Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-05-30
TWENTY-FIVE SHOT DOWN.
Deputies at UnIontOwn, Pa, Fire
Into a Crowd Of Armed
Coke Strikers.

ing. and six men were killed and fully
sixteen wounded. The slaughter &C.
Cured at the Sickle Hollow mines of
the Washington Coal and Coke Com
pany in the Fourth Pool. 1t cannot be
said to have been battle, as not shot
was tired by the strikers, but seemingly
without provocation the voIleys were
fired by the deputies while the strikers
were assembled in the public road.
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. They went into
camp near the plant, where they re-
NAMED until 3 O'Clock, when they ad-
| journed to the public road leading to
the works and over which the work
men would have to pass to the
pit. Here they worked a line of
defense to interrupt the workmen
and attempt to get them to return
home. According to the plans they
stopped the first delegation Of the
miners, and after little persuasion in
duced them to join the strike The
men turned back, and about the time.
1 they were starting back for their dinner,
! buckets the deputies who were on guard
and witnesses to the affair were ordered
to shoot. They fired three volleys into
! the mob at a range Of only about fifty
) yards. -
The first volIey brought forth no re-
! spouse from the strikers, who were
| thought to be well armed, but instead
they ran away in every direction, leav~
| ho Id lxr;, a.
| public road. The deputies followed
with two more volleys and were shoot
ing when the last strikers disap-
peared. The report of the affair
given by the officials Of the COM
pany is to the effect that three
strikers were picked up dead in
the road after the shooting and
about a half-dozen wounded ones,
were carried away, by their comrades.
The reports from the strikers, however.
say six men were killed and sixteen
| wounded. The company officials say
strikers served notice on them that they
| expected to assault the works, and act
| ing on this information the deputies
! considered this interference with the
Workmen as the beginning of the as
sauit, and for that reason fred on them.
Later reports pace the number OF
killed at five and the wounded at eight
and other victims of the unfortunate,
affair may be found when time can be
had for more thorough investigation
Of the results. The deputies claim that
it was not one-sided affair as at first
reported, but was a 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 depu-
ties. while the killed are all strikers.
When the workmen came to the strik-
ers in the public roads they were asked
to 90 home. The workmen were about.
to comply with the command when the
deputies rushed to the midst Of the
men, got possession Of the workmen
and marched them to the pit.
A large number Of strikers were ar
rested by the deputies to day who had.
guns in their possession and who were
equipped with ammunition. They are
now held prisoners there and will be
brought to jail together here. 1t is now
believed that the deputies had some
provocation for shooting when they did.
Rainey has ordered four Calling guns
for his plants; one will arrive to-day and
will be put into position at once. The
shells for the gun are already here.
Last night was one of mortal terror
to the citizens of the Sickle mines. The
strikers kept up the threatening dem
onstrations 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 scouting
parties were sent to keep close watch
on the plants. The force of deputies
was doubled, ali the available men in
the community being sworn in. The,
latest news from the scene Of trouble
is that the strikers have all gone and
that the situation is peaceable to-day.
The Worknen have not gone to work,
but are willing to do so as soon as the
excitement subsidies.
A battle was narrowly averted at Fair
Chance last night. Sheriff Wilhelm
sent five men to that place to do duty
as deputies at the works Of the FAIR
Chance Furnace Company. It is the.
custom of the strikers to assemble at
the station when a train arrives to see
If any new men come and to take
charge OF them as soon as they get off
the train. When the deputies, who,
were unarmed, got off the train, the
strikers thought they were workmen,
and surrounding them, took them to.
camp. They held them prisoners there
until the other deputies charged on the
camp and put all the strikers to flight
The strikers threatened an attack on the
deputies and all citizens were taking
sides with the companies.
To-day the situation at Hill Farm,
mines, where the company has been
defying the strikers and running full
force under the gaze Of camp of 800
strikers, is decidedly alarming, and an
outbreak is feared before tonight At
o'clock 500 strikers from the southern,
end of the region marched to Hill
Farm and joined the few men who have
been camped there and'wl4o are said to-
be planning an attack on the works.
The plants are guarded by fifty
deputies and conflict will result. The
strikers say they cannot expect to win
as long as some plants are allowed to-
run, and they are determined to lorce
all the plants to shut down, regardless
of the loss of life it may occasion.
EXPLOSION IN THE BARRACKS.