The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-07-11

rpcIisb Ind. July l. Startling re-
,orts of a desperate riot at SIBERIA
porrv county, are coming in by tele-
,,hono and couriers from the scene OF
.hn encounter. DR.. William Lomax,
Of the " hite Sulphur Well, has just
telephoned that thousand men ana
women look part in the tight. Ihree
men are dead, four fatally hurt ana
fifty seriously injured.
The dead are Fred Elmer, William
Cplse and Frank Hart.
Those fatally hurt are Peter Ben
nett, Robert Dodge, Abner Stroud and
samuel Wilson.
Siberia is but q hamlet of a few
dozen straggling houses and a Roman
Catholic church, the congregation or
which is composed of Germans. They
are a simple and inoffensive people.
but have been greatly annoyed recent
~ by persons opposed to their religion.
They planned to enjoy great picnic
in the woods surrounding the village.
The entire population turned out to at
TEND a picnic and all went smoothly
enough until several gangs of disturb
ers appeared on the scene and began
10 make trouble. There were a mum
her of booths on the grounds where
iptoyicants were served. These were
literally patrOniZed by the intruders
who soon began to insult the Germans
and their wives The priest, who was
present counselled his people to avoid
trouble if possible. and TO pay no at
tention to the jeers of the half-drunk-
en- marauderS. Mistaking his tolerance
for cOWardiCe. the intruderS became
holder and soon precipitated fight
which in a few moments assumed the
proportions of a desperate riot. Clubs,
chairs and beer bottles were brought
into play and the peaceful picnic was
Immediately transformed into a great
group of struggling, cursing men and
screaming women.
Samuel Wilson. a leader of the out
siders. was armed with huge knife
which he welded on every side, stab
bling and cutting many persons. He
was finally opposed by Il sturdy Ger
man who was more than match for
him until Wilson plunged the knife
into his neck. AS the man fell his
wife Sprang through the crowd and
dealt Wilson a terrible blow with
beer bottle. crushing his skull. Dur
ing the melee one of the intruderS
kicked a woman about to become
mother killing her child and fatally
iniuring her.
II soon became apparent to the at
tackug party that they would be an
Initiated if the fight was continued,
and, after their leader was stricken
\ down they ran hastily through the
woods TO where their horses were
tethered and escaped. leaving three
or their number on the ground for
dead
Cots and filters were hastily impro-
ViSed and the dead and wounded were
removed To the church in the village
AMI all the physicians in the neighbor-
hood called upon. DR.. LOmaX, n sur
geon of White sulphur Well. and his
TWO assistants. We're kept busy all of
The night caring for the wounded. DR.
LomaX states that he saw fifty-fUur
injured and believes that several Of
them will die. He sa"s that the fight
began ut ) o'clock in the afternoon
and continued for an hour.
y telephone message says that ut
least twenty of the injured will die A
courier from the scene of the battle,
VINO was sent for supplies for the sur
geohS, states that three persons are
DEAD. Two of them were members Of
the picnic party and the other is Will
son. the leader of the rioters.