Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-09-16
TERRIBLE CRISIS REACHED AT
LATIMER, PA.
ABOUT A SCORE KILLED
Marching Miners Disregard a Sheriff 6
orders ana Are Fired Into by a
Band of Deputies-Surviyors 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-
.trnoon when a band OF deputy sher-
IFS fred VITO an Infatuated mob Of
miners, Men fell like sheep and the
excitement since has beer so intense
that no accurate figures of the dead
Or wounded are %obfainable. Reports
run from 10 TO 20 killed and 40 or more
wounded. One man who reached the
scene last night counted 10 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 bafIled
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
pamensko, shot in both legs; George
Nefchick, shot in both legs; John For
ii, shot in head, win die. John Kle-
shok, shot in hip: Kasimir Dulsi, shot
In breast: Jacob Kulshot, shot through
tody, will die; Steve Erskuki, shot in
body; John Koti. shot in the arm and
left side; Joseph Boblck, 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 a 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, f. 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 ZIP sHllenly and listened in si
lcnce while ne at once read the riot
act. This finished, low muttering
arose among the foreigners and there
was a slight movement forward. Per-
cctying 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 command to fire, The guns of the
deputies Instantly belched forth a ter
rtble volloy. The strikers were taken
entirely by surprise and as the men
TOPPED and fell cye 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 uufortun-
ates whom they had brought down.
The 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 10 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 q distance could not
be found, As Don rs tho 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 cars
on the Lailmer track and doctors and
ueE spaper correspondents rushed to
Lltimcr. People rusned to LatimeT
in 50 great numbers that the progress
Of vehicles along the road was i'm.
peded. During the excitement the
deputies turned their attention 10 the
wounded and carried many Of them to.
places where they could be more com
fortably treated. Martin Rosbi. an in-
teliigent Hungarian. who was shot in
the arm gave this version Of The affair
I'VE were COINS along the road To.
Latimer and the deputies We're ltncd
across the road, barring n progress
We tried TO go through them, with mt
hitting them or molesting them. when
they fred on us. We ran, but tLey
kept shooting at us while we ran. It
Is all their fault Z
Citizens meetings were held In gari.
Gus parts Of the city last night. Opin
ion Is divided about the responsibility
for the shooting. At n meeting res
olutions were adopted calling on Gov.
eruor Hastings 10 send the militia ltre
Immediately. At other mass meetings
attended by thousands Of people the
sentiment was against the troops and
ii Is asserted by those that there Is
no necessity for having deputies here