RIOTS IN ILLINOIS

Evening Star, Issue 21218, 27 September 1932, Page 7

RIOTS IN ILLINOIS

UNEMPLOYED ATTACK WOMENS POLICE OFFICER KILLED Praaa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SPRINGFIELD (Illinois),' September 26. As the culmination of Labour disorders at Benton 1,000 unemployed miners attacked 100 workers who accepted the reduced wage. Many shots wore fired, one police officer being killed and several men on both sides injured, many seriously. A FRENZIED CROWD SPRINGFIELD, September 26. A policeman was shot to death and three persons were wounded when 600 men charged into the headquarters of the United Mine Workers on Sunday night. The officer who was killed was one of a heavily-armed detail which was thrown as a barricade about the headquarters when the frenzied crowd attempted to seize union officials following a street fight. [The correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ at Benton (Illinois) sent the following message on August 24: “ Several people are reported to have been killed and many injured when police officers checked the advance guard of an army of striking coal miners, estimated at between 10,000 and 26,000, who were invading Franklin County in an attempt to ‘ persuade ’ 1,200 miners who are continuing work despite a wage cut from 6dol 10 cents per day to sdol to join their movement. The caravans of the strikers converged on Franklin throughout the day from neighbouring communities, and traffic police attempted unsuccessfully to send them in a different direction. Three hundred officers and specially deputised sheriffs, armed with revolvers, rifles, and machine guns, prepared to resist the invasion and to protect the working miners. The situation admittedly became serious with _ the early mobilisation of the national guard, aud a declaration of martial law is believed to be likely. The strikers, among whom are many women, declare that they are unarmed. However, they were in a bitter mood when they were warned that they would not be permitted to enter the county, and they sent back word; ‘ We are coming on; you can’t kill all of us.’ ”]