The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-15
A SUNDAY RIOT IN ST. LOUIS,
THE BL00DIEST DAY OF THE STREET
CAR STRIKE.
The SherifrS Posse Kills Three Strik-
ers and Wounds ~Four-They Fire on
the Crowd. With Riot Guns loaded
With B~uckshot.

st. Louis, June 10.-The day Just end
ed has been me of the most eventful
and bloody since the great strike on
the st. Louis Transit lines began, more
than a month ago.
There were numerous encounters be-
tween strikers and the constituted au-
thorities, resulting in three deaths and
the %wounding Of four or more persons,
mostly strikers. One of the latter will
die. The dead are:
C. Edward Thomas, striking conduc-
tor on the Chouteau avenue line, shot
in the breast by a deputy sheriff;
died on the way to a hospital.
George Rine, striking motorman on
the Delmar avenue line, shot in the
abdomen by a deputy sheriff; died at
a hospital.
Frederick Boehmn, resident, while
standing in his front yard, was shot
and instantly killed by a deputy
sheriff.
The wounded:
Edward Burkhart, striking conduc-
tor on Delmar ven line, shot in
head; may die as a result.
Oscar Marvin, conductor on Lee We
nue. line shot in right hand n arm;
serious.
August Smith, shot in right arm and
breast; not serious.
Charles Ludwig, shot in hand; not
serious.
The day was quiet until afternoon,
when the police were taken off a num-
Der of street car lines for the purpose
of giving them a rest and to test the
ability of the transit company to ope-
rate it's cars withou friction.
LIBERTY OR DEATH"
The most serious trouble broke out
between 6 and Z o'clock in front of the
six-story building on Washington ave-
nue., between Broadway n Sixth
street, occupied by the sheriff's posse
as barracks and headquarters. Sew
eral hundred striking street car men
had gone to East st. Louis earlier in
their benefit at Wolff's grove. To-
ward evening they began returning
home. A crowd composed of nearly
$50 street car men in uniform and
headed by a drum corps came west on
Washington avenue In their APPS
some of them had cards bearing these
words:
Union or nothing; liberty or death.
The men were marching along the
sidewalk on the south side of Wash
ington avenue, opposite the barracks
They were in a jocular mood, n as
near as can be learned had no inten-
ton of making any trouble.
Just as they were passing the bar
racks a a of Park avenu division
was going west. A number of meI
broke from the line and ush for the
car with the intention, it is said, Of
boarding it and taking a ride. Anoth'
er statement was made that 1t was
the intention of the strikers to assault
the motorman and conductor, whose
- w. -y;%I1, -, the c,1o yan1ion ~ r1
The trouble soon started. A brick
was thrown through the car window
and a shot was fired by somebody un
known.
BUCKSHOT FOR THE CROWD.
At the first intimation Of trouble
members of the sheriffs posse swarm
ed from the building and surrounded
the crowd of strikers about the car
calling upon them to disperse. Othel
shots were fired, and then some Of thu
deputies turned loose their repeating
guns loaded with buckshot. As fal
as can be learned only four of thu
men in the strikers ranks We're hit
Not a deputy was even wounded.
c. Edward Thomas, a striking con
ductor on the Chouteau enu line
. was picked up and placed in an ambu
lance after the fght.was over. He wa!
shot in the breast, the heavy load o.
odShSIOl Gazing " ASA
out his life's blood and caused hi!
death while on the way to the cit!
hospital.
! George Rine. a striking motormar
, on the Delmar VENUE line, received {
terrible wound in the abdomen. H
was taken to the city Hospital, bu
died on the operating table.
Another of those hit by shots iron
the deputies guns was Edward Burk
hart, a striking conductor, also OF tn
Delmar avenue line. Several bucksno
struck him in the side Of the head
causing a serious wound. He ma!
die. Oscar Marvin, a striking conduc
tor on the Lee avenue line, will prob
ably lose his right hand as a result o
the fusilade.
Under the command Of Colonel Cav
ender, b deputies arrested 20 OF tn
strikers and o them to the barrack!
where they were searched. Three re
volvers and a number of pocket knive
were secured, and the prisoners wer'
taken to the Four Courts, where the.
were locked up pending an investiga
ton.
Erfuhffnl Rlnndor