The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-11
Deputies Sire on Striking Miners ana the
Men Fall Before Them Like Sheep.
NUMBER GF CASUALTIES 4 lIATTER +.
Sheriff Tells Story to Defend His AcoDieren State
by an Intelligent Hun-Troops Ordered Out

paced number OIL extra cars on the
Latimer line and doctors and clergy
men responded.
Amid hhe excitement the deputies
turned their attention to the wounded
ana carried mnny of them TO places
where they could be more comfortably
treated
Martin ROski, an Intelligent Hun from
AT Pleasant who was shot in the arm,
was seen by u reporter on The car COM
ing over and gave this version Of the
affair:
We were going along the road To
Latimer and the deputies were lined
across the road, barring our progrcss
We tried to 20 through them and did
not attempt to hit or molest them, when
they fired upon us. We raG but they
kept on shooting on as while we ran
1t is all their fault"
Citizens meetings were held in va
riols parts Of the city tonight. Opinion
was divided about the responsibility OF
the shooting
1t Is estimated that when the strikers
began marching on the Hnzlc mines
they numbered about 200 Many Of tho
merl at the mines quit work and Joined
IN the march on the Latimer m!fc The
pndy ala not move with any precision
and travcrsed the highway entirely.
keeping off private property. All along
me road they seemed jubIlant over the
1uNN'f7S 1T lHc llIZle mines.
THE SHERIFF'S VERSION.
Wilkcsbarrc. Pa, September 1O-Shcr-
III Martin arrived home on the O'Clock
tram from HaHitton. He was cool and
collected. He was met ~; the depot by
his legal adviser. The Two got into n
cab and drove To the court house where
thcy were cloSeted together for some
time AT first the sheriff refused to say
n ~ h,tt l1,,
The sheriff was Mt first reluctant to saw
whether he had given the command to
fire. but afterwards admitted that he
had.
heard early this morning" said he,
that the strikers were going TO march
To the breaker ut L.atimer and conpcl
the men there 20 quit work | resolved
TO intercept them, and If possible pre-
vent them from reaching the breaker
one OF any deputies told me the strik-
crS would possibly be heavily armed
got my deputies. seventy in number. to
meet me at a certain place. They were
all armed. / told them TO keep cool un-
DER all circumstances. The trouble be-
gan at 3 o'clJck. l met the marching
column. ! halted them and read the
proclamation. They refused to nay any
attention. and started TO resume their
march. Then ! called to the leader ia
stop. He ignored my order. then at
tempted to arrest him. The strikers
closed in on me- They acted very vic
!"usly, kicking me. knocking me down
and tranpling on me. I called upon ,,,,
deputies TO aid me. and they did so, but
they We're unable to accomplish much.
| realized 'lhat something had TO be done
at once or would bo killed: | called 10
the deputies 10 discharge their firearms
into the air over the heads of the s;rlli-
erS, as Ii might possibly frighten them
/ was done at once. but 1t had no efrec.
whatever upon the infurIated foreigners,
who used nlc so much the roughcr and
became ficrcer, more like wild beas,a
than human beings. The strikers then
made still bolder move ana cndcavored
to surround my entire force. fully
realized that the foreigners were a dcs-
Rcrate lot, and valued life at Il very
small figure. i also saw that parlcying
With such gang was entirely out of the
question, as they were too excited TO
listen TO reason. and that myself and
deputies would be killed If we were not
rescued. or II we did not defend our
selves. | then called upon the deputies
TO defend themselves and shoot If they
must 10 project their lives or to protect
the properly they had been semitic guard
The next second there We're a few scat
tcrinS shots iird into the infuriated for
eignerS and a moment later the entire
force discharged q solid vOllcy into the
crowd. ] hated TO give the command
u shoot, but ] was there IN do my duty,
and did il as best ! knew now, and as
my conscience dictated the strikers
We're violating the laws Of the Common-
wealth and natly refused to obey the
proclamation that l read no them. They
insisted on doing violence and disobey-
ing The laws.
THE scene after the shootiag was
simply terrible and ] would have will
!ngly not have had 1T occur, but as q
public official was sworn to see that
the law was Obcy1d and lived up to.
ana | did my duty. Some of the for
eigncrs fell dead anu others badly
wounded: some were rushing about
seeking place where they would be
shielded from any more shots; others
We're aiding their wounded companions
to places Of safety, while here and there
could be seen men turning away some
one who was Badly injured or else dead.
The entire crowd of foreigners. as soon
as the volley had been fired. started to
retreat. They rushed off In all direc-
tions. taking as many OF their dead nnd
wounded with them as thcM were able
80 carry"
TELLS ANOTHER STORY.
In another interview Sheriff Martin
slid he first met the marching miners at
West Hazlcton. lie asked them whore
they were going and they replied: 1--WE
are going TO lIatimcr to get the men out
there"
Then the Sheriff ana seventy deputies.
armed with W!ncheSlcrS and rcSOlynrS