Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1894 — MOBBED BY STRIKERS. [ARTICLE]

MOBBED BY STRIKERS.

Desperate Illinois Miners Fill Dp th« Shaft of a Ceutralla Mine. A mob of fOO yelling, shouting and desperate Illinois strikers from Duuuoin and Rt. John’s mines captured an Illinois Contral train early Thursday morning and compelled Engineer Stowartto haul them to Centralla. Arriving there they rushed to the Big Four mine in the northern part of the city, operated by Pottenger & Davis, and wrecked thousands of dollars’ worth of property. Thirty non-union men found working in the mine were driven like frightened sheo|> from the leads, while tho strikers male several attempts to do bodily in.ur.v. Tho rage of the leaders of tho mob know no bounds when the workmen escaped, and. in a few moments tho scarcely less infuriated strikers sp ead destruction ahout the mine. Dumpcarts, props, timbe s, old machinery and all available 100 e material were hurled Into tho shaft, completely filling it. The glass ami sa h of tho buddings were smashed and the mining machinery were speedily rendered u o’ess. Ace irding to a press dispatch, scenes of wanton destruction and intimidation continued until 9 o’clock, when thp piilagors formed under leaders and marehod to tho Odin mines, eight miles away, there to repeat tho work of destruction. The local committee made an ineffectual uttempt Wednesday to induce the n.en working in the Pottenger mine to stop work, lienee the attack of the strikers. When it was learned in Contralia that tho mob was on route in o captured freight train, a special train was made up fop Fhariff Helms and his posee at Salem, but the official arrived only to see tho maraudors marching toward Odin. Cuic ly roeruiting fifty deputies, Sheriff Helms aimed his party with Winche-ters and 1 of ammunition each at the local armory and left for Cd n in a special tfa n. Gov. Altgeld was asked to s#*.id th v State militia to tho re ne but rofesed to o o until the 10. al authorities had used the moans within their p;ower to prosorve peace and protect property.