Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-04-03
RIOT IN THE E0KE RE[iI0N.
Three Thotssaud Men Raid the Moor
wood works Before Daylight.


County. Pa, March 3O.--Three
thousand men, blood thirsty and
dangerous. armed with deadly
weapons Of every kind. raided the
Norwood Coke Works Just before
daylight this morning. No one was
hurt, considerable property was de
stroyed, and lives were saved only
by the prudence of Sheriff Closson,
who withdrew his handful of de-
puties when the infuriated strikers,
like boundless herd of Texas cat
tile on q wild stampede, rushed mad
ly on the works.
There was no rebellion. 1t was a
mighty uproar, riot that swept
like cyclone through the valley in
which Morewood is situated. -Four
brass bands, from four different
points in the region, leading four
different crowds descended at the
same time from the four knolls sur
rounding the works, and as they
united in the valley the discordant
noise, Joined with the desperate
yells of the reckless mob, swelled
out like a general alarm of disaster.
The army of rioters came togeth-
er at the extreme southern end OF
the great works where they halted
for time.
While the bands endeavored to
play the Marseillais hymn the work
of destruction went madlv on.
THE WORK OF DESTRUCTION.
Everything in reach was destroy
ed. Barrows. forks, shovels, picks
and carts were wrecked and con.
sumed. The 200 ovens which had
been charged ON Thursday, and were
ready for drawing, were broken
open and were left to burn to ashes.
The long tracd on the top of nearly
mile. of ovens was torn up and
thrown into the yard. A barrow.
load OF flaming Goals was dumped
into pile of kindling at the shaft.
The company store at the extreme
north end of the plant was stoned
and looted, and the high white
washed fence surrounding the great
works was totally demolished.
Then the mob broke. The al.
legged music closed, and they es
| capped like thieves In the night.
MAKING THE ARRESTS.
| It was Just before the dawn, and
a darkness, black as Egypt hung
over the place, with here and there
an occasional oven burning hole
! in the inky clouds, Sheriff Clossor
and Morris Ramsey, however, fol-
lowed tie leaders of the raid and
arrested John Hale, j. McCarty and
J. Rensed. They were taken to
Greensbury where they were COM
mitted to Jail charged with riot and
carrying concealed weapons. In at
tempting to arrest the man Manager
Morris Ramsey was struck in the
face ty one of the prisoners, and was
seriously hurt. He was not disabled
however, and assisted materially in
landing the disorderly prisoners
Mrs. Ramsey, wife of Morris Ram
sey, who lives within easy reach OF
the Morewood Works, had been in
delecate health for several weeks
The confusion by the raid drove hef
into Mysteries, and tonight she is
raving and dangerously insane
She has been removed from hei
home and the place has been aband-
oned- She is with her brother-in
law, Robert Ramsey, at the Frck
Company's Standard Works and a
j guard of fifty men has been station
ed within reach of her room.
Frick Blames the Labor Leaders
PITTSBURG, March 30.-Henry
Clay Fricl1 president of the HI. G.
Frick Coke Company which controls
nearly two-thirds of the ovens ir
the Connellsville region, said to-day
discussing the riots;
/ "Such of our works for which we
have orders for coke will be operated
| on the terms stated in our posted
notice, if operated at all, end it is
lust as well our old employees shoulc
/ understand that we mean what we
say. Fair minded people, and those
familiar with the coke business. au6