The Brookhaven leader., 1888-02-09
The READING STRIKE.
Two Outbreaks In the Pennsylvania Coal
Regions-Six Policemen Face an Angry

~
Regions-Sn Policemen Face an Angry
Mob.
READING, Pa, Feb 4-Yesterday morn.
ing The miners at the William Penn colliery
were stopped by party Of men and fight
ensued. Strikers also met the men at Rock
Bank at the Turkey Run switch and stoned
some Polanders. The attacking party were
strikers at the Philadelphia Coal Com
pany's works. The Coal and Iron Com
pany's police in disguise were with the
Poles and made a rush for the assailants,
and Thomas Ryan was captured and taken
10 the Pottsville jail The others were
chased by the police TO No. school house,
where they were met by large force, who
fired two Shots at the officers. The latter
did not return the fire with their carbiucs
for fear Of killing some innocent people.
but went back and escorted the Poles to u
place or safety.
At five o'clock yesterday afternoon when
The non-union miners left their work In the
Shenandoah City and Yves: Shenandoah
colherie-, a lot Of striking Polaniers at
tackled them with stones A squad of iron
police went at once to their assistance
caught one OF the rioters and IS re- hUstIng
hun of when The stuNcrs Ia re and res
cu"d him, and began to handle the OH crs
roughly The latter, however, succeeded
in /. caking away and started Tor The she
uaul ali CRY mine, followed by the crowd
Of ri touS strikers armed with clubs and
stones. who now numbered about a thousand,
ami who continued their attacks OF the
men aud boys cOmm- from the mtnc.
The six policemen accepted the long odds
agaIus them and returned to the a tack
They made sharp fight and took a couple
Of prisoners one of whom ;hcv landed ia
Magistrate Shocmakcr's Office, but the
crowd rushed for the two policemen with
TIE other prisoner and began TO c.uo and
beat them. Finding themselves down and
their Ives in danger, they drew their } t.
yulver- and Lieutenant Meyers fired INTO
the crowd, which scattered IN al dlrec-
lions. Mike Heffron, young man, re-
cnIved a ball IN the mouth and Is badly in
JIred; John Cutler, an IrOu founder, was
shot in the arm. another IN the neck and Il
PolaUdCr behind the ear. a shot was also
fred by PoIandcr, but with what effect
IS not known. An officer then arrested
both policemen for shooting IN the Uor-
ough.
The crowd scattered at the firing bnt i'm
mediately swclled to several hundred
freuZIcd men, ready TO wleak Vrugg ance
on any Policeman or sc;,b they cou d catch.
Tie police arrested two men and TOOK them
loving and almost demohshinL She place IN
their efforts to release their companions.
Meanwhile. in the eastern part of the town,
Boss Duncan of the kOmnOor colliery was
attacked. An officer came TO the rescue,
fired on the crowd aud arrested two ueu,
whom they took to Squire Monoggh's
office.
The two magistrates offices are On Fast
Centre street. a square and Il half 2p,.t
TIE whole space was densely packed VITA
people, a large portion Polish, who were
wild with passion. They surrounded both
Offices yelling for the officers and crying
Lynch themr' xii them!'' etc. Sud
denly u stone was thrown at Squire SHoe-
makers window. In minute the fronts
Of both offices were riddled with stones
ana their inmates had a hard scramble for
safety. Some bruised bodies resulted, but
no serious damage was done except to the
Offices, which were wrecked.
The town is IN Il erfcct uproar. Men
are ma with passion and drunk and 10
one appears TO have any power to quell
them. The borough authorities are power
less and no enc can say how he mob fury
may yet vent itself. Captain CHRISTIAN
Will mass his whole force Of coal and iron
men here, together with Captain Iindncs'
Pnkerton men. Sheriff Duffy swOre III
last night the three ire companies OF the
town as a posse cOmmltatuS prcpara' Dry for
trouble The Borough Council also had
special session and instructed Chef Bur-
CESS Bulhem to swear n special officers for
an emergency. John Dgrln. assistant
foreman al kohlnuor Colicry. was Shot at
last evening by P5Iauder, bat escaped in
jury. His assaI.ant was arrested. Thomas
Eyan, Of William Penn, IS also under ar
rest for participating in the riot. lie was
sent o jail.
At midnight the mob had dispersed and
every thing was quiet. No further trouble
IS apprcheuded for the present.
ANOTHER STRIKE THREATENED.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa. Feb. 4-The couven.
ton Of district assembly Ii remained in
session at Pittetou until two o'clock this
morning with closed doors. The session
was stormy one an he question Of ask
ing an advance n wages was thoroughly
discussed. Before adjourning it was re-
solved by "a unanimous v0t" to make
demand urou operators il the Wyoming
and Lack5Wauna regions tor an III
crease Of - per cent. This action was
placed in the hIuds Of the executive
board who were to confer with the opera
tors and make the demand without further
delay. John l.. Lee arrived III Pittston at
eight O'Clock las riLht and attended the
conclusion Of the .c,e on. Ifs arrival at
this late hour was uneNprC cd and II can
not De learned wuat part ne TO k, though
il ; GAINED ne urged the demand Tor the