The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1877-09-27
DEPREDATIONS by STRIKERS.
Gangs of Marauders Carrying oil Wagon
Loads of Produce and Provisions.

DEPREDATlONS Bf STRlkERS.
Gangs of Marauders Carrying oil Wagon
Loads of Produce and Provisions.
From Carbordalc Pa, Letter
3 For some weeks delegations from the
striking miners ut this and other places
in the upper Lackawanna region have
circulated among the villages and farm
ing districts of the adioining1 counties
of Wayne and Susquehanna, soliciting
contributions of produce, provisions,
clothing, &c; their appeals were oratime
responded to quite liberally. The visits
of these begging committees became so
frequent, and their requests so cheeky, y
however, that the people We're unable to
comply with them, and refused to con-
tribute further. Since then summary
proceedings have been adop ed by par
ties acting in the name and on behalf of
the miners. The border townships of
Wayne and Susquehanna counties are
daily secured by these gangs, number
ing from five to fifty men. They go
about among the farmers with teams
and wagons which it is said have been
pressed into the service. A demand is
made upon a farmer for supplies. If he
declines to contribute from his store of
potatoes, cabbage, pork, flour, or what
ever may be demanded, the men go to
work at once to levy upon his stock.
They dig up his potatoes, strip his gar
den, roll barrel or so of pork from his
cellar, and help themselves to whatever
they see fit. Frequently they kill and
dress a COW, a hog, or calf, and load
it in with the other things If the
family wash happens to be on the line,
selections are sometimes made from it,
and clothing has been taken from the
houses in some localities. A foraging
party of this kind raised five wagon
loads of potatoes, pork, flour, and other
necessities in Mount Pleasant few
days ago. Acres of potatoes have been
dug up in Canaan and Salem townships.
The village of Hamilton, in the latter
township, was visited by one of these
gangs of marNuders the early part of
this week. They bulldozed the inhabi-
tants, and dug up several.. lots 'of pota-
toes and took large quantity of cloth
ing and other articles. Few farmers in
these townships have escaped without
the loss of large shsrc of their crops,
and many head of beef cattle and COWS
have disappeared. The last visit of the
"Mollics," as the rural population call
these desprcdators, has stirred up that
part of Wayne county, and farmerysand
villagers have formed themselves into
armed vigilance committees, and are
determined to give the next foraging
party warm reception.
Yesterday five men called at the house
of farmer near Dundail, in Susque-
hanna county. They demanded pota-
toes, flour, calf, and lot Of cabbage,
for the aid of miners in Carbandalr
The farmer told them that he could not
grant their request. He invited them
to dinner. They ate with his family,
and then repeated their demands. The
farmer repeated his refusal. The men
then proceeded to dig up his potatoes
and to confscatc other things about the
farm. The farmer started togo to Dun
daft to get an officer and aid to capture
the men. One of the latter fired two
shots at him, and compelled him to re-
turn. He was then shutup in the house.
The men filed their wagon with potN-
toes, and drove away. They drove Il
mule, which the farmer took to be n
mine mule. The miners here say that
the men do not belong here, and charge
them with being tramps. Prominent
strikers declare that these compulsory
acts are not sanctioned by the miners at
large. They say that the most of them
are the work of outside parties, who
have taken advantage of the situation to
profit by it in the name of the miners.
A few days ago party of men, be-
licvcd to be miners, entered the pas
turc lot of farmer named Warman,
near Plymouth, and butchered COW.
They deliberately dressed it in sight of
the farmer, and as deliberately carried
away the meat.