The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-14
RIOT At THECOAL Mines:
ARSON, ROBBERY AND MUIR
DER IN PENNSYLVANIA.


SIays, Huns, Poles and Other For
eigners Determined to Redress
Alleged Wrongs by Show of Force
Coal Tipples Burned-One Killed
and Sixteen Captured.
Rioting, burning. and destruction OF prop
.erty, one man killed. dozen wounded. SIX
teen rioters captured and put the county Jail
a. Pfttsburg, Penn. and the mob dispersed. is
one days record Of the lawlessness by the
foreign element of the coal miners along
the CHARTERS branch Of the Pan
Handle Railroad between Mansfield
and Bridgevile. The risters consisted Of
Slsys. Huns, Italians. Poles. Belgians and
French. It is estimated that from S75, ,000to
100000 worth Of property has been de-
stroyed by these rioters. frenzied by their
alleged wrongs. good deal Of railroad
property was also destroyed.
The mob was the outcome OF march OF
terror in the night by: 500 men from mine to
mine within aradius OF five miles, The
formed at Woodville, about midN.y between
Mansfield and Bridgeville. The men evil
IDENTIFY intended to visit all the works within
q radius.of fve miles and destroy property.
Prom .Woodville the mob marched to various
pits, wrecking and burning property.
In the Toms Run district are the Pitts
burp Fuel Compapy's mine. the W. j. Steen
mines, the Charter Block Coal Company's
mines Nos. /, 2 and 8, the H. Z. Wick, and
the Beechment mines. In this section the
attempt was made to destroy property.
The rioters seemed satisfied II they could
Inconvenience the work G: the mines. At
most OF these places the tracks we're torn mp,
the mules were turned loose, hundreds OF
loaded coal cars were dumped, and the
wheels broken of so as to make the job COM
plete. Sections of the tipples were also torn
down. The band then proceeded down
Toms Run and across the hills to Bridge
vile.
d. They passed through the main streets to-
ward the A. J. Schultz coal mines. As they
passed C. P. Mayors general store they
made an onslaught on his place. smashing
the front windows. The occupants all fed
from the house in terror. thinking the pur-
nose of the mob was to burn them up. But
all they wanted was several cases OF pick
handles that stood within.
A boisterous clamor announced the satis-
faction of the rioters as they distributed the
spo,ls. They wont straight to the Schultz
tfppls, which extended from the hill side
out over the Panhandle Railroad tracks.
1Q6I6 W6E0 SGNOI6k tlpplO A40&k PAOoOhS os
the time, but they all fed except Dick Lay
ton. the weighmaster. He made a brave
stand as the horde Of foreigners approached.
An attempt to address them only called forth
/. terrible threats.
Pickhandles were wildly brandished, and
several weapons were levelled at Layton. At
the demonstration he, too, fed up the hill,
while the rioters scrambled to the tipple. A
dozen matches were applied to the tpple
structure, and 1t was soon mass OF flames
In a moment the entire community was
abroad and at the scene of the fire. The
rio.ers fed over the hills. Brave hands set
20 work to save the works, but nothing
.couid be done. The big tipple, valued at
$4,000 was doomed.
A railroad train, which was blocked by the
flames, was hitched to the structure, and 1t
was hauled to the ground. Twelve telegraph
wires were broken, and the railroad was so
covered with debris that all trains were de-
layed. The wreck crew was summoned from
Mansfield. and the great mass Of burning tim
her. twisted rails and iron were removed
from thstracks. Fifteen hundred people sur
rounded the scene. .I ..
> Amid this exciting scene q mans voice
rang out. All faces were turned to see who
II was. On freight car near the burning
tipple stood G. P. Mayer. 1t was 8 store
which had been invaded.
The serious look OF tine speaker and his
crave words demanded the attention OF the
whole assembly. Hspleaded with his fellow
citizens to avenge the wrong just committed.
LET US organize a band and pursue each
scoundrel until brought to justice. Patriot
Ism demands it. y ft
The! sentiment was greeted with cheers,
Including the voices Of the women and
children. ssweu do ite' 'We1n do itW
exclaimed voices and within ten minutes
hand of twenty men had gathered about
Mayer as their leader, and were clamorinS
for action. They were all American citlzens
and workingmen.
Tho band set In pursuit OF the fleeing mob,
row on their way 10 the Painters Run dis
tric. In this district are the Pan Handle
Coal Company's mines, the Esser Coal Com
pany's and Beading Bros mines. The
mob had o start on its pursuers, and while
the latter were crossing Bowers Hill they
saw the Pan Handle Coal Company's tippls
In flames.
Thfs tipple was new. having just been
completed at cost OF $4,000. The work Of
destruction was then continued at the Esser
mines. The infuriated band proceeded to
the Reading mine -,
..-, The Beading Brothers had anticipated
trouble when the store was building, and had
constructed it in the form OF a garrison.
Loopho!es were built In the sides and Win
chester rifles were kept on hand. Here the
three Bsadlings kept the bowling mob at
bay. Shots rang out from the garrison store,
and the mob, snarling, shouting and shoot
ing, finally qusiled.
It was not until Frank Staley. leader Of
the rioters, was shot through the body. he
died that night. Two others received slight
wounds The damage to the Pan Handle
Company's tipple will exceed $4,000. In
Z addition to the tipple valuable machinery
was destroyed by the fire.
The rioters then started over Bowers Hill
toward the Millers Run district. which Is
southwest of Bridgsrille. Just as the rioters
appeared in Bowers Hill they came face to
face with the band of twenty armed citizens.
The mob stopped likea herd OF startled deer.
Seeing the armed and desperate little band,
they started to run, scattering like so many
frightened sheep over the country.
The demand TO surrender was unneedsd.
Some Of the citizens raised their guns. were
about to charge. when they heard the orders
of their Captain. Capture them, but for
Gods sake don't shoot" were the orders,
and then began a mad chase.
The rioters fed, with the citizens close
after. About four miles the flight was kept
up, the mob heading toward Heideiburg,
where most of them live. Just as they en-
tered the town they were overtaGen and s:S-
teen Of them captured.