Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-12-05
The MurraySVille Riot.


had Leen anticipating trouble between
the rival companies claiming the big
gas we'll near that town, saw a number
of strangers armed with rifles hanging
around the town. The men were not
exactly a rough-looking lot, for they
were not in the garb Of ordinary
laborers. Albert Bowser, a country
constable for Irwin station, was in
charge of the party, numbering p in all i,
and whom it shortly developed were a
posse of men in the employ of Weston
& Co. There was no disorder or dis
turbance in the place during the time
the men were in the town proper.
About two O'Clock in the afternoon
the party left by twos and threes and
moved off toward the south end of
town in the direction of the gas wells.
1t was precisely 2:30 when Bowser and
his men appeared on the edge of the
disputed property and advanced to a
point within l5 feet of the gas well.
At this point large board pile, low
and long, interfered with their progress
The Weston party was about to scatter,
and surround the well, where number
of the Penn Fuel Company's men were
on guard, when Mr.. Obadiah NJ. Hay
maker, one of the original owners Of the
territory and stockholder in the Fuel
Company, leaped upon the board pile
and warned the intruders to stop where
they were, and go no farther under
penalty of the law.
This warning, instead of having a
pacific effect, only reused the anger of
Bowser, the leader Of the Weston gang,
and he rushed at Mr.. Haymaker with
a musket in his hands to which was
affixed a bayonet. Mr.. Haymaker, in
stead of retreating, stood his ground,
though unarmcd, and az Bowser came
upon him again repeated the words of
warning. Instead Of needing them
Bowser placed his weapon at "charge
bayonets," and before Haymaker could
offer any resistance the bayonet was
plunged into him and he was borne to
the earth Before he could rise he was
stabbed twice in the vitals with the
weapon, after which he was shot in the
right side.
As Bowser made his attack upon Mr.
Haymaker, the Penn Fuel Company
men at the well, who it is claimed were
unarmed, frenzied with terror broke
and ran from the ground. As they
were retreating Bowser and couple
of his men who had gathered around
on the first attack on Mr. Haymaker,
left their fallen victim, while the form
er yelled to his posse "Shoot them
down, shoot them down" His orders
were implicitly obeyed by the menials
in his service.
Five or six volleys from the repeat
ing rifles of the attacking party were
sent after their fleeing opponents, in
one instance with perhaps fatal effect.
Three men were wounded. The at
tackiDg party did not escape injury.
AS the Penn Fuel men fled from the
well one of them, who had broken
pick handle in his hand, hurled it with
terrible force and effect into the face OF
one of his pursuers The man dropped
in his tracks like log, and was picked
up insensible with his skull crushed in
He was removed to place of safety
and a physician summoned, but al
midnighth he had not regained conscious
ness, and was raving in delirium The
attending physician states that his re
covery is impossible. He is stranger
and his name is not known.
After the retreating party had left
the disputed property unguarGed the
Weston men took possession of it anc
ct once began to make their claims tC
! possession good. From the board pile
where Mr.. Haymaker bad been killed
they scared lumber for a barricade
and proceeded to build stout barri
cade around the gas well. EntrencheC
behind this they proceeded to hold al
comers at bay. The news of the affai
reached the village with the arrival o
the first of tie fleeing Fuel Company
men, and friends at once proceeded t.
the place and removed the mutilateC
body of Mr.. Haymaker. The utmos
Indignation was expressed. and for ;
time it looked as if the entire male por
tion Of the village would be involved
in the affair
| Word was at once sent to Greens
burg to Sheriff Kettering, who sen
sent Deputy SherilT3 B. F. Byers an,
}. c.. Clarke and Justice Of the Peac
to Murraysville at once, and on IT,
strength Of the reports, proceeded t
raise ii posse Of men to proceed wit
him to MurraysVille. Ctizeus {
Greenshurg were called upon and re
sponded promptly. The Skeri!T arriv
cd at the scene Of the trouble durin
the evening with party of % arme
deputies only to find the Weston part
in possession Of the property. He CI
, dered them to surrender, but they re
fused. He sent a second summons, bu
this was disregarded, and up to a
early hour next morning the Westo
crowd, with their repeating rifles bC
hind the barricade, held the fort. Th
latter, numbered twenty-five men, tn
majority Of whom were from Irwin ST.
ton, though portion were from Green.
1. burg, and others from Pittsburgh an
e Chicago.
b midnight that night the gas pro-
erty in the vicinity of the wells I
. sembled gypsy camp. Five canva
tents belonging to Pew, Emerson
Co, and occupied by their men, WEI
pitched a short distance from the well
g. One tent belonging to the Weston part
was pitched near the barricade, thoug
it is claimed that the former party W,
unarmed
That night after the victorious part
had entered into possession Of Il
property, four Of their number. Albe
Bowser their acknowledged leader, al
three of his men named Sloan. Mill
and Mechling made their appearan
in Murrysyille and were at once place
under arrest. Though late the allegC
culpTits were taken to the house