The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-22
RAILWAY BANDITPI
Citizens Wanton1Y Shot By
Armed Employees of a
Traction Company.
A TERRIBLE BATTLE FOUGHT.
GiIberton. Pa, Deluged With Blood
Tracks Torn Up to
Enforce Law.
TERRIBLE BATTLE FOUGHT.

GILBERToN, Pa, Aug. 90, 1898 The
tearing up of the Scnuylkill Traction
Company's tracks here | asst night by the
borough's officials resulted most disHs-
irously. When the company officials
heard Of the action of the Glberton
people they Immediately sent force of
men to try and effect an amicable setile-
ment. When the break in the road as
reached Pres ident r. f. Jones. Of tha
Traction Company, with Richard Amour,
OF Shenandoah. chief OF the compauy'a
police. got off the car. and in few mo-
men IS had effected settlement, and the
work of tearing up tracks was COM
menced.
In the car were number of men taken
on Mt GirardyilIe. members of the Ma
tional Guard, who had with them rifiss
belonging to the company. While ihs
railway officials were engaged in couver-
sation with the borough officers, some . OF
Car and called out Where is the Girard-
vile militiaW
A MURDERoUs ACT.
A maS named John Briggs. of Giyard-
Vile. stepped ont and said Here we are !"
accompanying his salptation with an
oath and levelling his rife fired into the
crowd, killing Richard Paifitt, aged %,
single. a spectator.
Chief Amour and President Jones had
settled the trouble and Briggs shot over
Amnur's shoulderI This immediately eu-
ragged the people and stones were fired.
Shots from the car became general aud u
most terrific battle ensued.
Chief Amour tried to subdue the
trouble, and, while in the act OF stopping
bis men, was shot In the breast AMI may
die. 1t is supposed he was shot by one
of his own mon. The bRtJle ragged for an
hour or more until the cooler headed
peoils of Gilbsrton prevaile upon the
crowd to disperse and the dead and in-
jured were then looked after
In addition to Paif1tG, William
Hughes aged nineteen. OF GilbertnH, an
onlooker, was shot and instantly killed;
Richard Counors was shot in the hand
and leg. not dangerous: Evan David,
shot In leg, which will have to be ampu-
| lated; James Hullihan had his skull
fractured by stone and may die; Briggs,
who started the rios, was shot by COM
panion accidentally, and received scalp
wound. and also wounded in his leg.
IN JAIL.
When the trouble had Quieted down.
Briggs escaped, aud running toward
Mahony Plane, hid in barn. but WAS
captured, and together with Arthur
WtFille, also member OF the GirardviIle
Militia, was taken to the Pottsville
Jail. The people about Gilberton
were infuriated at the action
OF the railway men, none of
whom. they claim, were officials of the
company. Some were employees others
were outsiders picked uD solely for the
purpose of fighting This Is shown in
| the fact that rifles were borrowed from
| members of the Girardville. militia
Amour, when he saw trouble arising,
oh II fn ahaA
and is now sorry he allowed mis- men to
be armed. Had there bean no weapons
in the posses hands 40 troubls wouli
have arisen. Everything quieted down
when the railroads force was wlthdr twn.
and outside OF an excited populace tiik-
| ing over the disturbance nothing has
transpired to cause any repetition of the
| trouble.