River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-09-16
STRIKERS SHOT DOWN.
A Score of Men Killed by a Posse
o. Deputy Sheriffa
Disastrous elimination of strike fn
Hazieton tPa.D District-BulIets
Check Advance of a band
of Marchers.


situation reached a terrible crisis on
the outskirts of Latimer Friday after
room. when band of deputy sneriffs
fired into an Infatuated mob of miners.
The men fell like so many sheep and the
excitement since has been so intense
that no accurate figures of the dead and
wounded can be obtained. Reports run
from Is to 20-odd killed and 40 or more
wounded. One man counted 13 corpses.
-Four other bodies lie in the mountains
between Latimer and Harleigh. Those
who were not injured carried their dead
and wounded friends into the woods
and estimate is bafIied.
The sherIn's story.
Wilkesbarre, Pa. Sept IL. - Sheriff
Martin arrived home from the seven
o'clock train at Hazleton. He was
met at the depot by his legal adviser.
The two got into a cab and drove to the
courthouse. where they were closeted
together for some time. The sheriff
was at first reluctant to say whether he
had given the command TO fire, but
afterwards admitted that he had. The
she-iff's detailed statement is as fol-
lows:
II heard that the strikers were going
to march to the breaker at Latimer and
compel the men there to quit work. re-
solved to intercept them and IL possible
prevent them from reaching the breaker.
One OF my deputies told me that the
strikers would probably be heavily armed.
| got my deputies, 20 ia number, to meet a
: certain place They were all armed.
told them to keep cool under all crcum-
%
O'Clock. [ met the marching column. l
halted them and read the proclamation.
Ihey refused to pay any attention and
staFted to resume their march. Then l
'aHed to the leader to stop He ignored
ny order. / then attempted to arrest him.
The strikers closed in on me. They acted
very V'ciously, kicking me. knocking me
DOWN and trampling upon me. I called
upon my deputies TO aid me and they did
80, but they were unable to accomplish
much. i realized that something had to
pc done n once or ! would be killed.
called to the deputies TO discharge their
firearms into the air over the heads OF the
strikers, as II might probably brighten
hem. II was done at once but IL had no
effect whatever on he Infatuated foreign
ers, who used me so much the rougher
and became fiercer and fiercer. more like
Wild beasts than human beings. The strik-
srs then made a still holder move and
endeavored to surround NJ entire force
II deputies. | fully realized that the for
2iCners We're a desperate lot and valued
life at a very small figure. / also saw that
'arleying with such a gang of Infatuated
men was entirely out Of the question,
they were too excited to listen to reason,
and that myself and deputies would be
xilled If We were not rescued or If we did
not defend ourselves.
Ordered TO shoot.
Il then called upon the deputies TO defend
themselves and shoot If they must to pro-
tect their lives or TO protect the property
that they had been sent to guard. The next
second there were a few scattered shots
fired into the foreigners and a moment
later the entire force of deputies dis
charged a solid vollty into the crowd.
hated TO give the command to shoot and
was awful sorry that | was compelled 10
do so. but was there 70 do my duty, and
lid 1t, as best | knew how and as my con-
science dictated, as the strikers were vo-
lating the law OF the commonwealth and
hatly refused 10 obey the proclamation that
| read to them. They insisted on doing vio-
fence and disobeying the laws.
4 Terrible Scene.
The scene after the shooting was simply
terrible. ana l would have willingly not
had II occur, but as a public official / was
there to see that the law was obeyed and
lived up to, and l merely did my duty.
Some of the foreigners fell over dead and
others badly wounded, some rushing
hither and thither seeking a place where
they would be shielded from any moro
shots; others were aiding their wounded
companions TO a place of safety. The en-
tire crowd of foreigners as soon as the
volley mad been fired by my deputies turned
and started to retreat. They rushed off I'm
all directions as fast as they could, taking
as many Of their de4d and wounded with
them as they were able to carry in their
hurried retreat. The excitement at the
time was simply terrible. and l would not
go through another ordeal Of the kind for
fortune"
Gives Another Version.
In another interview Mr.. Martin was
asked: when you met the men were they
on company property or on the public
lie replied: No; they were on the pub
lie road"
Had they up to that time committed any
overt act or acted otherwise than peace
mo.
Why. then. did you order the deputies
Il dii not order the deputies to fire; some
one else did that. First came a single shot
and then volley. l gave no order"
How many men were killed."
There. We're y dead when left and about
Were any of your men hurt?"
"One of my deputies was shot through
the arm"
MiIittanen on Duty.
Hazlcton. Pa, Sept 13.-Nearly 1000
members of the state militia are on
duty in Hazleton and Lattimer, and
their presence has prevented an out
break on the part of either the strikers
or the citizens, who alike vigorously
denounce the killing of 81 miners and
the wounding of more than 40 others
by Sheriff Martins posse at Lattimer
on Friday.
Warrants sworn Ont.
Warrants have been sworn out
against the sheriff and all his deputies
who took part in the firing upon the
strikers. the charge against them be-
ing murder \ citizens committee has
heen appointed to raise money for their
prosecution. The bitter feeling against
the officers has been intensified by the
knowledge that all except five of the
dead and wounded men were shot in
the back while running away from the
deputies.