The Virden Massacre, Illinois 1898
In 1898 the Chicago-Virden Coal Company fought the unionization of their workers by the UMW, who promised the workers that a successful strike would result in better pay and working conditions. When workers struck the company erected a timber wall around their facilities and began to bring in strikebreaking laborers by train. Striking miners then moved their lines to the railroad depot, many of them arriving armed.
On September 24 a trainload of African American strikebreakers was confronted at the depot and informed by UMW representatives that they were violating a strike zone. The train and the strikebreakers departed without incident. Encouraged by their success, the striking workers increased their number at the depot, and ensured that all incoming trains were met.
On October 12, a train containing roughly 50 potential strikebreakers arrived from Birmingham, Alabama. When it stopped en route in St Louis it had picked up members of the Thiel Detective Service, an organization similar to the Pinkerton Detective Agency. They were armed with rifles. Additional armed security were posted on the nearby timber wall. When the strikers attempted to prevent the train from discharging passengers the “detectives” opened fire.
Many of the strikers fired back. Seven strikers were killed. At least four and perhaps as many as six of the hired security guards were also killed. More than three dozen strikers were wounded. After a gun battle of about 20 minutes duration the train pulled out of the station. None of the strikebreakers aboard the train disembarked.
The Governor of Illinois was outraged by the attempt to break the strike and by the use of African American miners to do it, ordering the National Guard to prevent another occurrence, using Gatling guns if necessary. By November the mine owners and the UMW reached an agreement to allow the unionization of the mines, but maintaining them as segregated.