The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-16
Government Takes Hand and
Arrests Leader and 10.
Blame Influence of German and
i. w. w. Agents.
HOARDED FUNDS ARE STOLEN
Sums Hidden in Looted Cabins
Ranged Up to $1,000.
Miners Claim That Operators
Imported Cheap Labor.

st. Louis, Mo, July l6.-The LABOR
situation in Flat River mining district
was generally quiet all last night and
early today following the arrest of j.
H. overall of Elvins, confessed leader
of the rioters. who Friday night
stormed the homes of foreigners. driv-
ing Russians, Italians and Polish min
ers into the woods and later out of
the town.
Additional troops will leave St
Louis this morning. They are the re-
manning members of Troop and
Battery A, who were away on leave of
absence when the two units entrained
for Flat River Saturday night.
Business men and mine superin-
tendents in Flat River generally scout
the theory that I. w. w. leaders In
cited the riot. but it became known
today that agents of the department
of Justice are in Flat River investigat-
ing the cause of the trouble, working
on a possible theory that German
agents or I. w. w. organizers were
will also endeavor to learn whether
government contracts are suffering
from the enforced idleness of the
mines.
Start Grand Jury Probe.
A grand jury investigation will be
started at Pennington, the county
seat, today under direction of Circuit
Judge Peter Hook, of Ste. Genevieve.
The grand jury will call ]. H. Overall
and nineteen other alleged rioters ar
rested with him, before II for teSti-
mony
There was a small. outbreak at
Bonnie Terre, another mining town
near Flat River at 9 o'clock last night
when the homes of several foreigners
were looted, the. mob stealing money
from many of the homes. Some OF
the forign miners claim losses as high
as $1,000. Leaders of the self-styled
american" miners claim that crooks
who Joined the miners committed the
robberies.
overall took his arrest stoically, ad-
hitting that he had been elected" by
1 the miners to lead them. He said he
\ advised them against, violence.
Major Stepp. in command OF the
militia, held several conferences with
/ mine superintendents ana the men
yesterday. He said that he believed
the situation we'll in hand and feared
/ no further trouble, but that stern
measures would be used in case of
violation of the law by the miners.
II is estimated that 1000 foreign
miners have left the district, many of
them leaving their families behind.
All Mines Closed Today.
The miners claim that foreign labor
ers were imported by the mine own
ers doing the work they had formerly
done, at less wages.
None of the mines in the district is
operating today. Saloons are closed
and the military is confiscating all
liquor in the home OF miners and for
eigners.
Two Russians wounded by bullets
arrived in st. Louis this morning. They
are both in the city hospital.
Loot Church and Houses.
Missouri guardsmen were on watch
duty turnout the lead belt last night
and today reports came into head
/ Brighten away looters who continued
the pillage of homes and raided the
church in the foreign colony.
Guardsmen were sent to protect the
church, but when they arrived the
hooters had left. Women and children
who remained in the lead belt became
alarmed last night at the continued
loeting that has followed the forced
exodus of a large part of the foreign
i population. At midnight a request
q came to Major Stepp, commanding the
4 troops, to place guards over the
homes of terrified women. Picked
men were placed on duty.
Find Stores of Liquor.
Altho this is prohibition territory,
found in vacated homes of exiles
Looters began Selling liquor and to
prevent orgies guardsmen Sunday
seized 1000 bottles of beer and sew
erai kegs of stronger liquor and de-
stroyed it all.
Incidents in the flight of foreign
ers continue to come in. In the great
exodus of Saturday, according to a
story that seems authentic. one fam
ily forgot a baby. Another fleeing
picked up the baby and took it along,
hoping to find its parents later.