The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-09-16

"We were going along the road
to Lattlmer and the deputies were
lined across the road, barring our
progress. We tried to go through |
them and did not attempt to hit or
molest them, when they fired upon
us. We ran but they kept on shoot
ing on us while we ran. 1t is all their
fault"
While there is a feeling by most
people that the shooting was an out
rage, by many others 1t is held to
have been lawful. Many Of them
think 1t was unnecessary. The tact
that the Sheriff was knocked down
a.,er reading the riot act is undisputed.
This is held to be sufficient authority
to shoot. To resist the Sheriff after
reading the riot act is one of the
gravest offenses known TO law. 1t is
held by the friends Of the Sheriff that
the shooting was entirely justihable,
though it might not have been neces-
sary. In the present state Of excite
ment the exact legal status of the
affair is receiving little attention
The Third Brigade of the National
Guards is encamped on every point
for miles around, and the place is
practically under martial law
Never in its history has Luzerne
county been wrought to its present
state of excitement. Enormous crowds
have thronged the streets of Hazleton
since the shooting. Some of the
friends of the miners threaten ven
geance upon the heads of the deputies,
This, however, is not the universal
sentiment, as many people uphold the
Sheriff.
No one can be found to assume re-
sponsibility for the shooting. If any
body, gave the command to fire his
name cannot be ascertained. The
first shot is said to have been sent
crashing into the head of Hungar-
ian by one deputy, and the others
followed in his lead. The foreigners
did not retaliate, for they were wea-
ponless.
One thing the strikers have accom-
plished, it was what they were march
ing for. The 1900 workers at the
Lattimer mines, whom they were on
the way to meet to induce them to
Join the strikers ranks, have laid
down their picks and sworn to do no
more work until the demands of the
LIEN at al the mines in the district
have been conceded.
Another important event on Satur-
day was the issuance Of warrants lor
the arrest of Sheriff Martin and the
1o2 deputies. These were issued al
the instance of the United Hungarian
Societies. They were made out In
the name of Joseph Mehalte, presi
5 dent of the St. George Society, o.
} which nearly all the dead miners were
, members. Robert P. Riley, manager
of the Anthracite Detective Agency
took charge of the documents. Sheriff
f Martin, who spent Friday night at BIZ
e Wilkesbarre home under a strong
: guard, went to Hazleton Saturda!
morning with the Ninth Regiment o
4 the Third Brigade. His presence il
4 the town was not known until late IL
g the day. Then it was found that 1T
, was still under the guardianship OF tn
soldiers, and he could not be reached
;, Saturday afternoon Constable
Airey and Gallagher made an efor
y to arrest A. E. Hess, who led on
4 company of the deputies Friday nigh
d but he had sought shelter within tn
d military lines kept by the Ninth Reg
q ment, and they refused to permit tn
- constables to pass the guard. Th
,e warrants charge murder, assault an
&C battery and threatening to kill.
,r The miners held a big mass NEE
of ing at Harwood Saturday afternoon
and adopted resolutions expresslr
,e sympathy for sour murdered brother
A. who were shot down at Lattimer
20 and continuing thus
OF For years we have been oppresse
he by c. Pardee and Company by tt
IN payment of starvation wages The
have deprived us of our liberty
i'd compelling us to deal in their cor
d, pany store. They have forced us
ce purchase powder at five times its az
nd ual value and have otherwise tyrran1
ce ed us in ways too numerous to me
ad ton. SO that we are no longer fr
men. but slaves. We assembled
ot- qether peacefully and to seek redre
IN. for our grievances. Not one m
he among us was armed. Our mlssl'
20. was not to take human life nor
nv destroy property, but to go and me
ira our feilow-employes of the same Co
ors pany at Lattimer, who were In sy
llv pathy with us. We were opposed
ice the public highway and without pl