The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-01
MILITIA IN AUGUSTA
FIRE UPON CITIZENS
THREE SHOT, ONE KILLED FOR
CROSSING DEADLINE.
City is in Turmoil Under Martial Law.
Street Car Company Refuses to
Arbitrate.


Augusta, Ca, Sept. 27.-At 8 o'clock
tonight Augusta is in turmoil of ex-
citement from one end to the other.
and it is impossible to foretell what
will happen before morning.
In the interval of the firing by the
troops on Fifteenth street and the
hour set for a labor meeting at the
court house the situation appears to
have Gained down, but intensity OF
feeling over the shooting of five peo-
pie has incensed the people general
ly, largely because they do not un-
derstand that the city is under mar
tial law.
During the day ceaseless efforts
have been made by every business in
terest in the city to bring about an
adjustment of the street car strike,
which is now but an incident of the
trouble.
Call for Arbitration.
The chamber of commerce, the
Merchants and Manufacturers asso-
citation and the cotton exchange, IN
Joint meeting, demanded immediate
arbitration by the company and the
strikers, commended Mayor Barretts
position of enforcing protection OF
property and lives and the measures
taken to hold down mob rule. In re-
sponse to the demands of the business
interests the striking carmen have un-
equivocally accepted the suggestion OF
arbitration but the company, in an ad-
dress signed by General Manager
Deal, fatty refuses arbitration, de-
claring it has nothing to arbitrate'
and, further, that the men who left its
employ and, Mr.. Deal declares, joined
in the rioting last night, have no con-
nection with or any further claim on
company. Mr.. Deal asserts that the
company stands ready to operate all
its cars so soon as they are given suf-
fcient protection, which it claims as
right
Situation More Strained A
This declaration has been like a
frebrand in pile of tinder, and the
portions of the city, particularly West
End, the mill district, are even more
turbulent than last night.
From one end of the city to the
other the news has been spread OF
the shooting by troops on Fifteenth
street, and besides the thousand or
more people congregated in West End
the 700 block of Broad street, in the
heart Of the business district, IS
crowded.
During the middle of the day in
formation was conveyed to the authorl-
ties that strike sympathizers had
planned to plant mine under the
power house tonight. During the af-
ternoon a military guard was thrown
around the Fifteenth street property
of the company, where one of the
power plants is located, and dead
line was established at each end OF
the property. The troops were given
instructions to challenge anybody at
tempting to pass through the line and
stop them; to fire if the challenge
should be ignored and any effort
should be made to pass through the
lines after the challenge. The troops
are provided with riot cartridges and
are stationed on duty with loaded
pieces.
Business Man Shot.
Robert Christie, business man, was
driving by in an automobile and, eVl-
IDENTIFY did not hear the challenge OF
the sentry. GlS ndu SUM OOI q -
feet when he was shot through the
lungs. He is at hospital, where he
will die.
Ben F. Baker and Alfred Dorm, also
business men, attempted to drive
through Fifteenth street few min
utes later. A few blocks from the
power plant some one told Baker, in
whose buggy they were riding, that
the soldiers were firing blank cart
ridges. AS he approached the power
plant he whipped up his horse. I'M
mediately, after challenging, one SEN
try fired, and others joined in the fire
Baker was wounded, but will probably
recover. Dorm was literally shot to
niococ and is dead