Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1886 — SHOOTING TO KILL. [ARTICLE]

SHOOTING TO KILL.

A Posse of Deputies Protecting a Train Fired Upon at Port Worth, Texas.

O*r »r the Officers Killed, Two Mortally Wounded, arid u Striker Killed. (Fort Worth (Texas) dispsteh.) The first tragedy to result from the strike on the Texas and Pacific oeentred Haturday afternoon, when a group of strikers,-'lying in ambush a short distance south of the city, fired on « portion ®f the Sheriff's posse, fatally wounding Officers Townsend and Snead, and sending a bullet through the thighs of Policeman Fulford. One of the strikers, Frank Pieree, a switchman, was killed, and Tom Neece, another, was shot in the groin. Two other strikers are believed to haver- been wounded. Officer Townsend is dead, and Officer Snead is now lying at the point of death. Owing to the bold stand taken by the strikers during the week it was feared that serious trouble would soon ensue, and when it was known Friday night that warrants of injunction had been served on many of the strikers, and that tbe company would make a desperate effort to get out trains in the morning, under the protection of the Sheriff, bloodshed was deemed inevitable. At 10 o’clock yesterday morning officers began to collect at the Union De]x>t and in the yards, and a few minutes later Engine 54, loaded with armed men, steamed down into the Missouri Pacific yards amid the derisive shouts of the spectators. The engine was then backed np to Hodge, from which point it was to pull a freight train into the city. At 11:35 . the train eame into the yards unmolested by the crowd. A woman waved a red flag as a signal for the engineer to stop, but he paid no attention to it. Proceeding on its way by the Union Depot, the train passed on south, guarded by twelve officers, armed with revolvers, under the command of Special Deputy Marshal Courtwright. At the crossing a mile and a half from town a switch was found open and the trpin.halted. The officers approached the switch and discovered about twenty of the strikers lying in atribush, with their Winchester rifles aimed, ready to shoot. Firing was opened by both sides almost simultaneously, and after about fifty shots had been fired the officers retreated to the train and retured with their wounded comrades to the city. The tragedy occasioned terrible excitement throughout the city, and Sheriff Maddox at once -armed two companies of citizens with carbines and stationed them at the depot to be ready for future emergencies. The Mayor issued a proclamation appointing seventy-five special policemen, and telegrams were ( sent to Gov. Ireland urging him to hurry on a regiment of militia at once. He immediately ordered out the troops. The troops here now number 235 men. Adjt. Gen. King, Brig. Gen. A. S. Roberts, Attorney General Templeton, Inspector General P. Smyth, and Col. W. P. Gaines are on the ground. Two companies of rangers accompanying Gov. Ireland are on the way to the city from Austin. District Judge Peckham was called into consultation with the railroad officials this morniug, the result being that about 12 o’clock a freight train was sent south under guard of the Grayson Rifles and a special force of fifteen citizens. Another train was at once made up and sent noith, also under guard, and at 5 o’clock a third, tiain pulled out . going south.

The statement is made that the Knights of Labor have determined that Fort Worth shall be the point where trains shall ba stopped at all hazzards and that there . they will win or lose their battle. On the other hand, it is said the citizens declare that the Missouri Pacific trains shall move, even though it costs scores of lives to accomplish it. No one is allowed to stand on the streets. ’ The officers are in citizens’ dress, and nearly every man in town not known as a striker has a permit to carry concealed weapons. . Attorney . General Templeton, who is here with Adjutant General King, says: “Since the authority of the State has been invoked it shall be wielded, and trains must move if it takes the whole militarv force of the State to do it.” ’ -

Mr. Hoxie and the Knights—A Cohl Reception. (St. Louis telegram.) Secretary Turner and William H. Bailey, of the General Executive Committee of the Knights of Labor, arrived from Cincinnati, and after a long conference with the joint committee of the Districit Assemblies went to the office of Mr. H. M. Hoxie, Vice President of the Missouri Pacific. Their interview was of short duration, and was very unsatisfactory. They say that.they were, received coldly, and that Mr. Hoxie’s demeanor was eminently disappointing. He told them that the company bad decided to reduce its force of shopmen by 50 per cent., and that a large number of men had already been employed to fill the places of tbe strikers. Such of the old , employes as wished to return should apply for a position, and their applications would be considered, without regard to their connection with the strike, but the company reserved the right to reject any objectionable applicant. These terms were not what the committee expected, and they accordingly withdrew. Mr. Hoxie was very cool. He did not even ask the oommittee to be seated. ’ The World of Labor. ■ . The Eureka Iron Company, of-Wjhur-dotte. a suburb of Detroit, has recognized the right of its employes tb join the Knight* of Labor. Journeymen bakers, of New York, to the number JaC twelve, hundred, liare. xteter- _ mined to strike, on May 1, for twelve hours’ work five days a week, and fourteen bouts on Saturday. E. P. Allis, of Milwaukee, infoimed eight bundled employes of the naachineshops bearing his name that work would be permanently stopped should an attempt be made to enforce the eight-hour rale. The strike has been crushed at Atchison and .Parsons, and the Mayor of the city offers to pay whatever damage has been inflicted upon railroad property within the town by strikers. The street-car strike at Pittsburgh has been adjusted, except as to one line. The men are to get the same wages as heretofore, and the hour question is to be further arbitrated-

A LYNS (Mass.) dispatch states that Assembly No.-3021), Knights of Labor, have adopted a.memorial to Congress declaring that the laboring men of America are entitled to the ordinary comforts of life and a fair*expectation of shelter and'repose for their declining yearn; that in times of de-pression-the Government should liberally appropriate the surplus revenue in the prosecution of public works; and especially commending the Hennepin canal project as likely not only to temporarily benefit thousands of needy men, but as promising employment for thousands more for all time to come.