The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-25
COKE REGION RIOT
Daylight Battle III Sickle Hollow
Results I'M Death to Five Eight
Wounded.
Early Reports Said That It Was an
Unproyoked Attack by Armed
Deputies,
But Later Adyices Say There Was
Provocotion and Considerable
Firing on Both Sides.

USIoNTowN. Pa, May 25.--At days
break the battle which has been threat
ened at the Sickle Hollow mines OF the
Washington Coke and Coal company
in the fourth pool. for the past three
days. occurred, and as q result, at least
three strikers are lying dead, and half
uozen are seriously wounded.
The exact number of killed and
wounded cannot be ascertained yet, -
they were carried of the ground as
they WE'RE moved down by the 90
Wlnchesters guarding the plants.
Seemingly Without Provocation.
1t cannot be said to have been bat.
tie. as not shot was fired by the strik.
ers. but seemingly without provocatior,
the volleys were fired by the deputies
while the strikers were assembled In
the public road.
Shortly before midnight 200 strikers
assembled in the Sickle Hollow pianrs,
coming from Lucyville. Fayetts
City, Freeport, Allenport and many
other points on the Monongahela river.
Some Of them were armed but the mas
iority were not. They went into camp
near the plant where they remained un-
til o'clock when they adjourned 20
the public road leading TO the works,
and over which the workmen would
have to pass to the pit Here they
formed q line Of defense to interrupt
the workmen and attempt to get them
TO return home.
Fired Three voileys.
According to the plans they stopped
the first delegation of miners and after
little persuasion induced them to join
the strike. The men turned back and
about the time they were starting back
home with their dinEer buckets, the
deputies, who were on guard and wit
nesses TO the affair, were ordered to
shoot.
They fred three volleys into the mob
at u range of only ahont 30 yards, Tho
first vollay trought forth no respOnme
from the strikers, who were thought to
be well armed, Int instead they ran In
every direGtion,
Leaving the Dead and wounded
lying in the public road. The deputies
followed with two more volleys and
were shooting when the last strikers
disappeared.
The report of the affair given by the
officials of the company is 90 the effect
that three strikers were picked up dead
in the ro.d after the shooting, and q
half dozen wounded ones were carried
away ly their comrades.
The reports say six men were killed
and 10 wounded.
The plant is so far back in the coun-
try that the actual facts have not yet
been received.
Another Battle Narrowly Ayerted.
A battle was narrow.v averted at
Fair Chance. Sher..1 Wilhelm sent five
men to that place TO go on duty as dep
uties at the works Of the Fair Chance
Furnace company. Ii is the custom OF
the strikers 10 assemble at the station
| wnen passenger train arrives, to see
II any new men arrive, and to take
charge Of them as soon as they get of
the train. When the deputies got of
the trains, having no gums, the strikers
thought they were workmen, and sur
rounding them, took them TO the camp.
They held them prisoners there until
the other deputies charged on the camp
and put all the strikers to fight.
The situation at the Hill Farm mines,
whore the company has been defying
the strikers and running full under the
gaze of camp of 800 strikers, is decid-
edly alarming, and an outbreak ID
feared before night.
Pianning mn Attack.
AT . o'clock q. m. 500 strikers from
fthe southern end of the region marched
to Hill Farm and Joined the few men
who have been camped there, and are
now said to be planning an attack on
| the works.
The plants are guarded by 80 dep.
uties, and a conflict will result disas.
trously. The strikers say that they do
not expect to win as long as some
plants are allowed to run, and are de.
terlniued to force all the plants to shut
down, regardless OF the loss Of life Il
may occasion.
| Superintendent Kimball OF the Hill
Fdrm mines, Is here getting ont an in.
junction restraining the strikers from
camping on or near the works.
I Firing ON bath s.des.
a report received ut II o'clock says
there was firing on both sides. The
deputies iirsd first, killing fve and
wounding eight others. Rainey hal
ordered four Gatling guns for his plants
Oae VII heN pnt in position at once
The shells Tor the gun are already here.
4 ~----------
II WAS A BATTLE.