The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-22
SHERIFF AND FORTY OF HIS DEP.
UTIES ARRAIGNED, CHARGED
WITH MURDER.
ALL PEACE AT HAzLEToN.
TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED MEN ARE
AT WORK IN THE
MINES.
STILL HAVE SOME GRIEVANCES.
Men Asked to Draw Up a List Of
Their Complaints for Action by
Operators.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Sept. 21.-
Sheriff Martin and his sixty-four depu-
ties were given a preliminary hearing
before the court today charged with
the killing of twenty-four striking min
ers near Lattimer on Friday, Sept. 10.
The deputies were brought UP from
Hazleton under military escort A
large crowd met them at the depot,
but they proceeded unmolested to the
court house. Judges Lynch and Ben
nett presided. Judge Lynch announced
that the judges would sit as justices
Of the peace to hear the testimony in
the case.
John M. German opened for the
prosecution and stated that he was
employed to investigate the shooting
at Lattimer and inquire if the sheriff
and his deputies were justified in kill
ing twenty-four men. He began by re-
ferring to Dictator" Goblin, who re-
fused to allow the deputies to be ar
rested when warrants were issued, ten
days ago. The attorney also referred
to Coroner Mckee being major in
the Ninth regiment, and to his man
ner of procedure in the arrest of the
deputies and to his bringing them here
surrounded by a military company
with guns fand bayonets.
Mr.. German then made a motion
asking that the warrants of Squire
German be given the preference and
that the deputies be remanded to the
regular officers of the law Judge
Lynch replied that the judges did not
~ Ior 1,,x
after due elaboration. The judge said
that this hearing has nothing to do
with the conduct of Gen. Goblin. The
court said the witnesses who were not
present should be brought in and that
the hearing could proceed with
such witnesses as were present. At
torneys German and McGahren then
notified the court that they would
withdraw from the case. District At
torney Fell then took charge Sheriff
Martin was seated at the defendants
table, surrounded by three lawyers.
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. Wit
ness told them to throw away their
clubs and they did so. Walsh said he
got on car and started for Lattimer
He heard one of the deputies, named
Turnbach, say: II don't know what
the sheriff means by taking us around
like this without ordering us to shoot"
He said the deputies got off the car
near Lattimer. The strikers came up
and witness saw Deputy Hess grab one
of the strikers and cry Halt" There
was scuf1e and someone cried Fire. ~
There was one shot, then another and
then volley. The deputies kept on
shooting as the men ran away. He
said the firing lasted about five
minutes.
Jonathan Lichensberger, a Hazleton
contractor, was the next witness. He
said he was standing about $50 yards
from the strikers when the trouble
began. He saw Sheriff Martin APP
preach the men. The sheriff had a
paper in his hand which he read. After
reading he ordered the crowd to go
back. Then they had a Scutfie with
him. He drew his revolver, but some
one grabbed his wrist and held his
hand up so he could do nothing. Then
the shooting began.
Charles Gussrott, a school teacher
at Lattimer, testified to seeing Sheriff
Martin scuff1ing with the strikers. His
testimony was muCn the Same DIS the
preceding witness. At the conclusion
of his testimony the judges, after q
consultation with District Attorney
Fell, held all the deputies in $4,000 eacn
until the hearing is concluded.
JOS. A, Sinn., officer of the Trust
Safe Deposit & Surety company, or
Philadelphia, qualified as bondsman III
the sum of $2560O0. After bail had
been furnished recess was taken I'M
til 2:30.
Several witnesses were examined
this afternoon, but the testimony was
merely corroborative of previous wit
nesses. Not a single witness had testi-
fed to hearing Sheriff Martin give the
order to fire. The withdrawal of At
torneys German and McGanren has
weakened the prosecution. and it is
doubtful if the evidence will be strong
enough to hold the defendants for
court The hearing will be resumed
at o'clock tomorrow morning.