The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-04-14
BLOODY ARRAY
ITALIANS AND LITHUANIANS ENGAGED
IN A DESPERATE CONFLICT
LAST NIGHT.
ONE VICTIM DIED THIS MORNING
A WOMAN SEVENTY YEARS OF AGE
SHOT TWICE.
Knives, Revolvers and winchester Were
Used in the Conhict-Three Italians
Under Arrest and Two Make
Their Escape-The Town
Terrorized by the
Affair.
ONE VICTIM DIED THIS MORNING
A WOMAN SEVENTY YEARS OF AGl
SHOT TWICE.

The borough was thrown into an intense
state of excitement last evening by one of
the most desperate and bloody street fights
in the history of the place. 1t is doubtful if
a conflict as sanguine in character ever be-
fore took place on any of the streets. 1t was a
hand -to-hand shooting and stabbing affair of
the kind read about as occurring in some
border town.
Five Italians and four Lithuanians were
directly interested in the conflict one of the
latter being a woman 10 years of age. Her
part in the affair, however was as protec-
tress of her son and, as it happens in almost
every case where one interferes in brawls to
save another from punishment, she suffered
the most The victims were:
JANE ZUKUsKI, Lithuanian, widow, aged
20 years. Shot in left side of breast and rear
of the left hip. Fatally injured.
JOE ZUKUsKI, son of Jane, "a years, single,
shot in the back, left side back and head
slashed with knife.
Joe LABANOwsKI, Lithuanian, 90 years,
stabbed and shot in back.
PETRO MACoNI, Italian, 81 years. wife
and three children; shot through left thigh.
The fight originated in the Polish saloon
kept at the corner of Coal and Catharine
streets by one Tavititus. 1t is a low
place of which the respectable residents of
the vicinity complain bitterly. AS the best
connected story goes the Lithuanians, with
the exception of the woman, and the Italians,
Petro Maconi excepted, had been drinking
in the saloon shortly before six o'clock in
the evening. The cause of the disturbance
has not been developed clearly, but it is al
legged by the Pole and Lithuanians that the
Italians offered to take liberties with a girl
in the saloon. The story of the witnesses
before Justice Williams commence with the
departure of the Italians for their homes at
''the flats" in Toole's row, which is on Coal
street. and about square west of the saloon.
The Italians, it is alleged, returned to the
saloon armed with a Winchester rifle, re-
volvers and knives. There were five of
them, Petro Meco, Mike TOmara, Mike
Mnella, big Joe' Minella, brother of
Mike, and Frank Minella, Mikes SON.
Joe Zukuski and Joe LabanOwski were
still drinking in the saloon. The Italians
taunted them to come out of the place and
Zukuski tried to comply with the request.
The Italians said if the Lithuanians came
out they would butcher them. Zukuski a
few minutes later left the saloon by rear
door with Labanowski and walked down Coal
street until opposite No. 5l5, the former 5
! home. The other boards there. When they
reached there, according to one of the wit
nesses, James Rupert the Lithuanians came
in contact with the Italian, Petro Maconi, who
| had left the saloon with can Of beer and was
| Obliged to pass the Zukuski house on the way
| to his home at the flats. Maconi had no part
in the quarrel. The other Italians had
preceded the Lithuainans down Coal street
and about 10 minutes had elapsed between
the challenges at the saloon and the meeting
with Maconi According to Rupert Labano-
wski pushed Maconi so that he bumped
against Zukuski and MagOne was then
knocked into the gutter. The five Other
Italions hastened back and then the shooting
and stabbing started. Mrs. Zukuski rushed
out of her house to try and get her son, joe
out of the conflict and while she
was thus engaged received her tive
wounds. 1t is alleged that Mike Minella
fire the shots from his "A calibre revolver
Witnesses say that at least twelve shots were
fred in the conflict. Petro Meco is charged
with having made bloody use Of knife. The
Italians jumped upon Zukuski after he had
fallen stabbed and shot Two of the Italians
"Big Joe" and Frank Minella made theil
escape Rupert says he saw one of them
draw a revolverand shoot Zukuski. Anthony
! Zukuski, brother of Joe's, then ran out OF
| the house and fired at one of the Italians.
Immediately after the shooting an east
bound electric car reached the scene and De
tective Richard Amour, who was returning
! from Girardyille a passenger on the front
platform, took in the situation He jumped
| from the car and the excited crowd directed
his attention to an alley at the end of the
/ Zukuski row of houses, where the officer
caught Mike Minella. The Italian carried d
| Winchester rifle and was hurrying away
| Amour drew his own revolver and grabbed
! the Winchester but Minella retained his hold
/ on it, Amour called for assistance, but NJ
one responded. An Italian woman tried tC
take the officers revolver, but failed and
then took one from Minella's coat pocket
and disappeared. Who the woman wa,
Amour has not been able 10 determine
While the detective was struggling with
Minella six or seven shots were fired by the
pair and narrowly missed Amour, whose
large body shielded the Italian. 1t i,
known that Anthony Rukuski fired one Oi
the shots and it is claimed that they were
not intended for Amour, but for Minela.
Finally William Ryan and Michael Hill,
went to the assistance of Amour and Minella
was overpowered and taken to Justice
Williams office, crowd of over 800 men
women and children following and the
vicinity of the Office was packed with people
Meanwhile Chief Tosh and Lieutenant
Lee went to the scene of the conflict and
arrested Petro Meoo and Mike Tamaa, who
were quietly passing along Coal street
towards Main. They were also taken to
Justice Williams office and identified as
being implicated in the affair. Several