The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-06
AN EXCITING TIME
AMONG THE RAILROAD LAeoRERs
On til. Ohio River Road Near observation-disclosures
,InfarI,tsd BY the Accidental KnllnE. Of
Two Of Their Number Attack Their
COIOrsd Fellow .Labor.rs.

The people down about slstesGyllls were
greatly excited last week by an occurrence
which tjok place among the laborsrs on the
River railroad near there. A large number
of Italians are employed in the work Of pre-.
pairing the roadbed and close by them o party
OF negroes are also at work Two OF the
colored men we're employed In blasting rock,
and when they were ready ID discharge a
blast thty warned the other lAborers 10 seek
places OF safety. This the negroes all did,
running to q safe distance. The Italians
were content 10 seek shelter behind rocks
aud trees or beneath the river bank near.
fhe charge, which was q heavy one, loosenGd
an immense mass OF rock, and detached
pieces were blown high In the air. 0ne OF
these, a sharp cornered rock Weighing per-
haps twenty pounds, fell upon the head OF
one OF the Italians who was behind o ledge
OF rock only a few yards distant, and he
was Hl 1t
INSTANTLY KILLED,
his skull being laid open aud his hesd
crushed In a sickening manner. Another
italian had his skull broken by a piece OF
stone which struck him on the forehead. He
lived an hour or SO, and suffered intensely.
Three others were more or less hurt by flying
rocks. One OF the two men who were killed
had three brothers among the 1t ,lian labor
ers, and after their first psroxySm OF grief
was over they bscame infuriated ut the dark
they had warned the laborers Of their own
race and left the Italians TO their peril. This
feeling spread among their countrymen, I'M.
til finally al attack was made by one Of them
on u negro. The latter drew a razor to de-
fend himself. The Italian gave a peculiar
cry In his native tongue, aud instantly the
whole force made q rush for the colored men.
They were armed for the most part with re-
~volvers, knives and stillettoes, though some
fthem used their picks, crowbArs and axes
as weapons.
FRIGHTENED pARKIEa
knowing they were outnumbere ! by the Ital-
iAns, and tesing they were mad with rage,
mAd- no attempt at res stance, but dropped
their tools and fed. Some OF them ran to-
ward town, followed by a mob OF Italians,
yelling and firing their rsyolyers. Others OF
the colored men took TO the hills and evaded
pursuit. Some Of them went toward the riv-
er, and were so closely pursued that they
were only able TO escape by swimming out to
some boats tat were passing, which took
them to the Ohio side Those who got
to town were also closely pressed, aud
were forced 10 take rtfu.e in q -four
mill. The q cry mob yelled and wrangled
about the door, but were afraid to break In,
and finally withdrew. The two Italians
were buried at eistersville with Roman
J Catholic services. An lHrELLIsESCER reporter
saw one OF the brothers OF one of the dead
men near Sistersv lie, Saturday. He was
/, sill inconsolable, aud the sight Uf a colored
man made him frantic. II Is the verdict oil
all who knew anything about the affair,
however, that the italians were to blame for
their own death. THEY are said to be reck.
murderous dispositions that their presence is
q constant menace to q community. Half
OF them go armed, either with their native
s~tilletto or with cheap reyolvers, and 1t Is
only a wonder that they do not have trouble
oflener than they do.