Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-09-13

| Pardee'S collefleS at Lattlmer were
working on Friday. The same firms
employees at Harwood were idle for II few
days previous at the request of men
from other mines. The Ha@ood men
were on their way to Lattimer to induce
the latter employees to quit work. Out
side the town, on the Halle township
road, the strikers were met by seventy
deputies. They were formed in three
companies, commanded by Thomas Hall,
an employe of Pardee's; E, A. Hess, of
the Lehigh Traction Company, and
Samuel Price, a contractor and builder
of breakers.
Sheriff Martin was on the scene and
had charge over all. AS the strikers
advanced, he stepped to one side He
began a parley with the men, read tho
riot act and the crowd halted. They
told him their mission was peaceful
one, that they intended no harm to
property or person. He insisted they
were violating the law, and, drawing his
revolver, reached out to arrest one of
those who had questioned his authority
to prevent men from marching on Halle
township road.
ORDERED TO SHOOT.
Suddenly there was some confusion in
the ranks of the strikers. Those in
front were preparing to turn back,
those behind pressed forward to learn
the cause of the delay. Who gave the
command to fire is not now known
While running home, in passing through
Freeland, Martin stated emphatically
he did not; later he says he did.
However, some one spoke the word
and seventy guns were raised like a
flash; without word of warning of any
kind the Winchesters cracked men
dropped before the hurricane of lead
like leaves from a wthering tree. Not
in all history has the slaughter, com
mitted in the name OF the law, paral-
lei.
The uninjured turned to flee--down
the road, through the woods, anywhere
from the murderers. But they could
not escape the deadly aim of the depu-
ties. The living, racing-for-life targets
were banged at again and again while
one remained in sight.
LIKE A BArTLE-FIELD.
Eleven dead bodies laid on the field:
over forty were seriously wounded,
eleven of whom have since breathed
their last and many more are still in
danger. All the dead and injured are
non English speaking men. Many are
married and leave large families All
resided at Harwood or Cranberry. Not
weapon was found on any of the
bodies of the dead or injured, nor was
any seen in the strikers ranks
The injured were quickly taken to
Hazleton hospital, where they were at
tended by medical men and clergymen.
An examination of the dead and wound
ed showed that over three-fourths of the
victims were struck by the bullets in the
back or side, which is conclusive proof
that the men were retreating when most
of the firing was done.
Charles Treble, of Lattimer, a deputy.
was shot in the arm by one of his com
panions, the ball being one of the kind
used in the guns they carried.
None of the deputies engaged there
reside in Freeland or vicinity. The
crowd from CoXe's works were stationed
that day near Beaver Meadow
INDIGNATION MEETINGS.
l.,,t
of the awful carnage to traverse the
region. In the strike towns on the
South Side the feeling was intense
Groups that increased in size until they
became mobs thronged the streets of
the mining villages. The desire to i'm
mediately avenge the deaths of their
fellow-strkers was predominant in all
the gatherings, but this was impossible,
the deputies having mysterlonsly disap-
peared and covered their bloody trail.
Cooler counsel finally prevailed and the
evening and night passed off with moth
ing more serious than wild rumors.
At HazIeton the citizens were thor
oughly worked up by the sight of the
loads of victims taken to the hospital
An Indignation meeting was held and
and strong resolutions passed, in which
the prosecution of the sheriff and his
deputies was demanded in vigorous lam
guage and the anticipated sending of
troops was protested against
The meeting was addressed by Rev. c.
A. Spaplding, John J. Fahey, of Potts
vile, and by Slavonian, Polish and
German speakers.
The Indignation in Freeand at the
massacre only four miles away was also
great The deputies who murdered, as
well as those who went forth on that
mission, We're severely cond emned, and
the instigators OF the despicable plot to
kill the strikers were not omitted when
censure was talked.
Anothnr indipnntinp ,nootinfy ,uae ala