The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-04-29

A coker's Wife Who Resisted Evic-
tfon TO the Death.


CoSxELLsvILLE Pa, April 3 s5.-B.oodshed
and riot follow ia the wake ofthe great
strike in the coke regions, Is tie bloody
conflict to-day between the county officials
and strikers az I.sisenring No 3 fully aitesis.
This morning Sheriff Mccormick, accom-
panied by thirty members Of Company c.
under Captain Frasher, procee iea to Leisen-
ring No. 3. where fifteen families were to be
eyic;ed.
The militia were marched 10 the top OF The
Hill overlooking the WORKS while the Sheriff
with ten deputies. proceeded to the block Of
houses known as "The Barracks and com
menced the unpleasant task Of e7icting the
str king cokers and their families
The most Of those TO be evicled were Huns.
It was feared from the start that trouble
would ensue, rom the fact that those to be
ejecfed in this case have eviction at every
point.
There were no demonstrations Of violence
which meant mischief until the eleventh
house was reached. Here the Sheriff was
resisted by Andy Dlassko and his wife. They
occupied a part OF the house, but not the
part OF which the sheriff hsd taken possession
The Sheriff was standing on the top step
at the kitchen door when the infuriated fe-
male mounted the steps aud made an at
tempt TO gain admission to the house. The
Sheriff ordered her to leave, but she refused,
and tried to gain an entrance by force She
was then pushed down the steps by the
Sheriff. This was repeated several times.
Finally. the woman's husband went to
aid her. The Sheriff was then compelled to
use force 10 keep the angry pair at bay.
Then the woman uttered wild, peculiar
yell and crowd Of her countrymen imme-
diately swarmed to her assistance.
The Sheriff drew his revolver and order
ed the mob 10 halt. They We're deaf to his
command and pressed on. Realizing that
words we're useless. the Sheriff opened FIRE
upon the mob. They fed in all directions
After clearing the ground the Sheriff re-
turned to his post, only 70 be attacked more
fieroely than ever by the women. While
trying to keep them back some Of the men
renewed the attack with clubs, axes, brick
bats, etc Again the Sheriff and some of his
deputies opened FIRE on the crowd, and Andy
Blassko fell with bullet wound in the leg
Martin strnrolik, a veritable tiger from
Leisenring No. /, made a desperate attack
upon the Sheriff In order to defend himself
the latter was compelled to open fire on the
wild-yellng Huns A bullet struck him in
the right cheek and came out on the left.
The victim staggered to q bakery to cover
his head until the blood ceased flowing /;
then he started for the disputed house as un-
concerned as ifnothing had happened
( 10 the meantime the attack had been re-
newed with more yigor than ever. Some Of
the mob had secured revolyers Mrs. Biasaka
among the rest. Revolver in hand, she
/ headed the crowd on the next attack. As
she approached the steps she opened fire on
the Sheriff. The latter was surrounded on
all sides, and in the fracas he received bull
let in the ankle from the revolver in the
hands Of Mrs Blasaka, who marched defiant
Is on until she received a bullet in her
thigh This together with the appearance
OF the militia, had the elect OF arreslng the
mob, aud the Sheriff notwithstanding his
wound, proceeded with his work, backed by
Company C. With fixed bayonets.
The wounded woman fell % the ground
in an unconscious condition, whore she lay
for fifteen minutes or more, her three little
children sitting beside her and crying pite-
ously. Finally some Of her friends carried
her home and put her in bed.
She lay apparently unmindful Of her sur
roundings until Sheriff Mccormick entered
the room for the purpose Of learning the ma
ture of her injuries. AT the sight Of the
Sheriff she sprang from her bed like an en-
ragged tigress aad attacked him again. i
was with difficulty that Lieut. Wakefield
succeeded in holding ner until the sheriff
could get out OF her sight.