The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-27

JOHn IOlduutS, tb iilhuiN-"tnNN '''N'''
was run down and killed by a Scranton
Railway company's car at Smithville
shortly after o'clock last night and,
stricken to frenzy of passion over the
fatality, friends of the dead man, to
the number Of 100, assembled about the
body on the track and blocked the
Pittston line for nearly three hours.
With drawn revolvers and knives the
mob made a vain search for John Cog
gins and John James, conductor and
motorman, respectively, of the car.
The men had to abandon their car
and after an exciting experience with
| the avengers they reached Moosc,
| over two miles away, by running along
the tracks of the Delaware and Hud-
son railroad company.
The mob, finally, after the first pas
sion for violence was spent, permitted
| three cars which had been held up, to
| proceed. The Scranton contingent
from Pittston reached here at 1880
o'clock this morning.
RUN OVER A MAN.
The scene of the excitement was in
Smithville on the main road within
one hundred yards of the Florence
company store and opposite John Fa-
| bian's saloon. The road at this point
is n level stretch and car No. 116 was
making good time to reach Pittston at
$50 o'clock. On the right of the road
is a slight embankment
The half dozen passengers in the
car suddenly felt the brakes being
applied and an instant afterward an
ominous crunch told that the wheels
had passed over something.
The car came to a standstill and Mo-
torman James rushed through the car
Back about ten yards on the track Bo-
landey was found. His legs and body
lay upon the small embankment and
his head and left arm had been crush
ed by the car wheele. He had evident
ly fallen asleep in the position. His
skull was crushed, his arm was sew
cred and he was dead.
The report spread through the
Smithville settlement and in ten min
utes dozen excited people had as
ssmbled They saw the dead body and
as if by magic the whole populace
came rushing to the scene.
"A crowd of men gathered about Cog
gins and James and threatened to kill
them. Then, as the crowd grew larger,
the shouts for vengeance became more
Villainous and general. A revolver
was brandished by one man on the
edge of the crowd. Kill them! Kill
them!" he cried.
THE CAR MEN RAN.
At this the two car attaches cut and
, ran down the road a number of men
5 following. They Outstripped their pur.
t suers and made the railroad, stumbling
along over ties and ash heaps unit
! Moosic was reached. Here they waited
I until the cars reached them at ia
7 o'clock.
s The mob, increased now to one hun.
= dred persons, men, women and chill
dren, after the escape of Coggns anC
= James, gathered about at a distance
!, from the body and gave vent to louC
: lamentations and curses. No one wa!
allowed to touch the remains; they
r | rested where the wheels had crushed
n life out.
f Two cars from Pittston arrived OF
: the scene and the passengers, number
d ing about fifty persons, gathered abou
= at a respectful distance from the clam
4 oring crowd. One Conductor Rozelle
I of one of the cars, attempted to fore
= a passage, but the mob drove hin
f back.
The local street car officials wer
communicated with by telephone an,
the order was given that the body b.
. looked after at the expense of the com
pany. This news was spread about b.
the willing tongues of the STRANDED
passengers and had a great deal to d.
with calming the crowd. They selected
I, Peter Locuta, one of their number a
i the undertaken who should take Charg
. of the remains.