Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-06-08
RIOTING IN FULL SWAY
STRIKERS SHOT DOWN BY
PENNSYLVANIA DEPUTIES,
Fifty Men Were Arrayed Against n
Mob Of Two Thousand Excited
Miners-Fisht Started by Depu-
ty Who Fired Into the Air-Towns
TerroriZed in Illinois.


Miners-Fisht Started by Depu-
ty Who Fired Into the Air-Towns
TerroriZed In Illinois.
The bloodiest battle IN the industrial HIS.
tory of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, oc.
CURED few mornings ago, at Sickle Hol
low. Four strikers were killel and many
others were wounded. Two thousand strik.
ers were pitted against seventy-fve dspu-
ties, hut the little bani won the fight In a
few minutes and captured large number OF
the rioters.
Only one OF the dead men was an English
speaking miner. His name was Barney No
Andrews, and he livei at Woofs Run. four
miles up the river. The other dead were
Hun garians.
The scene OF the battle was n farm onco
owned by President George WASHING gton W.
Ing midway between tho MonongHhela anl
Yhou ghiogheny Rivers, twenty-oae miles
west OF Untontown.
The Washin yton Goal an | Coke Connanv,
operating the Sickle Hollow mines, hal n
hundred men working and hal been the
only mine in that part OF the PIttsburg dis
trict that was mining any coal. The strikers
collected from various points all day an
threatened the men and guards.
They kept up their intimidation all night
and in tho morning the conhinoi forces
numbered about two thousand. They all
carried clubs and pick hanlles AMI a great
many OF them had revolverS and repeating
rifles. They kept in the public road close by
the works and watched every point by which
wOrkmen could reach the plant
Not until daylight did any of the workmen
venturat to start from their homes to the plant
and the first lot ofabout twonty was in charge
Of few deputies. They were surrounded
by the strikers and Or1eroi back homo an J
the guards were roughly handled. Another
squad at this time had nearly reached tho
mines when the strikers saw them and ma ls
O dash after them.
The deputies at the works startc at tho
same moment to protect tho wOrkmen an
one deputy frel in tho mir AMI then voll1y
after voltoy followed. The armed strikers
1ret at the deputies AMI stool th9jr grOul /,
while those without weapons hel for their
lives.
The narrow road, the scene OF tho fight,
ran through n gorge. and so preoIpitate was
the flight Of the strikers that they ha3am4
packed in the gully and tramplei on each
other in their eagernes5 TO escape. THO
armed strikers ammunition soon gave oIt
and then all fed. the deputi IS pursuing them
hotly and firing as they ran.
Many ofthe strikers broke through barbel
wire fence and across Il wheat field an'Ilo
deep in mud, and there, AMI in the gorge is
where the deputies made their arrests. Tho
strikers had more guns than the deputies,
but tho latter were scattered so far apart that
but few OF the strikers bullets took effect.
Four strikers dead bodies lay in the roa1
when tho fight was over. Three deputies
were wounded and eight strikers vera
known to have been wounded, and 1t was
thought many moro OF the njuroI were
helped away in the flight. The dead strik-
er3 were left lying in the road where they
fell.
Tho seventy-lve deputies captured sixty
six of the strikers, among them the SoWlcklcy
brass band, one Of the three bands with the
crowd. The prisoners were at once placed
in two box ears and taken to UnlOntoWn and
placed in jail.
Nearly every man arrested, except the
members Of the band. w3ro arm3 Wh9n ar
rested. After the battle was over tho men
went TO work and the usual run Of coal WAS
made.
rumor reached Uniontown that n wild
mob CT 5000 strikers, collected from all along
the Monongahela River, was marching for
Sickle Hollow to avengo tho death OF their
companions.
The killing arose out of continuation OF
the coke strike trouble, which began on
April 2, in an effort Of the men and their
leaders for better wages. The Frick Com
pany continued paying the scale. Since tho
coke strike and the coal strike OF the river
miners began tho two interests worked to-
gether in the so-called "National strike" In
the Connellsville district proper there Were
at this time certainly 16,0 900 men idle. In the
entire area OF the general or nationFl strike,
IS guided by the United Mine Worker3.
there were, also about 125, 900 men idle. Iais
last conflict arose out of one of the num9r-
Gus attempts of the strikers to raid the work
ing men and mines.
The prospect OF speedy settlement Of tho
strike by peaceable means was thought to
have been swept away BY the riot at Wash
tngton Run mines.
The news of the killing caused the strikers
to become bloodthirsty, and further riot and
bloodshed were imminent.
The leaders themselves admitted their In
ability to control the angry strikers, and sent
out formal notices to that effect.
Five hundred and fifty men marched from
Dunbar to Jimtown, and went into camp on
the property leased by the strikers few
days before. These mon served notice on
the company that they would remain In
camp until the works were closed doWa.