The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-04
Tense Situation Prevails
Near TayIorviIIe After
Bloody Battle.
TROOPS ORDERED BACK
Woman One of Two Dead
as Violence Flares in
Trouble Area.
BY DON f. CHAMBERLAIN
United Press stan Correspondent

United Press stan Correspondent
TAYLORVILLE, H., Jan.
4.-Snipers' bullets sang
across the siX-mile coal war
mo mans land between
Jeiseyville and Tovey today.
where a few hours earlier
two deputy sheriffs were
wounded by gunfre.
The whine of bullets TODAY was an
echo Of the battle late Tuesday be-
tween United Mine Workers of
America leaving the pits of Peabody
Mine No. at Kincaid and Progress
Sive miners pickets. in which two
were killed and a dozen wounded
The six miles of state highway
between Jeiseyville and Tovey passes
through Kincaid and Bulpjtt coal
hamlets which have come through
many labor battles. No motor cars
moved along the paved no mans
land" at noon.
Troops Ordered Back
Wlthln two hours the first five
companies of national guardsmen
ordered to the trouble zone bv Al
Jutant General Carlos H. Black ar
Springfield was due to pass up the
highway. The troops had left here
only few days ago after months
on duty.
Booming Of coal miners house
early today was linked with the re-
sumption Of guerilla war between
tne miners of dual unions. Reports
OF other bOmbings were discounted
by Sheriff Charles Wieneke of
Christian county. No additional
arrests had been made after the
twenty last night.
Sheriff Wieneke's report to the
acknowledgement that the situation
was out OF control led to the march,
ing order for 300 guardsmen.
Chief Deputy Sheriff j. H. Bet
terton, who has seen service in a
half dozen mine wars in twentv-
TWO years, termed the situation the
NOISG IN my time.
Atmosphere Is Tense
A front trench atmosphere at
tended the morning battle. with a
heavy fog hanging over the high
way, and flashes of fire coming
from scattered points of ambush.
Thomas Hickman and Fulton
Smith, miners, who had been sworn
IN as deputies, were riding through
Klncald in an automobile A burst
of fire from the second floor of a
business building found marks in
their bodies.
At Taylorville. sullen groups of
Progressive miners stood in the
courthouse square. Other streets
were deserted. Wives and children
OF the miners kept indoors.
The two men shot today were
Thomas Hickman and Fulton Smith.
They were fired upon while driving
to the Peabody Coal Company's
Kincald mine where yesterdays
fatal shooting occurred.
Shippers Take Toll
Shippers, hidden in an abandoned
house overlooking highway. fired
the shots. The victims were taken
to a hospital in Taylorville for
treatment.
A bombing occurred today at the
home Of August Croso, also en-
ployed at the Kincaid mine. No one
was inside the dwelling at the time.
The blast blew the structure apart.
Victims Of the sudden outbreak
late Tuesday were Vincent Rodems.
a national guardsman, working as a
guard for Peabody coal mine No. 7,
and Mrs. Emma Comulatto, 81,
miners wife whose home adioins
the mine property.
The flareup came with little
warning. Two hundred pickets
members of the Progressive Miners
OF America, gathered about the en-
trance Of mine No. 7 at Kincaird. a,
few miles from here, as the day shift
was about to come Of duty. A force
OF $50 special deputies was on hand
to protect the miners.
200 Shots Are Fired
AS the miners, members of the
United Mine Workers of America,
started to go home. shot was
fired. Investigation failed to show
source Of the shot. But its effect
was instant
From both sides came firing More
than 200 shots were fired before
order was restored.
AS the guns roared, some wit
nesses said they detected the rat
a-tat Of a machine gun. Sheriff
Charles Wienecke ordered a 1unt
for the weapon.
Men fell rapidly as the bullets
sung through the crowd. One bull
let, apparently stray, struck Mrs.
Comulatto as she stood at the door
way Of her home watching the con-
fict. ROdems, one Of the first men
to leave the mine, went down with
the first outburst.
Battle Fierce but Brief
The battle was fierce but brief.
Almost as soon as the first burst
Of firing was over, many stopped
fighting to care for the wounded.
The hospital here was crowded.
Some victims were taken to
Springfield and a number were
cared for in their homes.
The thirty-two men rounded up
by Sheriff Wienecke were to be
questioned concerning their part in
the fray Murder charges will be
filed against some, he declared.
Wienecke said the pickets had
come to the mine prepared for a
battle. He said they were armed
with guns, baseball bats, hickory
clubs and knives.