Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-03-29
TROOPS AWE MINERS.
ILLINOIS aUARDsMEN TAKE POS
SESSION OF BENLD AND PRE-.
VENT PITCHED BATTLE.
WHOLESALE L ne ARRESTS DUE.
Strike at Superior Coal company's
Property Follows Reforms Which
Were DIspIeaslno to Foreign
ere-SaIoons Closed.

Gillespie, 1ll.-Detachmeats Of ten
companies of the Illinois National
Guard are patrolling the mining town
Of Benld, south Of here, and the pres
ence of the state soldiery has had
salutary effect on the striking miners
who as late as Tuesday morning
Joined In demonstration calculated
to awe their brethren who wanted to
return to work. .s5
Operations in mine No. 1, located
here, and one Of the three shafts
owned by the Superior Coal company.
was resumed Wednesday morning.
One company Of guardsmen is polio
ing this property.
Sheriff Elmo Etter OF Macoupin
county is In Bend with force Of so
deputies and cooperating with Col.
Edward ]. Lang, commanding the
Fourth infantry Of the National Guard.
States Attorney James Murphy OF Car
linville Is also on the scene, giving
the sheriff counsel.
Wholesale arrests are to follow, ac-
cordings to the states attorney and
the sheriff. Sheriff Etter will not indi.
cate the probable number OF arrests to
be made, but warrants will be issued
for all who are known to have borne
arms and against all others who had
any part in melting the riotous DEM
Onstration.
The saloons have been closed, al
though this was not done until Colonel
Lang conveyed to Mayor L. G. Romell
q suggestion to this effect which was
virtually command.
When 1t was realized that the petit
ton presented by Mayor Romell to
Colonel Lang would not accomplish
the desired result a citizens' commit
tee left town for Springfield to per-
sonally urge Governor Deneen to call
the troops of.
Colonel Lang and Sheriff Etter vis-
TIED the three mines Of the Superior
Coal company after camp had been
pitched near the interurban railroad
station. The reconnaissance completed,
patrols were located at the three
mines and other patrols assigned to
duty in the town Of Benld proper.
When the first squad was sent out
on patrol duty a large crowd collect
ed, pressing closely upon the guards
men. Orders were given to dispense
the crowd, and in pushing back the
foremost ones an unidentified miner
sprang at one of the men with an open
knife. The guardsman presented the
business end Of HIS rifle with bayonet
fixed and charged his would-be asail.
ant. The man fed.
The hurry call for troops followed q
demonstration by Italian miners. One
thousand strong. armed with varied
assortment Of firearms, old rifles
muskets. shosguns, revolvers and Win,
chesters. and marching to the music
of an Italian band, the foreign speak
ing coal miners Of Bend gathered al
4 sunrise to move against their English
speaking brethren of Gillespie: The
procession stopped at mine No. /
passed through the main street of GIL
lespie, thence on to mine No. 3, and
back to Benld. Counseling Of the old
er citizens and business men Of GIL
lespie against the commission Of any
overt act prevented bloodshed.
The Superior Coal company owns
three mines here, with q daily total
output Of about 10000 tons Of coal.
Three months ago John p. Reese
came to Gillespie from Iowa to take
the superintendency Of the properties
i Superintendent Reese inauguratet
several changes and reforms tina,
were not favorably received by the
foreign element among the miners
This dissatisfaction led to the trouble