The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-13

UNIONTOWN, Pa, June 10. - The
truce is ended and the armed deputies in
the coke region had to kill or be killed.
One striker killed in his boots, two
others dying and another shot through
is the result of a battle this morning at
Lemont. There were six deputies on one
side and a mob of strikers on the other.
Unbiased testimony is in the main to the
effect that the mob not only provoked,
but compelled the deputies TO fire on
them after the strikers had compelled
them to retreat and had fired several
shots at them.
The circumstances that led up to this
latest of the many tragedies of the coke
region were developing since yesterday
afternoon. Four American workmen-
John Delaney, oliver Atleby. John Britt
and James Furlough-who live at Leisen-
ring, have been working at the Frick
coke company's valley works for some
time. They came TO New Haven yes
terday afternoon, where they were to
take the Leisenring electric road for
home, where they had not been for a
month. AS soon as they alighted from
the train at New Haven they were sur
rounded by a mob of several hundred
strikers from the Trotter and other
works in the vicinity. The strikers first
beat the four worAmen and then put
tags on them bearing the inscription,
"Blacklegs," also covering them with
chalk marks. They then marched their
prisoners to the Leisenring works and
from there to Trotter. Morrel, and in
fact to all the works on the line from
New Haven south, holding them up as
decorated samples of "scabs' for the
Tevilings and abuse of strikers every
where. The four prisoners were sub
jected to all manner of insults and in
dignities, TO such an extent that many
of the more rational strikers protested
that it was cruel and cowardly for so
many men to assail four helpless fellows
in that way.
The Frick coke company heard Of the
perilOus position their workmen were in
and called on Sheriff Wilhelm to release
the men from the custody of the mob.
Field Deputy Matt Allen and six men
were sent 10 New Haven on the evening
train They were misled by false in
formation the friends of the strikers
battling them at every turn. but they
followed every clew they could find and
were securing the country all night in
SearCn OF the llOD. lutN were lIlEkEu
by the fact that the whole matter was
a conspiracy in which different mObs
were concerned, and when one crowd had
tired of the prisoners or were pressed
closely by the pursuit the four prison
ers were handed over to another crowd
and the former gathering would disperse
to their homes. The prisoners were
especially ill-traated when their captors
marched them to their homes. where the
women and children slapped and spat
upon them and called them vile names.
The women at every plant they passed
were the most violent in the abuse Of the
"scabs." and the little children screamed
''blacklegs" at them and struck them
with their tiny fists.
Pitched Battle.
1t was daylight when the squad of
deputies reached Lemont. They had
been Joined by Superintendent Slater of
the Leisenring plant, who had helped in
the all night hunt
Not long after daylight the men be-
gan to assemble on the commons by the
hundreds. They engaged in the widest
demonstrations. When Deputies Michaels
and Hastings came from under cover
they were quickly discovered. Then the
mob raised a howl and surrounded them.
Many Of the strikers had revOlVers and
ali carried clubs They moved against
shower of clubs and stones.
AT this juncture Deputy Allen and three
other deputies came up. Allen was
mounted. Riding up to the advancing
crowd of miners he told them to go back,
saving he did not want any trouble, and
that there would be trouble if he or his
men were attacked or injured. The
answer TO Allen was general yell and
one of the strikers covered him with his
pistol and fired. The shot was a close
Of Allanfc head Hen
turned in his saddle and called to his
five men to fire. Each Of the men afoot
had a Winchester and Allen had two
revolvers. They opened fire together and
the strikers stood to ii and fought game
lV The first shots were fired by them
and they fired as cooly and as rapidly as
did the deputies. They kept closing IN
on the men who We're working the Win
chesters. realizing that the rifles would
be useless in the melee at close quarters,
while their own revOlvers would be just
as effective as those of the officers
The deputies gave ground but kept up
their fire They were driven to the ex-
treme end of the company's ground, where
they made a stand. BY that time three
of the strikers were down, and when the
deputies stopped and prepared to fight 1t
out there the mob recoiled-
ConceaIing the Wounded.
The instant the strikers stopped firing
the OliSSlS SeOPPON "i9O' S' ~
have things go that way. The strikers
began at once to carry away the wounded
The dead man and two who were fatally
wounded were left in the road where they
fell. but there were others who were able
to get away with little assistance. There
were so many shots fired at close range,
the firing being continued for a quarter
of an hour, that number of the strikers
must have been hit.
The number of wounded may not be
known for several days. as they will be