declared the eli.
under martial law.
Henry stephens, u negro miner, WHO
has long cen considered Il Lead
among his associates. is declared e.
have been the direct cause OF the riot
Ii II said he was also tho leader Of the
.iot that occurred last September
Stephens has long cherished hatred
for Sheriff Downey. and has openi,
made threats that he would kill hi:n
on sight Sunday he was on the
streets with revolver, saying he wRs
looking for Sheriff Downey. He con
tinued this yesterday, and Sher!'
Downey came upon him on Locus
street. The sheriff commanded Ste
phens to deliver the revolver and told
him he was under arrest for carrying
concealed weapons. Stephens. with
out word. instantly leveled his
weapon and fred ut the sheriff. The
, bullet went wild. The sheriff I'M
mediatcly opened fire on the negro.
Deputy Sheriff Cheney, hearing T."
shooting, rushed to join Saarl.,
Downey.
: Stephens took to his heels and Guc-
ceeded in gaining Penwel's general
store on Locust street. the princ!p
, thoroughfare, two blocks distant, an
took his stand in the entrance. He
hesitated there an instant and tlcn
stepped to the pavement, leveled HI
revolver down the street toward l.s
, approaching pursuer, and fred. The
: bullet missed the deputy and struck
Xavier Lecoq, u Frenchman, who was
( standing in the entrance of nearby
e saloon. squarely in the forehead. kill
ing him instantly. Stephens thel
= turned and ran into the Penwell store
e and sought refuge behind counter
BY this time the streets were rapidsl
!, filling with men. all Of whom berc
weapons. Deputy Cheney dashed int
the store followed by Deputy Joe Mul
9 len and several citizens. A iusilad,
!, of bullets was poured into the store
: and Stephens emptied his revolver a
his assailants from behind tho counter
The infuriated crowd at The dool
continued firing. and stephens, secn,
that death was inevitable. made des
perate dash from his cover to a stair
way in the rear ol the store. He fell
pierced by six bullets. before ne ha'
gone ten feet. One of the bullets hat
y gone through his neck, another through
. his back, and the other wounds wer
of a minor nature. The firing stoppe,
instantly, and Sheriff Downey ran L
the side of the wounded negro ant
placed him under arrest. Stephens Il
a negro of robust constitution. big an,
u brawny The shock of his numerou
: wounds did not apparently hurt him
for he swore and said to the deputy
e Il surrender" and with blood pouring
e down his clothing walked with hi
captor to a physicians office. wher
d he was given medical attendance. ii
n was then taken to Jail.
v Meanwhile the riot was raging in tn
street AS soon as the first shot ha'
l. been fired the whistle of the electri
s light plant was blown as a signal 70
Ia the citizens, the majority of whom
had long ago been sworn as deputies
~ to turn out armed and ready to fight
n At the same time the miners Of tn
!. Pana and Penwell mines, which are 10
-, Gated about two blocks distant fror
the Penwell store, which is the cente
of the town, rushed into the tipple
y and opened fire on the thronged streets
y The news that Stephens, one of thei
-, number. had been shot and arreste
10 aroused them TO pitch of fury. The
shot at any living mark in sight, an
as a result among their victims ar
three women, two of whom are whit
l. women wounded and one negro wo
man dead.
la Senator Mcmillan Denies n Rumor,
a. Washington, April 11.-Persisten
1t reports have been circulated here TO
J. some time of an intention on the par
N |, of Secretary Alger to resign after tn
n inquiries into the conduct of the wa
Is have ended, and last night these WEI
couDled with the statement that Sepa