The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-07-11
THE GOVERNMENT
is OPENLY DEFIED.
TROOPS SHOOT DOWN RIOTERS.
Civil War is Imminent--ssnsral Miles in
Command.

United States mails and engaged i'm inter- |
state commerce. United States troops are /
on the ground in command Of General /
Miles, who was dispatched from Wash +
ington to the scene Of action by President
Cleveland. General Miles says: The F.,
orders Of the Federal ooart are being I,
treated with contempt Conditions like !
those existing Friday cannot last many !
hours without ending in a declaration Of
martial law. Then the military viii be |
supreme ON Friday United States !
marshalls fired on the mob. One man
was killed and many wounded. Humid
reds Of ears have been wreekedOr burned Z
The Illinois State troops are on the ground
guarding railroad properly.
BLOOD FLOWS IN A BATTLE.
CHICAGO. H., July 7.-Firs; blood has
been shed in actnal conflict Of arms be
tween frenzied strikers and the military,
who were endeavoring to keep the peace-
In battle on the Grand Trunk Rail
road tracks, at o'clock this afternoon,
three volleys were poured at short range
into the ranks Of furious mob by Com
pany c, Of the Second Regiment Of Illi-
nois Inilitia. who then charged One man
was killed three Others fatally wounded
and over - wounded.
Spectators assert that dozen lives were
lost, but the bodies were dragged away
from the scene by friends.
Lieutenant Reed, Of the company, also
had his skull fractured in the melee.
TROUBLE BREWING ALL DAY.
Trouble had been brewing al this point
all day. \ mob gathered early in the
morning and threatened to burn the
Grand Trunk roundhouse. The building
was surrounded, and move toward the
threatened destruction was imminent any
moment Company c, Of the Second
Regiment, We're sent TO the scene to guard
the yards.
Al day long they held their posts, the
mob slowly augmenting until O'Clock,
when it numbered fully 9DOa men and
boys. all in ugly mood. \ wreck ing
train was on the tracks, clearing away
the Instructions placed there by the mob
last night.
The mob gathered around the working
men and soldiers. They hooied and
jeered at the soldiers The troops made
no sign Of resentment.
Emboldened by this, they attacked the
troops with violence. Stones, sticks and
coupling pins flew through the air and
fell on the little band Of militiamen.
suddenly shots rang out from the line Of
the strikers. and the troops realized that
49, .r-..,-.. E.ar,.r, 4sr.1 r,..-,.
Al this moment Lieutenant Reed, who
was in front OF his men, staggered and
fell. Half dozen soldiers were wr1thing
in pain. having been struck by stones
thrown by the mob. The crowd
thought the troops were in n plight
and, with n yell, rushed toward them.
TROOPS FIRE voLLEY.
Captain Maher saw that unless vigorous
resistance was made at once, his men
would be swept away. As the mob rush
ed for the troops Captain Maher gave the
command TO fire. Instantly those Of the
company who We're unhurt raised their
pieces and fired poinl-blank at the ad-
vancing host The line of the rioters
wavered and then stopped. Again the
guns of Company G, rang out and the
riotous mob broke and fiei in ali direc-
tions. The soldiers sent third volley
after them and then pursued with the
| bayonet.
The men then cared for Lieutenant
| Reed, who was found to be suffering from
two severe wounds on the head. While
this was being done the crowd regained
its courage and returned To the attack.
THE MOB CHARGES AGAIN.
Many ofthe mob had pistols and were
crazy for revenge. Several had been
wounded, which inflamed the rioters all
the more. With terrific yells they rush
esl again toward the troops.
For thirty-eight men, some of them
crippled, TO attempt to cope with howl
ing mob of two thousand w0uli have
been folly. II would only cost them their
lives. Captain Maher ordered his men
10 board the train and escape. This was
done, and the soldiers moved away, amid
the jeers and derisive shouts Of The mob
who were left in possession Of the field.
SHOT To SAVE THEIR LIVES.
1--WE were b men against mob of
ma said one of the militiamen, after
the affray, to "a reporter. I'VE were sur
rounded ON every hand by bowling riot
I ers and had nothing to do but shoot To
save our lives. We were protecting the
wrecking train and the mob WAS lettering
about Us in an ugly manner, making all
sorts Of threats and using the vilest Ian
guase.
''rheir talk lei quickly though, to az
open assault, and we had to shoot or be
killed. One man in the crowd hurled
brick that struck one Of our men. Anoth-
er fellow fired a shot. We were retreat
ing, but when the shot was fired
we turned and poured volley into them.
This had little effect. II seemed 10
make them more desperate. They drop
ped back for moment, and then came
at US with determined. angry howl,
such as might be expected from furious
animals. The second volley was treated
with the same contempt. except by those
who were struck by our bullets.
CANE on WITH A MAD RUSH.
''They came at Us again with the same
mad, terrible rush. They outnumbered
us 3oO to one, and they knew they had US
at their mercy. We fired again, partial
ly checking them, and then jump
ed. We fired twice or three times all
around and then jumped for our train.
I'VE were lucky in getting out, for If
we had staid there. we would have been
killed-every man of Us. II was the most
murderous mob l ever saw, and il vii!
take more than one company or Ons regi-
ment Of troops 10 hold them back
The police gathered up the wounded OF
whom there were more than twenty.
They declare that three or four persons
were killed outright, and spectators swell
the number to a dozen.
The news of the repulse OF Company
was carried TO General Wheeler and to
General Miles. II was decided TO send a
large force of regulars and battery OF
light artillery to the scene at once with
orders to quell the mob at all hazards.
REGULARS AT WORK.
CHICAGO, July S.-The seat Of war in
the great railroad strike was transferred
to-day 10 Hammond, Ind. just across the
border line and where, from an early
hour mob violence reigned supreme.
Two companies of regulars were des-
patched 10 the scene. Late this afternoon
there WAS a pitched battle between the
regulars and the mob.