Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-06-14
ST. LOUIS POSSE
FIRES ON RIOTERS
-Four Persons Are Killed outrigh,
and a Number Of Others Are
Seriously Wounded.
POUR BucksHoI INTO A MOB
shcrir's Posse Uses Riot Rifles TO,
tho First Time With Deadly
Enect---Nfany Strikers
Arrested.

81. LOUIS, June 12.-Sunday was one
Of the most eventful and bloody since
the strike OH the ST. Louis transit
lines began. There were numerous en-
counters between strikers and other
riotous individuals and the author.
tiles, resulting in four deaths and the
wounding of five or more persons
mostly strikers. Ed Burkhart lived
until nearly midnight, when he died
from the effects of his wounds.
The dead:
c. EDWARD THOMAS, striking
conductor, shot in breast.
GEORGE RINE, striking motor
man, shot in the abdomen.
FRED BOEHNi, aged citizen, shot
and instantly killed by deputy sher-
ED BURKHART, striking conduct.
or, shot in head.
Wounded:
Oscar Marvin, conductor, shot in
hand and a1sn; serious.
August Smith, shot in arm and
breast.
Charles Ludwig, shot in the hand.
Ed Barry, motorman, hit on the
head with brick and badly injured.
James Mcclure and John McElroy,
severe scalp wounds.
Cars were operating during the day
time on all the lines of the transit
company except the Southwestern.
Last night cars were run under r0-
lice protection until midnight on the
Park avenue, Lindell division and
Laclede avenue lines.
The most serious trouble broke out
between and o'clock in front of the
siN-story store building on Washing
tonNayenue, between Broadway and
Sixth streets, occupied by the sher-
IFS posse comitatus us n barracks
and headquarters. About $50 striking
street car men, in uniform, and head
ed by a drum corps, returning from
East st. Louis, where they had at
tended picnic given for their benefit,
came west on Washington avenue. In
their caps some of them had cards
bearing these words: "Union or
Nothing; Liberty or Death"
Just as they were passing. the posse
barracks car of the Park avenue divi-
sion was going west. A number of the
men broke from the line and rushed for
the car. with the intention, it is said, of
boarding 1t and taking ride. Another
statement was made that 1t was the in
tention of the strikers to assault the
motorman and conductor, whose car was
without the usual police guard. However
that may be, the trouble started here. A
brick was thrown through the car win
dow and a shot was fired by somebody
not known.
AT the first intimation of trouble, mem
bers Of the sheriff's posse swarmed from
the building and surrounded the crowd of
strikers about the car, calling upon them
to dispense. Other shots were fired, and
then some of the deputies turned loose
their repeating shotguns, loaded with
buckshot. AS far as can be learned only
four of the men in the strikers ranks
were hit. Not deputy was wounded.
c. Edward Thomas, q striking conduc-
tor, was picked up and placed in an am
bulance after the fight was over. He was
shot in the breast, the heavy load of
buckshot tearing a hole that soon let out
his life's blood, and caused his death
while on the way to the city hospital.
George Rine, a striking motorman on
the Delmar avenue line, received terri
BILE wound in the abdomen. lie was taken
to the city hospital, but died on the OPP
Grating table.
Oscar Marvin, striking conductor, will
probably lose his right hand as result
of the fusilade. 1t was badly torn.
1t Is not known whether any Others
were wounded or not
Under the command of Colonel Cayen-
der, the deputies arrested twenty of the
strikers and took them into the barracks,
where they were searched. Three revolt
vers and a number of pocket knives were
secured, and the prisoners were taken to
the Four courts, where, they were locked
up, pending. an investigation.
The remainder of the strikers fled west
followed by squad of mounted police
that had been summoned. They dis
rersed without any further trouble.
At the time of the trouble Company
F, composed of some of the most prom
incnt people that have heen summoned
for duty on the posse comitatus, was or
duty at the barracks. Headed by Colone
Lavender, formerly of the First Missouri
volunteers, they grasped their guns and
rushed for the street, where they behaved
with distinction. Among them were w
r. Kennett.. ex.presidcnt of the Mer.
chants exchange; John F. Lee, promi-
nent lawyer; ex-Judge Chester H. Krum
Hon Charles Maggie, former candidate
on the republican ticket for mayor; ex.
: Judge John Fl. Overall. Hugh K Has.
tung, a newspaper man who was acting
as clerk at posse headquarters, and DR.
]. H. Woodwork.
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