The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-29
THREATEN REVENGE
Pennsylvania's RiOtOus Foreign
ers in a Wrathy State of Mind.
Spies Report They Are Ready to Re-
sumo War To-Day and Avenge the
Death of One of Their Number.
ANARCHISM THEIR CREED
No Regard for Law, Ignorant and
Bound by Secret OathS.
Over 100 Armed Officers on Guard i'm the
Disturbed District-Murders and
Other Crimes.

PITTSBURG, Jan. 2S-The quiet of Sun
day prevailed to-day throughout the Mans
field coal region, the scene of yesterdays
rioting. But few strikers were seen out of
their houses and the deputy sheriffs on
guard at the various mines in the district
had little to occupy their attention. By
many. however, the calm was regarded as
preceding the storm. There are well-ground-
ed fears of another outbreak tomorrow,
and the law-abiding citizens are preparing
to meet it. Trusted foreigners who were
supposed to be in sympathy with the riot
ers were sent out this morning by the coal
operators They circulated freely with the
strikers, and this evening returned with
information that preparations were being
made to attack the works at Bridgeville,
Rosevale and Beading.
The feeling among the rioters is very Bit
ter against the Beading Brothers for the
killing of Frank Stepitz, and they assert
that they will have revenge. If another at
tack is made on the Beading works the
foreigners will meet with a still warmer re-
ception than that accorded them yesterday
There are twelve men in the Beading fam
lily, and every one is as determined and
brave as the three who yesterday put TO
flight a mob Of several hundred. Thomas
Beading says he and his brothers fired at
least one hundred shots yesterday, and he
is satisfied that If a search of the strikers
houses was made at least a score of wound
ed men would be found. Frank Stepitz
who was shot through the body, died at 10
O'Clock this morning. He was member of
the Sons of st. George, and his family will
receive a death benefit Of sl,50O. This after
noon Squire c. p. Mayer whose general
store was attacked by the mob, made in.
formation against sixteen men whom he
recognized among the rioters. Posses will
go after them in the morning. At present
there are over one hundred armed deputies
on guard throughout the region, and this
number will be doubled tomorrow, if posi-
ble
There are strong reasons for believing
that the Anarchists hereabouts are respon-
sible for yesterdays disorder. 1t is known
that the majority of the rioters came from
Bower Hill and, upon the authority of Rev.
Father Jacob Wertz. pastor of st. Joseph's
German Catholic Church, at Mansfield,
there are at least one hundred families on
Bower Hill who openly avow anarchism.
Their Bible is a radically anarchist sheet,
printed in Wisconsin and appropriately
named Lucifer, and the confession of faith
is set forth in the spurious sophistry of it's
publication. This sheet is written by an
unfrocked priest named Michael Biron, a
man of good education who fell away from
the church when in Mayence Germany. He
is now publishing a paper in Madison, Wis,
and it has a considerable number of sub
scribers in this section and in the coke
regions. In conversation, to-day, Father
Wertz said: 81 have been unwilling to
speak on this subject, but now feel that L
should no longer remain silent 1t is my
firm conviction that the movement yester-
day was of anarchistic inception and de-
sign. Not less than one hundred families in
this region avow teachings of anarchy and
do not seek to disguise it, l had hoped to
bring back these people into the church,
but it now seems a hopeless task. There Is
really no religion among them. To reform
them is almost impossible. They have no
regard for law, as they are too ignorant
to understand it's meaning, and are ripe
seed for the agitator and leader who has
his own ends to gain. / took the Wisconsin
publication for a year for the purpose and
object of trying to influence these people
against it's teachings, but was unsuccess-
full" Father Wertz said further that they
maintained secret organization, opposed to
American law. and that none but members
could secure admlttance or learn anything
Of the proceedings.
A dispatch from Mansfield says there is
considerable excitement there tonight, and
preparations are being made for trouble to-
morrow. This afternoon twenty-five men,
mers Of Company X, Fourteenth Regiment,
n. G. p, stationed at Mansfield. were
sworn in as deputies and fully as many
more citizens qualified as such. Sheriff
Richards, of Allegheny county, is in COM
mand, and reinforcements are being dis
patched to the threatened points as fast
as possible The sheriff has his forces we'll
in hand, and it is thought will be able to
cope with any disturbance that may occur.
A meeting of strikers is said 10 have been
held somewhere in Mansfield to-day, but
where, or what was done could not be
learned.
After midnight last night a number of
Italians and Frenchmen, with a sprnkling
of Huns and Slavs, appeared on the hills
above the burnt tipple. OF the Panhandle
Coal Company and made threats of burn
ing the company'S houses. The deputies on
guard fired several shots in the air and
frightened them off. They returned several
times between that and daybreak, but did
not carry their threats into execution
once they returned the shots of the depu-
ties, but no one was injured.
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