The sun., 1900-06-13
ST. LOUIS SITUATION.
Statement Issued to the Public by
Governor Stephens.
DEFENDS HIS OWN COURSE.
Declares That He Believes Mayor
Siegenheim Has Done Harm by
Refusing to Assist the
Police Board.

st. Louis, June 12-All the divisions
and lines of the st. Louis Transit com.
pany are in operation, but only a portion
of the regular number of cars are run
ming. The experiment of sending out
cars over some of the lines without police
guards having worked satisfactorily, that
plan was carried out on several addi-
tional divisions. Owing to the mayors
proclamation there was comparatively lit.
tie trouble, the injunction forbidding the
use of explosives or firearms and warn
ing those having no business on the
streets to keep off apparently had good
effect.
This city is practically under arms.
Working women as well as men are car
rying weapons to protect themselves from
mohs, and business and professional men
display pistols in pockets and holsters.
Both the strikers and the authorities
are preparing statements and making up
lists of witnesses TO be heard Mt the coro.
ner's inquiry, which will endcavor to set
tie the responsibility for Sundays killing.
The Twenty-third company, composed
mostly of young lawyers and business
men, has been sworn into the sheriff :
posse. Ransom post, G. A. r., whose
members comprise some of the city's best
citizens, is also organizing a company.
Governor Stephens has given out the
following statement regarding the strike
situation:
Vigorous action has been taken by the
state government and st. Louis police de-
partment to enforce respect for law in
st. Louis and protect life and property.
The Republican mayor, however, who is
a candidate for denomination, not desr
ing to offend, positively refuses to coop
crate with us, which lends encourage.
ment to the lawless element and impedes
our progress toward restoration of nor
NAL conditions. The president of the
board of police commissioners writes me
under date of the 7th inst. as follows:
Criticises the Mayor,
"'Henry Siegenheim, mayor Of st.
Louis, has persistently refused to attend
the meetings of the police board, of
which he is a member, or to give us as
sistance of any kind at this critical pc.
riod His honor, in spite of sundry re.
quests, has persistently refused to assist
the board in any way, and it is my be-
lief that his refusal to do so has worked
great harm TO lis in this crisis. Especial
ly do | deplore the fact as president of
the police board that he refused to issue
a proper sort of proclamation TO keep the
peace and for the dispensing of mobs'
''.As governor | have conscientiously
and fearlessly done my duty as my judg-
ment directed. have requested that
2,o00 emergency policemen be sworn in
and that the sheriff summon a posse of
1000 additional abcbodied and law abid-
ing citizens to serve under the direction
of the police commissioners. Up to this
hour it has not been deemed necessary by
the police commissioners of st. Louis to
order out the militia, the commissioners
yet believing that they are equal to the
emergency. There have been only spas
modic outbreaks, which the police and
deputy sheriffs have been able to man
age. The stripping of the women was
done by three girls between the ages of
IA and 16. A saloon keeper was also ar
rested on suspicion of being implicated
1t was not thought best to order out the
militia to shoot them. The girls have
been tried and sentenced to terms in the
Industrial Home For Girls. Most of the
newspapers in st. Louis endeavor to
stand in with the lawless element as we'll
as with the better element and think it
popular to withhold support from state
officers and constantly criticise every act
of the police authorities.
Conditions are indeed bad enough, but
exaggerated reports have reached the
east. l feel the worst is over. 1t was
demonstrated in st. Louis Sunday, when
four or five strikers were shot and killed,
That onr authorities msan huSinasa ri