REPORT NOT CREDITED
That Union Mine Workers Will March Saturday From Barbecue
AND ATTEMPT TO USE FORCE.
Officers, Operators and Miners Ready to Meet Such Demonstration Should it Occur.
Bills are posted announcing a big picnic and barbecue of United Mine Workers to be held in a grove just out of Madisonville on next Saturday. Union miners have been invited from adjoining counties and from Indiana and Illinois. It is rumored that there is a plan on foot to make this the occasion of organizing a large marching party to visit the mines and attempt to force non-union men to quit work. This rumor, although claimed to be based on authentic information, is not credited by the operators, but the information has been placed in the hands of county and town officials and every precaution will be taken to see that good order is maintained in the county on that day and men who are thoroughly familiar with the situation say they do not believe the union leaders will permit their men to hazard such an attack on the rights of citizens of Hopkins county who choose to work in the mines on non-union basis, but the officers say they will be prepared to meet any emergency that may arise.
Such tactics as rumor says are now proposed were meant to be used by the notorious invading party from Indiana who got only as far as Sebree and then did not reach the mines or the men. That farcical attempt was such a signal failure that no such thing has since been attempted, although it has been constantly threatened since the mine workers first set up headquarters at Madisonville in November last.
Many of the contented miners have been heard to say that the miners of the county generally would work as usual on the day of the barbecue and that they had made up their minds not to permit any interference with their right to work and support their families as they chose.