The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-05-31
A BATTLE AT THE MINES,
FATAL FIGHT BETWEEN MINERS AND
DEPUTY SHERlFFs.


DEPUTY SHERlFFs.
Five Miners Killed and Many Wounded
and Threo Deputies Wounded-Uonfllct let
ina Stories as to tho First Shot.
UMIONTowN, Pa, May 24.-.This
morning the Stickler Hollow mines Of
the Washington Coal and Coke Com
pany, midway between Fayette City
and Layton Station, was the scene Of
the bloodiest encounter sincs the strike
began. Both sides were in fighting
shape, seventy-dve armed deputies con-
tending with q mob OF from 1 500 to
1000 striksrs, about 200 of whom were
armed with all kinds of guns. Five
strikers are dead and eight or more
wounded and three deputies were
ing all the week. The mines were the
only one in the fourth pool that were
running and men were at work.
Since Monday morning the stI ikers
have been collecting at Sickle Hollow
and the Monongahela and YoughiO.
gheny river mines, and about 200 of
them remained there all last night
Their threats of violence and the sight
Of 80 many guns In their possession
alarmed the company and the officials
wired Sheriff Wilhelm at Uniontow wn,
last night for aid and later sent man
on horseback with report Of the seri-
GUS condition they were in. The sheriff
could get no more aid to them at that
time and believed that the seventy Il We
armed guards under Capt. John M.
| Richards would be able to hold posses.
sion Of the property. The strikers
marched about the plant all night and
| occupied all the roads leading to the
| works. When the men began coming
to work at daylight today, strik ers
stopped them and droYe them home.
One report says they also made a
charge upon the deputies with the in
tention Of driving them off the works
and that precipitated the cortiict. The
Estrikers were only about fifty yards
from the deputies when the latter
| opened fire. The strikers returned the
fire promptly and stood their ground
each firing as rapidly as possible until
| the strikers ammunition gave out and
they were forced to retreat. AS the>
fed, the deputies followed them and
arrest ed great many who had guns
| IN their possession aud now are prison
ers. The deputies were fOrcedto fight fnl
their lives and their shooting was mos,
Effective. Five strikers fell DEAD Auc
eight were wounded, but it is though,
that many more were wounded anC
got away with the fleeing MOI
unnoticed Three of the deputies Wer
wounded. The plant Is now thickl
guarded by deputies, but more troubl
strikers ran for home and In an hou
not striker was in sight. The mol
was composed Of foreigners
1t was not a One.sided battle, as at
first reported, but was fought 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 wound
ed are three deputies, while the killeG
are all strikers.
When the workmen came to the strlk
ers in the public road, they were asked
to 60 home. The WOrkmen were about
to comply with the command when the
deputies rushed into the midst of the
men, got possession of the workmer
and escorted them to the pit. In this
part of the performance, deputy sher
iff fired shot, which opened up a bat
tie In which volley after yolley was
fired by each side at close range. The
strikers stood their ground while Their
comrades we're falling, but their am
munition gave outand they were forced
to give up the field and flee to escape
the rain Of bullets from the Winchester
rifles.
1t Is said the strikers were advancing
on the line Of deputies when the latter
fired the first shot. Many who hat
guns in their possession were arrested
by the deputies and will be brought t,
Jail here this afternoon. The lates
news from the scene of the trouble say
that the strikers have all gone and tina
the situation now Is more peaceable.