Evening journal., 1900-06-11
One Citizen Killed in His
Own Yard
TROOPS MAY BE CALLED OUT
Deputies Arrest Twenty Of the Strikers
and Firearms Are Found on
Some Of Them


St. Louis, June 11.-Yesterday was
one OF the most eventful and bloody
since the great strike on the st. Louis
Transit lines began. more than one
month ago. There were numerous en-
counters between strikers and other in
dividuals and the constituted authori-
ties, resulting in four deaths and the
wounding of five or more persons,
mostly strikers.
The dead: G. Edward Thomas, strik-
ing conductor on the Chouteau avenue
line. shot In breast by deputy sheriff,
died on way 10 hospital; George Rine,
striking motorman on Delmar avenue
line, shot in abdomen by deputy sher-
in, died at hospital; Fred Boehm, aged
citizen, shot and instantly killed while
standing in his front yard by a deputy
sheriff. Ed Burkhart. striking conduc-
tor on Delmar avenue line, shot in
head.
The wounded are: Oscar Martin.
conductor on the Lee avenue line, shot
in right hand and arm, serious; Au-
gust Smith, shot in right arm and
breast; Charles Ludwig, shot in hama;
Ed Barry, motorman on Laclode ave
nue. line, hit on head with brick and
badly injured; James Mcguire and
John McElrOy. severe scalp wounds,
received IN trouble with strike sym
pathizers.
The day was quiet until the after
noon, when the police were taken on
q number of street car lines for the
purpose OF giving them a rest and TO
test the ability OF the Transit COM
pany to operate without friction. Cars
were in operation during the day time
on all the lines of the Transit COM
pany except the Southwestern. Last
night cars were run under police pro-
lection until midnight on the Park
avenue. Olive street. Lindell division
and Laclede avenue line.
The most serious trouble broke out
between 6 and z o'clock in front Of the
six story store building on Washing
ton avenue, between Broadway and
Sixth streets, occupied by the sheriff S
posse comitatus as a barracks and
headquarters. Several hundred strik-
ing street car men had gone to East
St. Louis earlier In the day to attend a
Grove. Towards evening they began
returning home singly, in groups of
two or three, and others In companies
OF a hundred or more. No serious
trouble occurred until one of these
companies, composed of nearly 15O
street car men in uniform. and headed
by drum corps, came west on Wash
ington avenue. In their caps 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 posse bar.
racks. They were in a joCular mood
and as near as can be learned had nc
intention Of making any trouble. Just
as they were passing the barracks O
car OF the Park avenue division was
going west. A number of the mer
broke from the line and rushed for tho
car with the intention, il is said. OF
boarding 1t and taking a ride. An.
other statement was made that Il wal
the intention of the strikers to assault
the motorman and conductor, who's,
car was without the usual police guard
However that may be, the troubl,
started here. A brick was thrown
through the car window and a sho
was fired by somebody unknown.
At the first intimatlon Of troubl,
members of the sheriff's posse swarm
ed from the building and surrounde,
the crowd of strikers about the car
calling upon them TO disperse. Othe
shots were fired, and then some of tn
deputies turned loose their repeatin,
shotguns. loaded with buckshot. A
far as can be learned only four of tn
men in the strikers ranks we're hit
Not deputy was wounded even.
G. Edward Thomas, striking con
ductor on the Choteau avenue line
was picked up and placed in an ambu
lance after the fight was over. He wa
shot in the breast, the heavy load q
buckshot tearing a hole that soon le
out his life's blood and caused hi
death while on the way to the hos
pital.
George Rine. a striking motorma
on the Delmar avenue line, received
terrible wound In the abdomen. II
was taken to the city hospital. br
died on the operating table.
Another of those hit by shots frol
the deputies guns was Ed Burkhar
a striking conductor Several bucl
shot struck him in the side Of N
head, causing a serious wound. Il
may die. Oscar Marvin, a striking cor
ouctor on the Lee avenue line, wi
probably lost his right hand as a r,
suit OF the fusillade.
Under the commend of Col Caver
der the deputies arrested 20 OF III
strikers and took them to the barrack
where they were searched. Three n
yolvers and a number Of pocket kniv,
were secured and the prisoners wei
taken to the four courts, where the
were locked up pending an investigl
zion.