The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-11
TIE SHERIFF EXPLAINS.
But His Explanation Is Very Eishy
When Cornered.

Willzesbarre, Pa, Sept. 10.-Sheriff
Martin arrived home on the Z o'clock
train from Hazleton. He was cool and
collected. He was met at the depot
by his legal adviser The two got into
a cab ana drove to the court house,
where they were closeted together for
some time. The Sheriff was reluctant
mand to fire, but afterwards adGlitted
that he had. The sheriff's detailed
statement is as follows:
Il heard early this morning that the
strikers were going to the breakers at
Latimer and compel the men there to
quit work [ resolved to intercept and
if possible prevent them from reaching
the breakers One of my deputies told
me that the strikers would probably be
heavily armed. I got my deputies, 10
in number, to meet at a certain place.
They were all armed I told them to
keep cool under all circumstances. The
trouble began at 8 o'clock. / met the
marching column. / halted them and
read the proclamation. They refused to
pay any attention and started to re-
sumo their march. Then 1 called to
the leader to stop He ignored my or
der. | then attempted to arrest him
The strikers closed in on me They
acted very viciously. kicking me.
knocking me down and trampling vlpon
me. | called upon my deputies to aid
me, and they did so, but they were IN
able to accomplish much. I realized
that something had to be done at once
or 7 would be killed. I called to the
deputies to discharge their firearms
into the air oyer the heads of the strik-
ers, as it would probably frighten them.
It was done at once, but it had no eff
feet whatever on the Infatuated for
eigners, who used me SO much the
rougher and became fiercer and fiercer.
more like wild beasts than human be-
ingS. The strikers then made still
bo1der move and attempted to surround
my entire force Of deputies. I realized
that the strikers were a desperate lot
and valued life at a very small figure.
I saw that parlying with such a gang
OF Infatuated men was entirely out Of
the question, as they were too excited
to listen 30 reason, and that myself
and deputies would be killed if we were
not rescued, or if we did not defend
ourselves. I then called upon the depu4
ties to defend themselves and Shoot if
they must. to protect our lives or to
protect the property that they had been
sent to guard.
The next second there was a. few
scaDteded shots fired into the foreign
ers, and a, moment later tine entire
force Of deputies discharged a solid
volley into the crowd. I hated to give
the command to shoot and was awful
Iy sorry that 1 was cornDefieds5o do SO.
but [ was there to do my duty and
did 1t as I best knew now and as my
conscience dictated, as the strikers
were violating the laws Of the common
wealth and fatty refused to obey the
proclamation that I read to them.
They insisted ON doing violence and
dis0beying the laws.
THE scene after the shooting was
simply terrible and I would willingly
not have had 1T occur. but as d. public
officer was there to see that the law
was obeyed and lived up to, and /
merely did my duty.
1.-THE entire crowd of foreigners. as
! soon as the voiiey had been fired by
my deputies, turned and started to re-
treat They rushed off in all directions
as fest as they could, taking as many
| of their dead and wounded with them
as they were able 20 carry. The ex-
element at the time was simply ter
riible, and I would not go through an
other ordeal of the kind for a fortune"
In another interview Sheriff Martin
was asked:
when you met the men, were they
on the cornpany'5 or the public road"
mo; they were on the public road,
| he replied.
Were they marching toward Lati-
mer?"
( Yes"
Had they, up to that time. commits
! ted any overt act or acted otherwise
than reaceably2"
"No."
why, then, did you order the depu-
| ties to Gre?"
Il did not order the deputies to fire;
someone else did that. First came a
| single shot and then volley. I gave
no ORDER
''H6w many were killed."
There were II dead when left and
| about 50 wounded'
! Were any Of your mem hurt ?"
"One of my deputies was shot
I Through the arm
| Sheriff Martin. when he reached
| Wilkesbarre, was badly scared
J Though ne claims to have been brut-
ally assaulted, when seen he did not
have a mark on his person ard no show
that ne had been roughly handled All
| classes of citizens in this city and
! county unite in condenning Sheriff
i Martins NASTY action.