The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-21
ANhRCHY,
Almost a Reign of Terror
in Luzerne County,
Pennsylvania.
"A Mob of Foreigners Who Commit
All Manner of Grimes and
Go Unpunish.d.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Nov. 5.-There are
read stories of the numerous murders,
highway robberies and crimes of all kinds
committed in the wild and woolly West"
and thank kind fate that they are priv-
legged to live some thousands of miles from
such unsettled and crime-infested country,
who, were they to look nearer home, would
lind region where an epidemic of crime
far greater than that in the West and al
most beyond belief is raging, and where
criminals are openly defyirg the authori-
ties. This may sound preposterous, and to
one unacquaint ed with the facts it will
seem SO. 1t is difficult to believe that
within a short 80 miles from New York, a
four five hours ride on a railroad,
murders are of almost daily occurrence,
highway robberies beyond number are COM
mitted, and houses are boldly attacked by
robbers, while smaller crimes are as diff
cult to count as a swarm Of humble bees.
Yet it is So Murders and robberies are
rife in the anthracite coal regions, men
Stay each other for trivial causes, and 8
times out Of 10 escape; whereas, the I'M
formalty of arrest and perhaps, not al
ways a trial, from which he escapes with
slight sentence.
The coal regions center in LuZerne, Car
bon and Schuylkill counties of Pennsylva-
MIA, and the tracts are known as the
Wyoming, I-ehi9h and Schuylkill regions
Each succeeding day the authorities of
these coal fields realize more and more the
Tact that they are confronted with the
enormous task of suppressing the epidemic
Of crime which is now raging, and has
been steadily increasing during these 10
Fears. The counties have grown wonder
July during these 10 years, and the in
crease of crime came naturally with the
Ocrease of of population; but the system
lf detecting and Furnishing the criminals
heteriorated, until at present the offenders
are practically unchecked in their lawless-
ness. During the last few month crimes
of such daring character have been COM
mitted that there is a universal demand by
the respectable and law-abiding citizens
that the authorities take immediate action
and do everything within the power of
money to protect the reputation OF the re-
sion and the lives and properties of the
citizens.
In this region during the 10 months of
this year there have been nearly 100 muir
ders, and the authorities have been able to
catch and convict but II nurderers, and
none in the first degree. Last year the
number of deaths by foul means bordered
close upon 800, with a ridiculously small
proportion of arrest and convictions, and
again, none in the first degree. In 1892 the
number Of murders about the same as
the year following and for the entire lot
not one man was punished by hanging
trimeOlogists, if the word is admissible
say that crime like disease is conta gious
and the records of the coal regions sub
stantiate their assertion beyond all shadow
of doubt. In fact it is not strange when
the criminals are unhndered III then.
bloody work that crime becomes epidemic
and the list of murders and robberies I'M
punished is appalling.
OF the three counties I.uZerne certainly
suffers the most from this wide spread
laWlessness. 1t is the third county in
Pennsylvania IN regard to population and
wealth, and is one of the most important
counties in the Union furnishing as it does
the larger portion of the coal used in the
country. It's chief city, Willlesbarre, from
where | writing is one of the prettest
cities in the Union. it's people are cultured
1t has fine seminaries and academies beau
and vet it is the center of region stained
with the blood of hundreds of unavenged
men, women and children. For some years
there has been a constantly increasing
feeling of Indignation at the inactivity of
the authorities, and their apparent lack of
power to prevent the numerous crimes
which are daily occurring within a few
miles of the heart of the city. Now, how
ever, owing to two dastardly murders al
most the city limits, the feeling has
reached fever heat and the county COM
miSs;onerS have been called upon to act
once and decsively, and spend 100000 if
necessary in providing means for the de-
lection of criminals throughout the coun-
ty. The two crimes which have been the