The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-04
COULD NOT FIND
BULLET HOLES |. {: s
Correspondents Fail to Discover
Traces Of Alleged Shoot h
ing at Zcigler.
SITUATION VERY PECULIAR
Attorney for Letter Claims That
Discriminating Is Nightly
Occurrence.
SITUATION VERY PECULIAR
(By Associated press.)

fE
DUQUOlN, ILL.,, December S.-After
Letter mines in the town Of zeisler, during
which many reports OF active sk4rmishing
have er1ahated from the rival camps, the
situation there Is one Of the most peculiar
in the history OF recent labor disturb
anoes. II Is stated BY disinterested per
sons living near Zeigler that ilring has
been heard nearly every night for sew
eral weeks in the vicinity OF the stocka6e
surrounding zeigier and from the pump
house located at some distance from the
town. $s
After a thorough, investigation. however,
staff correspondents OF 81 Louis news
papers declare that they have been unable
to lind any marks Of bullets, either on the
stockado or at the pump house. Reports
SCENTS out from surrounding towns that
miners and strikers have besa1 wounded
have proved, upon investigation. to have
hsen Incorrect. u
From the latest authentic reports, there
are about twenty-five miners encamped
about four miles from zeigler. In the
tow, there are about eighty miners,
eighty-five milltiamen and forty deputy
nlars1lals, Including both State and + ed.
eral officers. {5 5t
Immediately upon the establishment of
the union miners camp, reports of clashes
between the unior, men and til G men
employed by Letter to take their places
began to en1anate from various sources.
Several trains carrying non-union ni.ll
to the mines were fired poll. from am
buscade, but there was nothing to connect
the striking miners directly with the
occurrences. a5s3 III #{is i.35; 55 3 ..f,
Although generally termed strikers"
the officials OF the union auth horned to
speak for the men, declare that they are
not on q strike. They say that Mr..
Letter offered @ wage scale to which they
could not agree, and so they left tho.
mines. 81 They also deny all knowledge
Of the alleged attacks on the town OF
Zeigler. and while admitting that they
have attempted to persuade the miners 10
leave the employ OF MIR. Letter, they
declare that no violence has been used.
Henry F. Platt, Mr.. Letters attorney,
sums up the situation as follows:
."Our employees have been, reduced TO
q state OF terror by the hushwl1aeklng
which has! become q nightly occurrence.
Our stGokade and our property has. been
fired upon repeatedly, and there has boon
one murder, which I have no hcsttancy
in saying was the work of union miners
on strike, and, In accordance with the
plans Of the organization WHICH holds
control over the strikers. On some nights
hundreds OF. shots have been fired from
tho surrounding woods.
1.-THE rapid fire guns have replied wi1en-
ever the location of the attackers could
be found. We appealed to, the sheriff
Of this county for protection, and two
companies Of militia came in RESPONSE
to his request for help. There is every
reason from! the standpoint Of Justice
and law, for the bringing Of the troops%..s
Representa- tives Of the strikers declare
enaphat!cally tina this claim made ~ the
Letter supporters Is not well grounded.