The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-05
A COKE STRIKER SLAIN.
ONE OF THE LABOR LEADERS
SAYS 1T WAS MURDER.

NOAVSO IN LQS 00OOLluR-I06 strikers
Greatly Excited and Vengeance
Theatened-The Leisinring Plant No.
3 the Scene of the Shooting.
UNIoNTowN, PA, May Another col-
and deputy sheriffs, the result being one
striker dead and one seriously wounded.
Last night Superintendent Gray and Pit
Boss Callaghan of Leisenring No. 5 went TO
house No. II to rescue two of the men who
had been at work and were being held at
that house by strikers. They were set upon
and stoned and the deputies came to their
aid. One Of the strikers tried to take gun
from one OF the deputies, when a shot was
hred by the strlkers Supt. Gray then or
dered the deputies to fire, and in the volley
which followed John Mahan, q striker fell
dead. and another, whose name is not known,
received a mortal wound. The strikers then
scattered and the two men who were held
prisoners were rescued and taken to Lessen
ring. The situation is now reported quiet.
THE PEOPLE GREATLY EXCITED.
PfrTsBURG, PA, May 4-The Chronicle-
Ietegraph's Scottdale pa special says:
THE labor people are in a wonderful state
OF excitement to-day over what they term
the cold-blooded murder of one of their
number at Leisinring No. last night.
John McSloy, member of the executive
board, has just arrived here from Dunbar,
where he swore out warrants for the arrest
OF Supt. Robert Gray, Yard Boss Agnew,
Pit Boss Callighan and two of the Pinkerton
guards, charging them with the murder Of a
Slav named John Mahan.
HOW THE KILLING OCCURRED.
'In making statement OF how the muir
der occurred McSloy said: Last evening
nhOvn 10
house No. II and endeavored to persuade
the men to return TO work this morhing.
Failing in their efforts, they became some
what chagrined and left the house. When
about 100 feet away they met Mahau
and several others, who, know
ing their business, commenced jeering
and laughing at them. This seemed
to enrage Supt. Gray and party, who drew
their Wlnchesters and fired at the men.
Four shots were fired and Mahan fell dead
having been shot through the head. One
other Of the party was shot in the nose, but
not dangerously injured. Warrants were
sworn out before Squire Cotton, and arrests
will follow.
SWEARING VENGEANCE.
THE labor people are swearing ven-
geance, and more trouble may follow in the
next few hours. The coke company and
the people charged with the shooting re-
fuse to talk on the matter. The coroner
has been notified and will investigate.
"At Broadford Sheriff Mccormick
made twenty-eight evictions this
morning. 1t is reported that
there was trouble and that number of
deputies were roughly handled. Still
another story is told of the Leisinring shoot
ing. 1t is in effect that Gray, Callighan
and AgHew, all bosses, were escorting
Mahan to work, and the deputies, ,mistaking
frNy- rin
killing Mahan instantly"
FACTS HARD TO OBTAIN.
SCorTDALE, Pa, May 4.-Owing to the
excitement at Leisinring No. il is difficult
to secure positive information as to the cir
cumstances Of the killing of Mahan last
night. The most reliable accounts, however,
agree that two Hungarians, who
had left the works for a visit, delayed re-
turning, and Supt. Gray becoming suspi-
cious, he,i company with his assistants and
four deputy sheriffs, visited the house No.
IL, where the workmen were enjoy
ing themselves. Their entrance caused a
stampede among the strangers, and one of
them, Hungarian, rushed out and gave the
alarm aud 200 people were soon on the
scene. Supt Gray aud bis deputies were
followed down the hill by an angry crowd.
who came so Close that they were compelled
to back down withrifles presented.
MAHAN SEIZED A RIFLE.
They STAYED off the mob as long as pos
sible, but Maheu rushed up to one of the
deputies. seizing his rife. and then grappled
with him. The deputy fred, and the balance
followed suit. In the fusillade Mahan fell
dead, while another was injured. The re-
mains Of Mahan, shrouded in a black robe,
are lying in the coal house No.
this evening. He was evicted from
this house about a week ago, and
the strikers to-day gained possession In time
to shelter his body. There are grave appre-
tensions Of further trouble at Leisinring,
and the force Of deputies is largely increased.
Deputy Coroner Stone arrived al Leisin-
ring, impaneled jury and conducted the
examination. A verdict was rendered that
Mahan came to his death from gunshot
wounds fired by an unknown person.
THE ARRESTS.
On information of Worthy Foreman Nc
Elroy of the mine workers Supt. Gray,
Mine Boss Callighan and Yard Boss Agnew
were arrested for murder and given a pre-
liminary hearing before Squire Cotton of
Dunbar, who held the defendants for trial.
Commitments were issued and they were
taken to jail The testimony adduced
placed the blame of the shooting on SupG.
Gray.
Some thirty families were evicted to-day
at Broadford, and more would have been
thrown out had not the deputies objected
to being stoned and struck because they
were not allowed to use their revolvers on
the strikers. Tonight there are 3, 500 mon
at work, including the men at the Inde-
pendent works and w. J. Rainey's. There
is no doubt but slow and steady gain is
made upon the men, owing to heavy inn
ports Of labor. Five carloads of Italians
arrived in the region to-day.