Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-22
DEPUTY TRIAL BEGINS
Judge Lynch to Help Probe Into
the Facts Of the Shooting
at lattimer, Pa.
s1XTY-PoUR MEN BEFORE COURT.

Lawyer for the Prosecution Quits in Dis
gust Amer Taking q Whack At General
6obin-Suinmary OF the Testimony-ml-
nois Miners' Convention Fixes Prices
Based on Gross Weight and Full Years
Contract - Anthracite Strike Seems .
Thing Of the Past.
wilkesbarre. Pa. Sept. H.-Sheri1
Martin and his sxty-four deputies were
given q preliminary hearing before the
court yesterday. charged with the killing
OF twenty-foSr striking miners near Lat
timer on Friday. Sept. 10. The deputies
were brought UP from Hazleton under
military escort. \ large crowd met them
at the station. but they proceeded un-
molested to the court house. Judges
Lynch and Bennett presided. Judge
Lynch announced that the Judges would
SIT as justices OF the peace to hear tes-
tinony in the case. John n. German
opened for the prosecution and stated
that he was employed to investigate the
shooting at Lattimer and inquire II the
sheriff and his deputies We're justified
In killing twenty-four men. He began
by referring to Dictator Goblin. who
refused to allow the deputies to be ar
rested when warrants were issued ten
days ago. The attorney also referred 70
Coroner Mckee being a major in the
Ninth regiment to his manner Of pro-
cedure in the arrest Of the deputies and
to his bringing them here surrounded by
a military company with guns and bay
onets.
German Quits in Disgust.
German then made O motion asking
that the warrants Of Squire German be
given the preference and that the depu-
ties be remanded to the regular officers
OF the law. Judge Lynch replied that
the Judges did not act hastily but issued
the warrants after due elaboration. The
Judge said that this hearing has nothing
TO do with the conduct Of General Goblin.
The court said the witnesses who were
not present should be brought in, and
that the hearing could be proceeded with
such witnesses es We're present. Attor-
neys German and McGahren then noti-
fled the court that they would withdraw
from the case. District Attorney Fell
then took charge. Sheriff Martin was
seated at the defendants table. sur
rounded by three lawyers.
Tells How He saw the Shooting.
John Walsh. Of Halle township, was
the first witness He said he saw the
strikers coming and went out to meet
them and to see what would happen.
Some Of the men carried clubs. Witness
told them to throw away their clubs and
they did SO. Walsh said he got on a car
and started for Lattimer. He heard one
Of the deputies named Turnbach say: X
don't know what the sheriff means by
taking US around like this without or
dering us to shoot" He said the deputies
got off the car near Lattimer. The strik-
ers came UP and witness saw Deputy
Hess grab one OF the strikers ard cry
Halt" There was a scuffie and some
one cried Fire" There was one shot.
| then another. and then a volley. The
| deputies kept on shooting as the men
| about five minutes.
Two Other Witnesses Saw Differently.
Jonathan Lichensberger. a Hazleton
| contractor, was the next witness. He
| said he was standing about $50 yards
| from the strikers when the trouble be-
| gan. He saw Sheriff Martin approach
the men. The sheriff had a paper in his
hand. which he read. After reading the
proclamation ne ordered the crowd to go
back Then they had a scuffle with him.
He drew revolver. but some one
grabbed his wrist and held up his hand
30 that he could not do anything. Then
the shooting began.
Charles Gussrott, a school teacher OF
Lattimer. testified to seeing Sheriff Mar
tin scufIle with the strikers. His testi-
mony was much the same as the preced-
ing witness
| All the Deputies Held in Bail
At the conclusion OF Gussrott's testi.
| mory the Judges. after a consultation
| with District Attorney Fell. held all the
deputies in $4,000 each until the hearing
Is concluded. Joseph A. Sim, trust off,
Ger OF the City Truet Safe Deposit and
Surety company. OF Philadelphia. quail
flied as bondsman in the sum Of 1856 900
After bail had been furnished. a re.
cess was taken until $3.50. Several wit.
nesses were examined in the afternoon
but the testimony was merely corrobora'
tive OF previous witnesses. Not single
witness has testified to hearing the sher
IN give the order to fire.
| SCALE ADOPTED FOR ILLINOIS