The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 21, June 9, 1894 Page: 17
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TEXAS MtNER SUPPLEMENT.
THE TEXAS MINER.
THURBER, TEXAS, SATURDAY, JuNE 9, 1894.
Caught in the Act.
For several days a party of "outsiders" has been working hard
to create trouble between the Texas & Pacific Coa! company and
it's miners, endeavoring to incite a strike, and to further demor-
alize the condition of things in general, and things came to a
-show down" on last Saturday night by these "outsiders" sneak-
ingly invading camp, breaking into the house and conducting a
secret meeting in the old Knights of Labor hall, a building on
the company's property, and owned by the company, situated m
that portion of the camp known as 'Strikertown." lhey had
their plans well arranged, the meeting being led by two white
men, Stewart and Bradford, and a negro named Parrott, the lat-
ter claiming to be an agent of the Choctaw Coal company of
Hartshorn, I. T., sent here, he said, to secure men -to break
down a strike" there. This negro, Parrott, is a slick duck, and
was the recognized leader, and, as he thought, - had 'em comin'
his way," for it developed that, to use a weit-known slang phrase,
"the thing was to come off " there that night, and a strike was to
result, the spectators being told there were "barrels of money
and a thousand men" to back 'em up m it. For some reason or
other a very slim, crowd, not more than a dozen whites, not a
negro except Parrott among them, turned out; but speeches in-
citing a strike were made, and promises equal to " forty acres of
mules and a small gob of land" were promised. The meeting
was short-lived, however, for Capt. William Lighttoot ot Fort
Worth, one of the shrewdest detectives in Texas, was there par-
ticipating, and about the time the thing was bilin' the hall was
surrounded by officers and arrests followed. The negro, Stewart
and Bradford were secured, also the "big fellow wid de light
breeches" (Labor Organizer Capt. Lightfoot), and the balance of
the crowd were instructed to scoot, and they scooted. Stewart,
Bradford and the negro, Parrott, were placed in prison, where
they remained until Monday, when their examining trial occurred,
lasting until midnight, at which time the two whites were allowed
bond in the sum of $350 each, as was also the negro on the same
charge, but a huge charge of perjury developed against him and
he was held in an additional $1,000. On Wednesday Stewart
succeeded in making bond, while Bradford and the negro were
taken to Stephenville and placed in jail, both being unable to
make bond.
There could have been four well-grounded charges made agamst
each of the men, any one of which would have stuck, but the
prosecuting attorneys, County Attorney Oxford, Messrs. Henry
Furman and W. T. League ot Fort Worth, were lenient, and dis-
missed the matter with but one, except in the case of Parrott,
the perjury charge developing against him during the trial.
Much praise is due Capt. Lightfoot, and he has been highly
commended, for nipping the thing in the bud, and in an effort to
"get even" his enemies have trumped up a charge against him
in Palo Pinto county that will unquestionably fall as flat as a bag
of sand hurled from a balloon.
In all seriousness, there is no strike here, nor has there been,
though every effort has been made by outsiders to create one.
True, on last Saturday a few frightened Italians in shafts Nos. 3
and 5 lay off, and reported to Superintendent Gordon that they
had been warned by outsiders that ii they continued to work un-
less 15c per ton was added to the present scale they would be
murdered. The working force of these two shafts is composed
largely of Italians, hence they were shutdown for the day. Now,
almost the entire force has returned to work, being assured the
company would protect them against any interference if it took
every Ranger in Texas to do it.
The highly sensational reports in the Gazette and Telegram
were erroneous and entirely unfounded, and were instigated by
enemies of the company, by men who have no interest in the
mines or miners other than to fleece them of their hard earning
by enticing them to their dive, just outside camp and off the
company property. This dive, where free beer is served with a
lavish hand, has been the headquarters of the negro Parrott and
his allies, and where the nervy Capt. Lightfoot spent a week and
got onto their scheme, and thus planned their capture truly a
smooth piece of work. These men, under cover of darkness,
and under the leadership or the "Zulu " would sneak into camp
and endeavor to create dissatisfaction among the negroes, who,
let it be said to their credit, took no stock whatever in the over-
tures made them.
That the few Italians who layed off Saturday were intimidated
by this gang there is no doubt, as no dissatisfaction existed
among them.
That there has been no strike the company's books will show,
for the output for the last week shows up almost equal to the
best record yet made, and these books tell the tale without further
corroboration.
This company has been appointed agent for the sale of the
Dayton Cross-Cut Disc Harrow, the Buck-Eye Grain Drills and
Buck-Eye Cultivators. These machines need no recommenda-
tion, they make their way on their merits.
T. & P. COAL Co.
For the Economy of the Household,
and the Happiness of the Family,
A 0„.d COOking StOVe 's '""ispenahle.
While you are getting one it is as well to get the best.
The Excelsior Manufacturing Co., of St. Louis, Mo.,
make them, and the
Texas & Pacific Coa) Co. Set) them.
The "CHARTER OAK/' Rrst and foremost, and
the Messenger—Sterling and Mabe!, all fnll value
for the money asked for them.
When the time comes to use a heating stove ask to see the
trondate, Wasp and Atmo for coal, or the Home and Premium
Box for wood.
HEARN, PETTY & CO., Limited,
MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS OF
Rough and Dressed Long Leaf Yellow Pine Lnmber.
TELEGRAPH AND EXPRESS: PROVENCAL, LA.
Railroad Timbers and Ties a Speciaity.
RobertsyiHe, Natchitochess Parish, - Louisiana.
Cameron MiH g Etevator Co.,
^Fort Worth and Waco, Texas.
COMBINED DAILY CAPACITY, 2000 Barrels.
^ Texas Flour from Texas Wheat for Texas
people. No better made anywhere.
Try our Celebrated__
PEACOCK FLOUR, """Mam'
The Salina Mill & Elevator Co., Salina, Kansas.
- —Texas & Pacific Coa! Co., So!e Agents. Ca)t for it.
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McAdams, Walter B. The Texas Miner, Volume 1, Number 21, June 9, 1894, newspaper, June 9, 1894; Thurber, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth200468/m1/17/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Tarleton State University.