The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-11
STRIKERS KILLED.
Shot Down by Deputies in the
Anthracite Coal Region.
PROBABLY TWENTY DEAD.
Of the Forty Or More Wounded
Many Will Die.
fHIhD BRIGADE ORDERED OUT.

fHIhD BRIGADE ORDERED OUT.
The Sheriff Declares That When He
Forbade the Strik ers to Advance IIe
Was Assaulted by tho Violent Tor
eigners-Then tho Guns of the Dep
uties Belched Forth a Terrible Vol
ley, and the Men Went Down Before
the storm of Bullets Like Tenpins.
Sheriff Martin Declares He Did Not
Give the Order to Fire.
Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 1.-THE strike
situation reached d terrible crisis on
The outskirts of Lattimer yesterday af-
ternoon, when band of deputy sheriffs
fred into an infuriated mob of miners.
The men feel like so many sheep, and
the excitement since has been so in
tense that no accurate figures of the
dead and wounded can be obtained.
Reports run from Is to 20 odd killed and
10 or more wounded. Many Of these will
die. One man who reached the scene
last night counted 13 corpses. Four
other dead lie in the mountains be-
tween Lattimer and Earleish. Those
who were not injured carried their
dead and wounded friends into the
woods and estimate is bailled.
Three bodies were found last night on
the rsad near Lattimer.
The strikers left Hazlcton at $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon. announc-
ing their intention to go to Lattimer.
As soon as this became known band
Of deputies was loaded on trolley car
and went whirling across the noun
tain to the scene where the bloody con-
fiict followed. After reaching LaLtimer
they left the car and formed into three
companies. lunder Thomas Hall, e. A.
Hess and Samuel 3. Price, They drew
up in line at the edge of the village,
with fence and u line Of houses, in
their rear.
Sheriff Martin was in command and
stood in front of the line until the
strikers approached. They were seen
coming across the ridge. and Martin
went out to meet 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 a
slight movement forward.
Perceiying this the sheriff stepped
toward them and in determined tone
forbade the advance. One OF them
struck the sheriff, and the next mo-
ment there was a command to the
deputies to fire. The guns of the depp-
ties instantly belched forth terrible
yolley. The report seemed to shake
the very mountains, and roar of dis
may went I'D from the people. The
strikers were taken entirely by sur
prise, and as the men toppled and fell
over each other those who remained
unhurt stampeded. The men went down
before the storm of bullets like ten
pins and the groans Of The dying and
Of the wounded filled the air.
The excitement that followed was
simply indescribable. The deputies
seemed to be terror stricken at tho
feadly execution of their guns, and Sec
Ing the living strikers fleeing like wild
and the others dropping to the earth
khey went to the aid Of, the unfortunates
whom they had brought down.
The people Of Lattimer rushed pel
nell to the scene but the shrieks of the
wounded drowned the cries of the
Sympathizing and half crazcd inhabi-
Iants.
A reporter who soon afterwards
reached the scene found the road lead.
Ing to Lattimer filled with groups OF
frightened Hungarians. Some sur.
rounded dying companions, and others
fearful OF pursuit, chung to the new.
romer and begged his protection.
AT Farey's hotel there were two men
lying on the porch. Both had beer
shot in the head, and one had three bull
lets In him His sroahs and appeals
for Il doctor or death were haartrend-
ing. All along the road the wounded
men who we're able to leave the field
of battle scattered themselves ami
sought the shade Of the trees for pro.
tecton, but there was no need Of thai
Then. Approaching the place where The
shooting occurred. people were met
Mringing their hands and bemoaninG
the catastrophe. They could not tall
intelliscntly, and 1t was with the
greatest difficulty that Information
could be cleaned.
Along the bank Of the trolley roaG
men lay In every position, some dead
others dying. Three bodies. face down.
ward. lay along the incline, and thre.
pthers were but short distance away
On the other side Of tho road as many
more bodies lay.
The schoolhuuse was Transformed
INTO temporary hospital. and some o.
the wounded were taken there. The
colliery ambulance was summoned tt
the place as soon as possible. ana i'm
medlately upon its arrival two men
both shot through the legs, w!rs load
ed into the wagon. All along the hill
hide wounded rem were found-on tn,
Er.en, on the roadside and in the fields
Many others who had been carried TO {
Instance could not be found.
As soon as the news Of the shootinl
reached Fn2lcton there was constcr
nation Within ten minutes the street
were blocked with excited people. Tn
Lehlgh Traction COMPANY. immediatel.
placed u number OF extra cars on tn
Lattimer line, and doctors and clergy
man responded promptly. The rush c
people to Latttmer was so great tha
vehicles along the road were iInpeded
Amid the excitement the deputie
turned theIr attention to the woundc'
and carried many of them to place
where they could be more colnfortabl
hcattd.
Martin Roski. an intelligent Hun
ghrian, from Mt. Pleasant, who wa
shot In the arm. was seen by q 70
porter on the car coming over. an
rnye this version Of the Affair;