Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-09-18
Deputies Fire on the Marching
Miners With the Most
Deadly Effect.
EXCITEMENT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
From Fifteen To Twenty Wer
Killed and Many Were wound
ed---The state Troops
Are Ordered Out.

] U Is vi lIIt utbb III
obtained. Reports run from fifteen to
twenty odd killed and forty or more
wounded. One man who reached the
scene last night counted thirteen
corpses. -Four other bodies lie in the
mountains between Latimer and Har-
leigh. Those who were not injured
carried their dead and wounded
friends into the woods, and all esti-
mate is bafiied. Some of those known
to be dead are:
Mike Chesloll, HARDWOOD.
Frank Cheka, Harwood.
John Staniska, Crystal Ridge.
George Kulick, llarwood.
Steve Horfick, llarwood.
Among the injured are:
George krese, HARDWOOD, bullets
through leg, hip and knee.
John K~erlovish, shot in neck.
Andrew Shabolick, shot in breast.
John Kulich, shot in stomach.
John D~amenisko, shot in both legs.
Geo. Nertischeck, shot in both legs.
John Forti. shot in head: will die.
John kleshock, shot in hip.
Kasime bulls, shot in breast.
Jacob Edlshot, shot through body;
will die.
Steve Erskuki, shot in body.
John Koti, shot in arm and left side.
Joseph Bobick, shot in back.
John Treble, IA deputy. shot in
arm.
Three bodies were found last night
on the road near Latimer.
The strikers left llaZelton at $3.50
o'clock in the afternoon. They an
nounccd their intention of going TO
Latimcr. As soon as this became
known n band of deputies went whirl-
ing across the mountain 10 the scene
where the bloody conflict followed.
After reaching Latimer they left the
car and formed into three companies
under Thomas Hall, +. A.. Hess and
Samuel b. Price. They drew up in
line at the edge of the village. with a
fence and n line Of horses in their rear.
Sheriff Martin was in entire command
and stood in the front Of the line until
the strikers approached. They were
seen coming across the ridge and Mar
tin went out 10 meet them.
The men drew up sulienly and lis
tened in silence until he had once
more read the riot act. This finished,
u low mu'tering arose among the for
cigners and there was Il slight move
mcnt forward.
Ordered To Fire.
pcrceiving this the sheriff stepped
toward them and in IA determined tone
forbade the advance. Some one struck
the sheriff and the next there
was "A command TO the deputies 10 hre.
The guns of the deputies instam.ly
belched forth IA terrible voiiey' ine
report seemed TO shake the very H.
| tain and a cry of dismay went up ,nsen
the people. The strikers "a
entirely by surprise, ana as -
.sHBlfs are ten aah' pins and the groans q
the dying and wounded filled the air
The excitement that followed was
simply indescribable. The deputies
seemed 10 be terror stricken at the
deadly execution of their guns and
seeing the living strikers fleeing like
wild beasts and others dropping to the
earth they went TO the aid of the un-
fortunates whom they had brought
down.
The people of Latimer rushed pell
nell to the scene, but the shrieks Of
the wounded drowned the cries of the
sympathiZing and half crazed inhabi-
tants. A reporter who soon after.
wards reached the scene, found the
road leading to Latimer filled with
groups of frightened Hungarians.
Some surrounded their dying compan.
ions and others, fearful of pursuit,
clung to the newcomer and begged his
protection.
At Farley's hotel there were two men
lying on the porch. Both had been
shot in the head.
Ground Strewn With Victims.
One of the miners had three bullets
in him. His groans and appeals for
doctor or death were heartrending
Along the track of the trolley road
men lay in every position, some dead
others dying. Three bodies face down
ward, lay along the incline and three
Others were but u short distance away
On the other side of the road as many
more bodies lay. The school hous
was transformed into a temporary
hospital and some of the wounded
were taken there. The colliery ambu'
lance was summoned to the place as
soon as possible and the wounded were
loaded into the wagon.
As soon as the news of the shooting
reached Naze,tou there was coastcrna
ton. Within ten minutes the streets
| WERE DlOChtd Will ~ BColit AK
Lehigh Traction company immediate
ly placed a number of extra ears or
the Latimer line and doctors and cler
gymen responded promptly. The resi-
of people TO Latimer was SO great tina,
the progress of vehicles along the road
was impaired.
Amid the excitement the deputies
turned their attention to the wound
II IL .~..y A,. - DvaAAc
where they could be betesr treet<d.
Martin Roski. an Intelligent Hunga
rian from Mt. Pleasant, who was sho'
In the arm, was seen by a reporter ant
gave this version of the affair:
"We were going along the road t.
Latimer, and the deputies were linet
across the road, barring our progress
We tried to go through them and die
not attempt to hit or modest them
when they fired upon us. We ran, blu
they kept on shooting at MS while WI
ran. 1t Is all their fault"
Citizens meetings were held at vari
Gus parts of the city last night. Opin
ion was divided about the responsible
ity for the shooting. At one meeting
held In Van Wickle's Casino, attende,
by bankers, coal operators and promi
nent business men, resolutions weTl
adopted calling on Governor Hasting
to send the militia here Immediately
At another mass meeting. attended b,
hundreds of people the sentiment wa
against bringing the troops here, an
II Is asserted by these hat there wa
no necessity for having the deputie
here.
What the Sheriff Says.
I Wilkesbarre, Pa, Sept. 13.-Sherii
Martin arrived home on the Z o'clocl
train from Hazelton. He was met .
: the depot by his legal adviser. The tw
. got into a cab and drove to tho cour
. house, where they were closeted to
gether for some time. The sheriff wa
! at first reluctant to say whether he Ia,
given the command to fire. but after
wards admitted that he had.
In another interview the sheriff sal
ne first met the marching miners q
West Hazelton. He asked them wher
, they were going and they replied:
1 we are going to Latimsr 10 get tn
. men out there"
Then the aheri0 and ~aevautv dam,