The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-11

men lying on the porch. Both had been
shot in the head.
a MINBR's VERSION OF IT.

n MINDR'S VERSION OF IT.
One had three bullets in him. His
groans and appeals for doctor or death
We're heart-rendening. All along the
road the wounded men who were able
to leave the field of battle scattered and
sought the shade, of the trees for protec-
ton, but there was no need of that, then.
Approaching the place where the shoot
ing occurred, people were met wringing
their hands. They could not talk intel
ligently and it was with the greatest
difficulty that information could be
learned.
Along the bank of the trolley road men
lay in every position, some dead, others
dying. Three bodies, face down, lay
along the incline and three others were
but short distance away. On the
other side of the road as many more bo-
dies lay. The school house was trans
formed into temporary hospital and
some of the wounded were taken there
The coiliery ambulance was summoned
to the place as soon as possible and i'm
mediately upon its arrival two men. both
shot through the legs, were loaded into
the wagon.
As soon as the news of the shooting
reached Hazleton there was conster-
nation. Within ten minutes the streets
were blocked with excited people. The
Lehigh Traction Company Immediately
placed number of extra cars ON the
Latimer line and doctors and clergymen
responded.
Amid the excitement the deputies
turned their attention to the wounded
and carried many of them to places where
they could be more comfortably treated.
Martin Roski, an intelligent Hunga-
rian from Mount Pleasant. who was
shot in the arm, was seen by reporter
on the car coming over and gave this
version of the affair:
We were going along the road to
Latimer. and the deputies were lined
across the road, barring our progress.
We tried to go through them and did
not attempt to hit or modest them when
they fired upon us. We ran but they
kept on shooting on us while we ran.
1t is all their fault"
Citizens meetings We're held in various
parts of the city tonight Opinion was
divided about the responsibility Of the
shooting.
SHERIFF MARTINS STORY.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Sept. 1O.-Sheriff
Martin arrived here on the Z o'clock train
from Hazleton. He was cool and collect
ed. lie was met at the depot by his legal
adviser. The two got into cab and
drove to the court house, where they
were closeted together for some time. AT
first the sheriff refused to say anything,
but finally consented to talk. The sheriff
was at first reluctant to say whether he
had given the command to fire, but af-
terwards admitted that he had.
Il heard early this morning." said he.
that the strikers were going to march
to the breakers at Latimer and compel
the men there to quit work. | resolved to
interrupt them and if possible prevent
them from reaching the breaker. One of
my deputies told me that the strikers
would be probably heavily armed. | got
my deputies, seventy in number, to meet
me at certain place. They were all
armed. l told them to keep cool under ali
circumstances. The trouble began at ,
O'Clock. l met the marching column. /
halted them and read the proclamation.
They refused TO pay any attention and
started to resume their march. Then /
Icalled to the leader to stop. He ignored
my order. then attempted to arrest him.
The strikers closed in on me- They acted
very viciously, kicking me, knocking me
down and trampling on me. called upon
my deputies to aid me, and they did so,
but they were unable to accomplish much.
| realized that something had to be done
at once or / would be killed. I called to
the deputies to discharge their firearms
into the air over the heads of the strik-
ers, as it might probably frighten them.
1t was done at once. but it had no effect
whatever on the infuriated foreigners,
who used me so much the rougher and
became fercer, more like wild beasts
than human beings The strikers then
made still bo1der move and endeavored
to surround my entire force. fully re-
allied that the foreigners were a despe-
rate lot and valued life at a very small
figure. I also saw that parleying with
such gang was entirely out of the ques-
ton, as they were too excited to listen to
reason and that myself and deputies
would be killed if we were not rescued,
or if we did not defend ourselves. l then
called upon the deputies to defend them
serves and shoot if they must to protect
their lives or to protect the property that
they had been sent to guard. The next
ScCoHu tHeTc were Il 1eW scattered shots
fired into the infurated foreigners and a
moment later the entire force discharged
a solid volley into the crowd. l hated to
give the command to shoot, but 1 was
there to do my duty, and l did it as best
knew how and as my conscience die
tated The strikers were violating the
laws of the commonwealth and refused to
obey the proclamation that | read to
them. They insisted on doing violence
and disobeying the laws.
''The scene after the shooting was SIM
ply terrible and / would have willingly
not have had it occur, but as a public Of
fetal, / was sworn to see that the law
was obeyed and lived up to and l did
my duty. Some of the foreigners fell
dead and others were badly wounded;
some were rushing about seeking a place
where they would be shielded from any
more shots; others were aiding their
wounded companions to places of safety,