The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1912-10-02
CROSS dead lines
FIXED BY MARTIAL Law and
>: CITIZENS ARE shot BY
SOLDIERS In AUGUSTA

Blown Up Results in Troops Being
Placed to Guard Property, With
Orders to Fire on Anyone Crossing
Dead Line.
AS the climax to the rioting in Au-
-Eusta, Ca, and the shooting OF three
citizens late Friday by State militia
troops Governor Brown Friday night
issued a proclamation declaring 'the
city of Augusta to be in a state OF In
.srrrection" and ordering the 1mmed1-
ate enforcement Of martial law.
Adit. Gen. William G. O'Bear or
sdered by the Governor to proceed to
Augusta at once from Atlanta and as
-sume charge Of the situation. An
-other company of militia was ordered
to Augusta from Wynesboro to rein
force the four local companies under
Capt. Levy.
In the interval of the firing by the
troops on 18th street and the hour
7set for a labor meeting at the Court
House the situation appeared to have
.calmed down, but intensity Of feeling
.over the shooting Of five people in
-censed the people generally, largely
because they did not understand that
the city is under martial law.
Efforts to Secure Adjustment.
During the day ceaseless efforts
were made by every business faction
In the city to bring about an adjust
ment of the street car strike, which
is now but an incident of the troubled
condition. The Chamber OF Com
merce, the Merchants and Manufac-
-tusers' Association, and the Cotton
Exchange, in joint meeting, demand
ed immediate arbitration by the com
pony and the strikers, commended
Mayor Barrett's position Of enforc-
ing protection of property and lives
and the measures taken to hold down
mob rule.
In response to the demands Of the
business interests the striking car
men have unequivocally accepted the
suggestion of arbitration, but fhe
company, in an address signed by
General Manager Deal, fatty refused
arbitration, declaring they have moth
ing to arbitrate, and, further, that
the men who left their employ and
whom he declares Joined in the riot
ing Thursday night, have no connec-
don with or further claim on the
company. He asserts that the COM
pany stands ready to operate all 1ts
,ears 80 soon as they are given sutnc-
lent protection, which they claim as
. right.
Like Firebrand In Tinder.
S. This declaration was like a fire
brand in pile Of tinder, and the an
tire laboring element, particularly in
West End, the mill district, became
even more turbulent than it was
Thursday night. From one end of
the city to the other the news has
been spread of the shooting by troops
on 18th St., and besides the thousand
~or more people congregated in West
Erd, the 100 block Of Broad street,
In the heart Of the business district,
was crowded.
During the middle Of the day infor-
nation was conveyed to the authori-
ties that the strike sympathizers had
planned to plant mine under the
power house Friday night. During
the afternoon a military guard was
thrown around 18th street property
of the company, where one of the
power plants is located, and q dead
line established at each end Of the
property. The troops we're given in
:structions to challenge anybody at
tempting to pass through the line
and stop them; to fire If the chal-
lepge should be ignored and any ef-
fort made to pass through the lines
after the challenge. The troops are
provided with riot cartridges and
were stationed on duty with loaded
pieces.
Citizens Shot to Death.
Robert Christie, a business man,
was driving by in an automobile, and,
evidently did not hear the challenge
OF the sentry. He had gone but a few
feet when he was shot through the
lungs. He is at the Margaret Wright
Hospital, where he will die.
Ben F. Baker and Alfred Dorm,
also business men, attempted to
drive through 18th street a few min
utes later. A few blocks from the
power plant some one told Parker, in
whose buggy they were riding, the
soldiers were firing blank cartridges.
AS he approached the power plant he
whipped up his horse, and, immedi-
ately after challenging, one sentry
fired, and Immediately others Joined
In the fire. Baker was wounded, but
will probably recover. Dorm was lit
orally shot to pieces and is dead.
An unknown white boy, apparent.
1y about 20 years old, attempted to
rush the sentry lines on a motorcycle
and one handle Of his machine was
shot off. but he was uninjured.
Charles Wilson, who operates a
pool room in one of the local hotels,
wa. driving through 18th street in
his automobile with his wife and