The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-06-01
Violence During Strike.

Violence During Strike.
Atlanta Ga., May 28.-The first
violence to railroad property in the
Georgia fremen's strike occurred to-
night to a moving freight at Lithonia,
Ga, aud the race question in conse-
quence loomed more sharply than ev-
er in the situation Notwithstanding a
day Of much apparent progress to-
ward settlement.
A negro fireman was apparently
the cause Of the trouble, and he was
rushed to Atlanta in an engine to
save him from what his engineer, at
least, believed was a threatening Sit
uation. Thetrouble started in the
throwing Of one or two stones and
the boarding Of the freight by men
who set the brakes and broke it into
three sections. The freight now
blocks the main line Of the road, and
the progress Of United States mails,
which go out early tomorrow morn
ing. To such a pitch was public ex-
element stirred by the affair that Of
fetal sources gave the most conflict
ing versions Of it. The railroad off,
GERS declared that it was the work Of
strike sympathizers, while a county
official wired the governors Office
that it was merely an accident.
The engine left here late this af-
ternoon for Lithonia under an ar
rangement between Sheriff Morris,
of DeEaJb county, and the railroad
officials, to bring a train load Of per-
ishable provisions from the station at
Lithonia into Atlanta. Assurances
have been given the railroad for sew
eral days that in the interest of local
shippers, whose valuable cars were
tied up and suffering loss by the
strike, no demonstration would be
made against hauling these cars to
Atlanta.
Carried Negro Fireman.
When, however, the engine from
Atlanta pulled into Lithonia about
dusk tonight it was seen to carry a
negro fireman, as did the mail trains,
which passed Lithonia earlier in the
day, exciting very unfavorable COM
ments. About two hundred people
gathered at the station tonight. The
engine was coupled to the vars, shen
the railroad officials say, just as the
train was getting under way, a stone
flew into the cab window and hit
Engineer Downing. Next, say the Of
fcials, several men boarded the cars,
setting brakes, cutting off the air,
causing the last car to break loose
from the train and finally uneoupling
the engine, leaving its load stalled.
According to tine railroads statement
their men saw no attempt by local au-
thorities to interfere with the attack
on the train.
The report telephoned to State Of
fcials here said merely that there was
no violence; that the train had run a
short distance out Of Lithonia when
it stalled and the engine continued on
its run to Atlanta. After the train
had stopped, said this report, a small
sized crowd Of men swarmed upon the
freight cars.
It is believed that the railroad au-
thorities will attempt to clear the
track at Lithonia for the mail trains
early tomorrow morning, and that
sworn deputies will be used to pro-
tect the train crews in clearing the
tracks.
General Managers Statement.
Just before the engine left Atlanta
this afternoon General Manager
Scott gave out the following state
ment:
"By arrangement with Sheriff
Morris, Of DeKalb county, we have
arranged to send to Lithonia for a !
number Of cars Of freight, including
much of perishable nature, to bring
them back to Atlanta and forward
from here to destinations in different
parts of this State and other States
by other lines. Sheriff Morris guar