Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-24
Battle With Deputy Shsriffs at
Daybreak.
LANY V0LLEYS FIRED At CLO@ RANGE
Five Reported Killed and a Num-
ber Injured.
THE OFFICERS FIRED FIRST

UNIONTOWN, Pa, May 24-At daybreak
the battle which has been threatened at the
Sickle Hollow mines of the Washington
Coal and Coke Company in the fourth pool,
occurred. and as a result 1t is known that
five strikers are dead and a half dozen seri-
ously wounded
Last night was one Of mortal terror to the
citizens of the Sickle mines. The strikers
kept up threatening demonstrations, and
even threatened to visit the houses of the
workmen and give them their choice to quit
work or meet death In the presence Of their
families. Camp fires were built and scout
ing parties were sent to keep a close watch
on the plants. The force of deputies was
doubled all the available men in the COM
munity being sworn In.
Shortly before midnight last night 1000
strikers assembled at the Sickle Hollow
plants, coming from Lucyville, Fayette city.
Freeport Allenport and many other points
on the Monongahela river. Some of them
were armed, but the majority were not.
Ihey went into camp near the plant, where
they remained until o'clock. when they ad-
1ourned to the public road leading to the
works and over which the workmen would
have to pass to the pit. Here they worked
a line of defense to interrupt the workmen's
attempt to get them to return home
when the workmen came to the strikers
In the public road, they were asked to go
deputies rushed into the midst of the crowd,
got possession of the men and marched
them to the pit.
The Signal.
A deputy sheriff in doing this fired a shot
which opened the battle. There was then
volley after volley fired by each side at
close range. The strikers stood their ground
while their comrades were falling one by
one but their ammunition gave out and
they We're forced to give up the fight and
retreat to avoid the rain of bullets from
the Wfnchesters.
II is said the strikers were advancing on
the line Of deputies when the latter fired
the first shot.
1t was not a one-sided affair as at first
reported, but was battle with as many
guns on one side as on the other. and with
as much firing by the strikers as by the
deputies.
Among the wounded are three deputies,
while the killed are all strikers.
w. J. Rainey has ordered four gatling
guns for his plants, one will arrive today
ana Will be put In position at once. The
cartridges for the gun are already here.
The company officials say the strikers
served notice on them that they expected
to assault the works, and acting on this
Information, the deputies considered this
Interference with the workmen as the be-
fired on them.
A man drove here at 1:sO o'clock this
morning for the sheriff to 20 down and
take charge of the men at Sickle Hollow,
and also to take with him more deputies.
The sheriff did not heed the call and did
not go down. Deputy Sheriff Richards had
charge of the men, and Sheriff Wilhelm
considered him capable of holding the fort.
A Battle Narrowly Averted.
A battle was narrowly averted In Fair
Chance last night. sheriff sHYilh4lyA sent
five men to that place % go on duty as
deputies at the works of the Fair Chance
Furnace Company. 1t Is the custom Of the
strikers to assemble at the station when a
passenger train arrives to see IL any new
men arrive. and to take charge of them
soon they get of the cars. When the
the strikers thought they were workmen,
surrounded them and took them to the
camp. They held them prisoners there
until the other deputies charged on the
camp and put all the strikers to flight.
The situation at the Hill Farm mine.
where the company has been running un-
der the gaze of a camp of 800 strikers, is
decidedly alarming, and an outbreak Is
feared.
At2 o'clock 500 strikers from the southern
end of the region marched to Hill Farm
camped there. The strikers say they cam
not expect to win as long as some plants
are allowed to run, and they are said to be
determined to force all the plants to shut
down. regardless of the loss Of life II may
occasion.
Supt Kimbal of the Hill Farm mines is
here getting out an Injunction restraining
the strikers from camping on or near the
works.