The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-25
-FOUR STRIKERS KILLED
Another Bloody Conflict in the
Coke Region.
THE DEPUTIES oBEYED ORDERS.
They Were Instructed to Shoot to XIII,
and Met the Mob with Buiiets-Efght
strikers Wounded, Some of Them Nor
taIly-Three Deputies Slightly Hurt.

strikors Wounded, Some of Them Nor
taIly-Three Deputies Slightly Hurt.
UNIoNTowN, Pa, May 25.-The long
threatened attack by striking miners on
the pits of the Washington Coal and Coke
company at Sickle Hollow, in the fourth
pool district, on the Monongahela river,
was made yesterday, involving another of
the grim tragedies that characterize the
lrrepressible conflict. The fight was one
of the fiercest in the history of the mining
troubles in western Pennsylvania, and in
the section where it occurred, as well as
throughout the whole coke region, the sit
untion it has developed is one of the most
intense excitement and dread uncertainty.
-Four strikers are lying dead, and double
that number are badly wounded, some of
them mortally. Thomas Kenan, of Woods
Run, is the only American killed in the
encounter with the Slavs. The wounded
men, who fell under the first yolley of the
deputies. were taken off the field by the
retreating strikers, and even now the ac-
tual number of wounded Is not definitely
known, their friends having the strongest
motives for concealing them. They will
not even claim their dead, and nobody has
come forward to speak for the remains of
the poor fellows who were killed
John Troy, of Fayette City, was badly
wounded, and will die. He is prominent
citizen of that place, and was formerly
school director
1t is perhaps too soon to attempt to APP
portion the responsibility for the killing
In the mass of confessed and contradic-
tory statements there is testimony to show
that the strikers while threatening an Mt
tack had committed no overt act of law
Lr,r u -
lawful assembly; that the deputies fired
on them absolutely without provocation
that would warrant the use of deadly
weapons, and that some of the killings
were particularly cruel and unjustifable.
Then there is equally abundant testimony
to show that the deputies simply defended
themselves and their charge from the
rushing assault of an armed and blood
thirsty mob. The strikers furnished all
the dead men; not a deputy was fatally
hurt, and only three of them wounded
The fl ght occurred in the public road
way leading to the Sickle Hollow plants
Two thousand strikers, after camping
near the works all night, came out there
to intercept the men on their way to work,
induce them to come out and help win the
strike. A few of them carried Winches-
tiers, while fully fifty others were armed
with shotguns, muzzle loading rifles and
revolvers. Because of their threatening
demonstrations and the fact that they had
given notice to the company that they had
come to drive off the deputies, IL neces-
sary, there were ball cartridges in the
Winchcsters carried by the guards, and
the entire outfit at the works was in gen.
eral readiness to receive raiders. The
deputies had specific orders, and it is ad-
ii . 1. 4
them directions to shoot to kill.
When the workmen on the way to the
pits came TO where the strikers were gath
cred on the road they were asked to go
home. They were about to do SO when
the deputies rushed into the midst Of the
crowd, got possession of the men and
marched them to the pit. A deputy sher-
iff in doing this fired shot, which started
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
were forced to give up the fight and re-
treat to escape the rain of bullets from
the Winchesters. 1t is said the strikers
were advancing on the line of deputies
when the latter fired the first shot.
Sixty-six of the strikers were placed un-
der arrest and are now In jail, in charge of
twenty-five deputies. The men are nearly
nll native born citizens, Intelligent look
ing, and several of them are known to be
men of influence and good reputation In
the fourth pool district.
Mr.. Raiuey has ordered four Gatling
guns for his plants. One arrived yester-
day and was put in position at once. The
shells for the guns are already here.
IaT tID.,,, H.,
company has been defying the strikers
and running full handed, under the gaze
of camp of 300 strikers, is alarming.
Strikers from the southern end of the re-
gion marched to Hill Farm and joined the
men who have been camped there, and are
said to be planning an attack on the
works. The plants are guarded by fifty
deputy sheriffs. The strikers say they
cannot expect to win as long as some
plants are allowed to run, and are deter
mined to force all the plants to shut
down. regardless Of the loss OF life it may
occasion.
The killing has hnd an effect on the
strikers in the coke region that may de-
velop grave results. The region has been
full of marching strikers all day At 8
O'Clock last evening car load of new men
was run into the Kyle plant The strikers
gathered arouud the men and drove them
from the works with rush. The men be-
came confused and took to the country,
scattering iii every direction. The strikers
are defiant, aggressive and eager to act.
The foreigners are greatly enraged over
the killing oil their people, and are show
Ing reckless disposition to retaliate on
general principles. The leaders, too, are
changing their positions. Early in the
strike President Barr took stand against
the marching, and advised against it, re-
questing the men to remain away from
the plants, and to stay at home. Yester-
day he took different stand and isaued
an address calling on the strikers to Keep
on marching, and advising them to meet
frequently. A thousand strikers We're
around the Jimtown plant yesterday, but
did no violence. Four hundred of them
left last night and will march around the
southwest plants today.
Georgia'a State seeretaryship.