Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1891 — THE TROOPS CAPTURED, [ARTICLE]

THE TROOPS CAPTURED,

Marched to; the Depot and Sent Away. They Are Allowed to Retain Their Ann*, bnt the Miners Take Charge of the Convicts. The crisis came at Briceville, Tenn., on the 20th, at li when the miners and a crowd of sympathizers from the surrounding country gathered around th* camp of the State militia and captured troops and [convicts, marched them off to the depot amd put them on a train and shipped them to Knoxville. The camp was on a little knoll In a hollow, and surrounded on all sides by mountains. The miners and their friends to the number of 1,500 were divided into four equal squads and approached on the four sides of the square, which the camp was formed ia. The miners sent up a flag of truce and sent in a committee to the officer in commands The committee notified the officers that they had come to take the convicts peaceably, if possible, by force if necessary. The officers parleyed awhile and then agreed to surrender. The troops were allowed to keep their arms andwmmunition, and they with the convicts were marched to the train. There they were loaded in box cars or whatever could be had and the entire lot sent to the city. The convicts were taken to the jail, locked up and sod. The troops arrived at about 4:30 o’clock, and to the number of 107 all told went to the armory of the Knoxviilc Rifles, where they now remain awaiting the orders of the Governor. The miners made them promise not to return to Coal Creek.

An immense crowd met the troops at the depot. They were freely cheer , as they marched through the streets. The men had been on duty nearly five days in the rain and seen but little In the wt. 7 ol provisions gnd but little equipment. Their faces were bronzed, but they presented » soldierly appearance as they marched op the street. The city is now intensely excited. Leading men of all political j arties say the law must be upheld. Sympathy, which had been enlisted on the side of the miners, is now against them ior Kds lawless act at a time when Tythtng was being done to relieve the situation. A dispatch from Nashville says: Governor Buchanan has ordered the entire State militia to Briceville, Tenn-, to protect convicts at work. It is stated that two thousand additional miners are marching to the seat of war. . It is feared there will be trouble before the miners will yield to the convicts taking their places. In accordance with the order issued by Governor Buchanan, four Memphis companies of the State militia, under command of Gen. Sam. T. Carnes, left Memphis at 9:30 o’clock, Monday night, via the Memphis & Cliarhston railroad for •Briceville, The State troops, who belong to labor organizations, are charged with betrayal of their trusts. A dispatch from Memphis says; The Chickasaw Guards, Hibernian Rifles,Bluff City Zouaves and the Rosier Zouaves, under orders from Governor Buchanan, left this city at Monday night, via th« Memphis & Charleston road, for Briceville, the seat of tho mining troubles. The companies are small, the four turnlngout about one hundred and fifty men, under the command of Gen. Sam. T. Carnes.