The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-10
M'COMB CITY AGAIN UNDER MARITAL LAW
Troops Will Protect the Strikers Who Return
 to Work

MeComb City, Miss, January 9.-Mc- Comb City, which witnessed some tur- bulent scenes at the outset of the strike of Illinois Central railroad shipmen in October, was tonight placed under mar ! tial law on orders from Governor Noel at Jackson. The state troops which have been on guard since the beginning of the strike were reinforced by the ar rival of a company from Brookhaven and Adjutant General Fridge Is here in ac- tive charge of the situation. The action of Governor Noel, it is said, was based on reports that strikers who had evidenced desire to return to their former employment with the road had been intlmidated aeB threatened with vio- lence.
 Adjutant General Fridge received the message from the governor ordering the institution of martial law this. afternoon and at once began preparations to make it effective.
 No disorders have occurred and it is be- lieved the troops will experience little trouble in preserving order
 The Illinois Central railroads division shops are here and several hundred of the employees have been on strike for the past lnISt iilOHlhS.
 Jackson, Miss, January 9.-Governor F, F. Noel late today instructed that @ modified form of martial law be made effective at McComb City when it was reported to the governor that the homes of several Illinois Central shopmen who replaced men on strike had been shot into and admission was. made by the mayor and chief of police that men at s.s.. 1A.xt tn fn O. serve order.
 McComb City was the center of strike riots last October when Illinois Central shopmen went on strike. A regiment of state troops were held on duty in that city for several weeks but the number was gradually decreased to a small de- tail The arrival of a company from Broolshaven this afternoon brought the number on guard to 70 men and two officers.
 Governor Noel issued statement to- night explaining his action in which he says:
 For the last four or five days I have been receiving communications from officers at McComb City that out side of the military line, those lines only enshrine the railroad and shop, evil conditions were becoming worse and worse, and were almost intolerable
  ure of the civil powers as well as of the forces of the United States marshal to keep the peace and requesting that the military lines be extended, and that some few lawless characters who were terrorizing the community be brought to summary justice. I was asked that the streets be cleared of tumult and disorder so that business could be con- ducted without fear of loss of life and property
 'rhey informed me that one man near Wesson had beaten one night and an- other man another night on the suspicion that they came seeking work, and that two houses were fired into one night and that the whole community thrown into panic; that at times sidewalks were blacked and people insulted who were thought not be hostile to the railroad'' Governor Noel says that he was with out a direct reply from the sheriff of Pike county, in which McComb City Is situated to his letter insisting that the offenders be arrested and that he was ad- vised by the chief of police of that city that should an outbreak occur, In his opinion, the municipal authorities could not handle the situation.
 Monday night. the governor declares. the telephone messages from the mayor of McComb and citizens, reported the sit- uation as critical and additional military protection was asked. The governors or der today was the result.