Oregon union. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1897-1899, 1897-09-17
MOVED DOWN.
Hazleton Strikers Are Shot Like So
Many Sheep.

Hazleton Strikers Are Shot Like So
Many Sheep.
Hazelton, Pa, Sept. 13.-The strike
situation reached terrible crisis on
the outskirts of Latimer this afternoon,
when band of deputy sheriffs fred
into mob of miners. The men fell
has been SO intense that no accurate
figures of the dead and wounded can be
obtaind. Reports run from 10 to 30
killed and 40 or more wounded.
One man who reached the scene to-
night counted IS corpses. Four other
bodies lay in the mountains between
Latimer and Harleigh. Those who
Were uninjured carried their dead and
wounded friends into the woods. Esti-
mates are battling.
Three bodies were found tonight on
the road near Latimer
The strikers left Hazelton about $3.50
O'Clock this afternoon, and it was
their intention to go to Latimer. AS
soon as this became known, band~of
deputies was loaded on trolley car and
went whirling across the mountain to
the scene, where the bloody conflict
followed.
After reaching Latimer, they left the
car and formed into three companies,
under Thomas Hall, E. A. Hess and
Samuel B. Sercy. They drew up in line
at the edge of the village, with fence
and line of houses in their rear
Sheriff Martin was in entire command
and stood in the front of the line until
kLa CD o,,,>rooohaI
seen coming across the ridge, and Mar
tin went out to rect them. The men
drew up sullenly and listened in silence
until he had once more read the riot
act.
This finished, low muttering arose
among the foreigners, and there was
slight movement forward. Perceiving
this the sheriff stepped toward them
and forbade them to advance. Some
one struck the sheriff, and the next
moment the command was given to the
deputies to fire.
The guns of the deputies instantly
belched forth terrible volley. The
report seemed to shake the very noun
tains, and a cry of dismay went up
from the people.
The strikers were taken entirely by
surprise, and as the men fell over each
other, those who remained unhurt
stampeded. The men went down be-
fore the storm of bullets like tenpins,
and the groans of the dying and wound
ed filled the air.
The scene that followed was simply
indescribable. The deputies seemed to
be terror-stricken at the deadly execu-
tion of their guns, and seeing the liv-
ing strikers fleeing like wild men and
others dropping to the earth, they went
to the aid of the unfortunates whom
they had brought down.
The people of Latimer ruhsed pell-
NELL to the scene, but the shrieks of the
wounded drowned the cries of the SYM
pathizing and half-crazed inhabitants.
A reporter who soon afterwards
reached the scene found the road lead
ing to Latimer filled with groups of
frightened Hungarians. Some sur
rounded dying companions, and others.
conner and begged his protection.
At Farley's hotel were two men lying
on the porch. Both had been shot in
the head. One had three bullets in the
thigh. His groans and appeals for a
doctor were heartrending.
Ali along the road the wounded men
who were able to leave the field of bat
tie scattered themselves and sought the
shade of trees for protection, but there
was no need of that then.
Approaching the place where the
shooting occurred, people were met
wringing their hands and bemoaning
the catastrophe. They could not talk
and it was with the great
est difficulty that information could be
CLEANED.
All along the bank of the trolley
road men lay in every position, some
dead, others dying. Three bodies, face
lay along the incline, while
others were but short distance away.
On the other side of the road as many
bodies lay. The schoolhouse was trans
formed into temporary hospital and
some Of the wounded were taken there.
The colliery ambulance waE sum-
moned to the place as soon as possible,
and upon it's arrival, two men, bot
shot through the legs, were loaded in
the wagon. All along the hillsid,
wounded men were found, on the road
side and in the fields. Many miners
" no had been carried to distances could
not be found.
AS soon as the news of the shooting |
reached Hazelton, there was consterna-
ton. Within 10 minutes. the streets
were blocked with excited people. The |
Lehigh Traction Company Immediately
started number of extra cars on the |
Latimer line. and doctors and clergy
men responded promptly.
During the excitement, the deputies
turned their attention to the wounded, |
and carried many of them to places |
where they could be more comfortably
treated.
Martin Roski, an intelligent Hun
garian from Mount Pleasant, who was
shot in the arm, was seen by reporter,
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 passage.
We tried to go through them, and did
not attempt to hit or molest them, when
they fred upon US. We ran, but they
kept on shooting at us while we ran.
1t is all their fault"
Citizens meetings were held at vari-
Gus parts of the city tonight. Opinion
was divided about the responsibility for
the shooting. At one meeting held in
Van Wvckle's casino attended nv hank