The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-20
A SINGULAR MURDER TRIAL
NEW POINTS or Law IN THE STATE
OF PENNSYLVANId.


The LeRisiature EnactinH Laws for Corpora-
tions-A Queer Police Force shooting nn
Innocent Man-RcsumptiOn Of Mining.
SHENANDOAH, Pa. Jan. ia trial for
murder has just been brought to a close in the
Schuylkill county Court, which In ts course and
result brings forcoly to mind the extraordinary
powers OF corporations In Pennsylvania aud the
way Justice Is administrdted hereabout. For
many years past the Legislatures OF this State
have been the mere puppet shows OF the COR
poratiOns. Thus the Philadelphia and Reading
Coal and Iron Company obtained few years
ago the passage OF a law authorizing u to estab
lsh a police force In the several counties through
winch tts road runs or In which II owns prop
erty. IL appoints the policemen aud pays them,
but the Governor commissions them 80 as tO
give thetn the same authority as ordinary police
or cOnstabulary without being under the con-
trul Of either the State or county authorizes.
Such force has been kent up ever since, and
has Oeen gre itly augmented during the past ak
months, much to the benefit Of at least a small
portion OF the scum OF society, who were not
slow 10 work Themselves into these berths, be-
Ing OF no manner OF use In any other Occupa-
ton. While the whole force Is not composed OF
sucn, yet there are lamentibly too many OF that
stamp IN IT, whose valOr tdllos perfectly with
their general standing, as 10 shown by tue fact
that squad OF hve who attempted To arrest
spmo alleged coal thieves at the shanties, on the
road between Ashland and Centralia. we're rout-
ed 10y the women Of the patch and put to flight.
On the dav OF the murder OF Ufen and Sanger
at Raven Run last summer, two young men Of
respectabity, named Yahm and Kiroey, haillng
from POttsyilio, were going along the road near
this place In quest Of work, when suddenly one
Jonu y Bren, one Of the cOmpany's policemen,
stepped out OF the woods and called out to the
young men to halt. In mortal fear of the Molly
hAcuircs, and unconscious Of any crime, they
ran, whereupon o Brion pursued them. Yahm,
IL Is alleged 10y O'brien, turned and fred pistol
shot at him, which Is deuied by kiroey, Yahms
companion. O'lirien, however, fred at lahm,
ard sh hot him dead.
O'Bnen was arrested and last week tried. He
was acquitted on Saturday, under n construc-
tion OF the law which permits of but one inter-
probation, and that " that II felony Is CONF
United, an Onirer Of the law may arrest anybody
whom he may suspect OF tho crime, without a
warrant OF arrest. aud II he finds resistance or
his hail Is disegArdod, he l. justified In shoot
ing This Is deemed good law for ihe present
desperate state vi society here, but IL Is OF dam
gerous import where there are 50 many officers
| OF doubtful character running around loose,who
| ouly men ever hong In Schu,lkili county for
murder were a negro, before black enlrancnise-
| ment was thought Of aud poor Dutch boy
| who had 40 vote.
| To-day partial resumption OF mining opera
| tions took place Ia the Scbuylkill resion, tho
| COM Exchange having decided at their meeting
ON Thursday last thst they are safe IN putting
| some OF the large sizes OF coal Into the market.
lhs does not cover all Of the collieriOs but only
| those which prepare the larger SIZES nor viii
work last longer than to the end oi tuls month,
| wnen a suspension Will again take place, to last
| until the opening Of NAVIGATION.
| IL any body c.n reconcile the high price OF
| coal with the plethora Of the market ana the
| extremely low wages OF tue miners. let him step
out aud speak.