The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-23
THE RIOT AT GILBERTON
Fatal Result of Tearing Up Rail-
road Tracks.
"a BLOODY BATTLE PREoIPITATED.

Three Mon Killed and Four Wounded in
q Fight between Citizens and Rail-
road Employes-Of the wounded Ono
May Die and Another Loses n Leg.
GILBERToN, Pa, Aug. 23.-The tearing
up of the Schuylkill Traction company's
tracks here by the borough officials re-
suited most disastrously. Seven men were
shot, three Of whom arc dead ~
For some time past trouble has been
brewing between the borough of Gilber-
ton and the Schuylkill Traction company,
whose electric railway extends from Lo-
Gust Dale to Mahanoy City, distance of
twelve miles. 1t is alleged that when this
company was seeking the right Of way
through this borough the council adopted
an ordinance extending to it certain prvi-
loges as to streets. This ordinance the
company ignored, and pl aced its tracks
Elsewhere. There has beer more or less
dissatisfaction at this action of the COM
pany, as 1t is claimed that their track as
now laid is an obstruction to regular
water course.
On Saturday evening the heavy rainfall
flooded the swampy portion of the town
through which the track is laid, and the
water was forced into the cellars of the
houses near by. This is said to have SO
lncensed the property owners and ten
ants that they demanded immediate nc
lion, and the tearing up of the track be-
gan Monday night about Z o'clock The
Fraction company were notified, aud about
10 o'clock Chief Officer Amour, of the
above company, arrived AT the scene on O
special car
The Gilberton people-mcu, women and
Authenticated about the car and mat
tnp IEg,l al l.
tearing up the tracks did not stop their
work, but continued until the rails had
been lifted fora distance Of about eighty
yards Officer Amour called upon Coun-
cilmen Stone and Reynolds, who We're
present, to assist him in restoring order
and relaying tho tracks of the company,
The request was Ignores and was followed
by bitter words from rha mob that sur
rounded these men. Se officer and All
employe OF tho Traction company each
held Winchester rifle, but upon the re
fusal of assistance made no attempt 10
use them.
All this time the people were hooting
and making unpleasant remarks bearing
on the militia, Il member Of which was on
the special car, This angered him to such
an extent that he came to the front Of the
ear, gun in hand. Whether he intended
~ uat IL VI hOL II llDL hupNIl, DtlJ u Sttbn1
later the report of gun was heard, and it
is alleged by the Gilberton people that the
shot was fired by John Briggs motor
man on one of the compauy's cars,
The shot had no sooner been fired than
tall man, whose name could not be
learned, rushed through the crowd and
pulling out revolver, deliberately aimed
It at Briggs head and fired Briggs lodged
and the bullet grazad the side Of his face
making slight wound. Another shot
was fired by some persGn in the crowd
and Briggs dropped ON the plntlorm. The
lights were turned of in the car, and
Briggs, who was shot in the leg, took nd,
vantage of the darkness and tcd. This
saved his life, for had he been found lit
would have been lynched.
The shooting continued and Oiiictt
Amour was seen to drop. lie WAS carried
Into the car and hid on the floor, with tht
blood streaming from his side and from
another wound in his right thigh. He
was removed TO his home in Shenandoah
where he died yesterday afternoon.
Fully fifty shots were fired, durinr
which James Parht. aged 25, was shot il
the right lilac region tho bullet making
its exit at the right hip. He died tive
hours after being shot William Holland
I9 WAS shot six inches balow right nipple,
the bullet passing through his body in the
neighborhood Of The left kidney. cnusinq
his death fifteen minutes later William
Counors was shot through the arm, june.
Hullihan In the head and Evan Davis
through the right knee the ball passina
directly through che joint and rendering
RmputRtion necessary. james IluIiiha
also had his skull fractured by stone
and may die.
Women tainted and were carried 10
their homes, while others rushed 10 neigh
boring towns for ply sicians aud priests.
The Traction company, of which Mr.. J
y. Baily, of Philadelphia, is president, ha,
abandoned that portion of their lire, and
1t is likely to remain idle until the court
has handled the lawsuit which will most
surely follow. Officers are now guarding
the home of John Breggs at Girardyllle
and he will not be allowed to escape
neither will it be safe for him to leave thu
house, so incensed are the people against
him
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 23-An officer nj
the Schuylkill Traction company in thi,
city said today that the company had moi
only not evaded any of its obligations, bui
had really done more than had been re
ouired of them. The road had been salts
factory to majority of the Gilberton bor
ough councils, and had been running siust
last December. "Thc best citizens of tht
borough and the better members of eGun
ellis are with US in the matter" said he
land we have appealed to the law to pro
tect us in our rights. We intend to mnk,
the borough pay for the damage it ha,
done, and we have applied for an iniunc
ton to restrain the mob from interfering
with the running Of the road"
weekly Crop Report.
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