The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-04
Many Shots Fired

Many SnOtS FreQ
 Several hundred shots were exchanged during the hostilities. and among the strikers there were numerous bruised and broken heads. Many of the wounded were carried to the headquarters of the strikers and physicians summoned, but 1t has been impossible to learn the extent or their injuries. It is reported that several will die. Scores of telegrams and tele- phone messages have been pouring into the governors office early tonight ap- pealing for help The governor was in- formed by the authorities at McComb that order could be restored only by the dec lsration of martial law.
 Governor Noel acted promtply or dering Adjutant General Fridge to get at least two local companies in readi- ness for service at the earliest possible moment
 The fight in which a large number are believed to have been killed and wounded oconrTed 1t the irhtGh. shef, about a half mile south of the depot, closely following the first encounter of the afternoon in which one man was seriously wounded. A
 The train Bearing the strikebreakers
 
 and was standing oh side track. Over 100 strikers immediately assem- bled, words were exchanged and hos tilties started when, it Is claimed strik ebreakers hurled brick among the strikers.
 1mmedia ately a fusillade of shots fol- lowed. The strikers were, in nearly every instance, armed with pistols and they opened fire on coach windows at which heads of the strikebreakers could be seen. Several fell after the first volley was fired.
 The occupants of the coaches imme- diately got under the seats and re- turned the fire through the coach win dows, keeping well scattered. Occasion ally when a strikebrealxer, bolder than the rest, raised his head above the danger line, he was greeted with showersof bullets and other missiles.
 Battle Rages Twenty Minutes
 The battle ragged for fully 20 min utes Finally the engineer in charge of the train made a dash for his loco motive, managed to get aboard while the bullets were flying thick about ' his head opened the throttle and pulled out at full speed.
 The train did not stop at any points south of Mccomb, going through Mag nolia and Osyka at full speed
 Realizing the gravity of the situa-
 
 ! would attack the machine shop where so strikebreakers are barricaded dur ing the night, citizens deserted the l streets early in the evening" Adjutant General Fridge was accom- panied on the special train leaving Jackson tonight by posse of deputy - United States marshals hastily organ ized by Marshal Fred W. Collins.
 Troops patrolled the streets tonight. This followed a pitched battle between a , trainload of imported strikebreakers and citizens and strikers. A special train on the Illinois Central railroad bearing iOo strikebreakers was ridded with bullets and several citizens late tonight bear painful and even dangerous marks of q thrilling encounter.
 One may die. Fully 100 shots were exchanged. The belief is expressed that not few of the strikebreakers were wounded. The railroad officials deny this. tt
 Before the arrival of the troops armed citizens walked the streets until the or- der of Sheriff Holmes of Pike county to dsperN was complied with. Citizens are outspoken in their denunciation of the alleged indecent conduct of the strike- ' breakers as reported from Wnona, Sum- init and Durant At these points ac- cording to teleerams received early in the afternoon women were insulted This information served to incite the McComb City citizens where approximately 1900 employees of the shops are on strike
 Statements issued by citizens absolute. iy contradict the version of the trouble as given by representatives of the railroad. After minor clash between the strikers . and strikebreakers near the depot pro- ceeded to the yard below the town where 1t was again surrounded by armed cit,. zens. They claimed they went there to protect themselves and prevent rec,,r- renee of the alleged indignities charged against the strikebreakers by towns north of this borough. The battle opened as soon as the crowd got within sight of the train and was kept up until the train got onto the main line. With throttle opened wide it pulled out for New Orleans. Who fired the opening shots is not known. It Is not denied, however that many shots were fired by both sides. The coaches were riddled
 E. H. Montgomery striker and we'll known citizen of McComb City. was the only person on either side seriously in 1ured in the clash at the depot His skull was fractured by d brick which It is SIcaimed was hurled by strkebreaker. IN number of the slrikebreakers were .F(rrested ar< place in the McComb City 5sfJail There was a fusilade of shots, 1t being estimated that at least 300 shots were exchanged between those on the train and the strikers in McComb City ~~~~~~~~>>>>>~~-~~~
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