Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-09-16
STRIKERSShOT DOWN
TERRIBLE CRISIS REACHED AT
LATIMER. PA.
ABOUT A SCORE KILLED
Marching Miners Disregard a Sheriff's
Orders and Are Fired Into by a
Band Of manifestations Fly
Like Deer and an Indescribable
Scene Follows.

Hazelton, Pa, Sept. 1.-THE strike
situation reached a terrible crisis at
the outskirts of Latimer yesterday af-
ternoon when band of deputy sher-
ifs fired into an Infatuated mob of
miners, Men fell like sheep and the
| excitement since has been SO intense
that no accurate figures of the dead
or wounded are obtainable. Reports
run from Is to 20 killed and 40 or more
wounded. One man who reached the
scene last night counted Is corpses.
| Four other bodies lay in the noun
tains between Latimer and Harleigh
| Those who were not injured carried
| their dead and wounded friends into
the woods and the estimate is baffled.
Some Of those known to be dead are:
Mike Chesloll, Frank Cheka, John
| Stanisk, George Kulick, Steve Hor-
rick. Among the injured are: George
Krese, bullets through leg, hip and
knee; John Kerlovish, shot in neck;
! Andrew Shabolick, shot in breast;
John Kulich, shot in stomach; John
Damensko, shot in both legs; George
Verchick, shot in both legs; John For
tt, shot in bead, will die; John Kle
shok, shot in hip; Kasfmir DuIsi, shot
| in breast: Jacob Ku1shot, shot through
body, will die; Steve Erskuki, shot in
body; John Koti, shot in the arm and
left side; Joseph Bobick, shot through
back; John Treble, deputy, shot in the
arm.
!: The strikers left Hazelton at $3.50 in
the afternoon, announcing their inten
ton to go to Latimer. AS soon as this
became known band of deputies went
in a car to the scene where the bloody
/ conflict followed. Upon reaching Lati-
mer the deputies formed into three
companies, under Thomas Hall, E. A.
Hess and Samuel B. Price. They
drew up in a line at the edge of the
village. Sheriff Martin was in entire
command and stood in front until the
strikers approached. They we're seen
coming across the ridge and Martin
went out to meet them. The men
drew up sullenly and listened in ST.
lence while he at once read the riot
act. This finished, low muttering
arose among the foreigners and there
was slight movement forward Per-
ceiving this, the sheriff stepped toward
them and in a determined tone forbade
the advance. Some one struck the
sheriff and the next moment there was
| q n hn Of he,
deputies instantly belched forth a ter
F.! rible vOlley. The strikers were taken
entirely by surprise and as the men
| tOppled and fell over each other those
who remained unhurt stampeded, while
the groans of the dying and wounded
filed the air. The excitement that
followed is simply indescribable. The
deputies seemed to be terror-stricken
at the deadly execution of their guns
and seeing the living strikers fleeing
like deer and others dropping to EARTH
they went to the aid of the unfortun-
ates whom they had brought down.
7 he people Of Latimer rushed to the
scene, but the shrieks Of the wounded
| drowned the cries of the sympathizing
and half craZed inhabitants.
| All along the road the wounded men
able to leave the field of battle sought
| the shade trees for protection. At
the place where the shooting occurred
the men lay in every position, some
dead, others dying. The school house
was transformed into a temporary hos
pital and some Of the wounded were
taken there. Many others who had
| been carried to a distance could not
| be found. AS soon as the news of the
| shooting reached Hazleton there was
CONSERVATION. Within ten minutes
/ the streets were blocked with excited
! people. The Lehign Traction company
| Immediately placed a number of ears
! on the Latimer track and doctors and
newspaper correspondents rushed to
| Latimer. People rushed to Latimer
| in so great numbers that the progress
| of vehicles along the road was i'm
| peded. During the excitement the
! deputies turned their attention to the
wounded and carried many of them to
| places where they could be more COM
/ fortab1y treated Martin ROski an in
! telligent Hungarian, who was shot in
| the arm gave this version of the affair:
eve were going along the road to
Latimer and the deputies were lined
across the road, barring our progress.
We tried to go through them, without
hitting them or molesting them, when
| they fired on US. We ran, but they
kept shooting at us while we ran. 1t
is all their fault
Citizens meetings were held in vari-
Gus parts of the city last night. Opin
| ion is divided about the responsibility
| for the shooting. At one meeting res
olutions were adopted calling on Gov
ernor Hastings to send the militia here
| Immediately. At other mass meetings
attended by thousands of people tie
sentiment was against the troops and
it is asserted by those that there is
| no necessity for having deputies here.
Harrisburg, Pa, Sept. 11.-Governor
Hastings last night received a tele-
gram from Sheriff Martin at Wilkes
barre stating that mob law prevailed
n ar Hazelton and asking for assist
ance. He ordered out the third brig
| ade and instructed General Schall to
| hold the first brigade in readiness.
Troops will mobilize at Hazelton and
it is expected will be on the scene
before daylight.