Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-09-17
SIXTY MINERS
SHOT! !
Twenty one Killed. Dep
utieS Fire On Strikers.

Hazelton, Fa, Sept. l0-Four-
teen men dead and more than seven.
teen wounded is the awful result of
a volley fired by Sherif1s deputies
point blank into the ranks of the
striking Goa! miners at Lattimer,
two mil9s north of here. Yet these
figures do not tell all of the terri
BILE story, for into the mountains
many wounded have been carried
10y rheir frightened comrades and
the names Of number of these NAV
never be known. The troops of the
First and Third Brigades will be on
the scene under arms to morrow.
The shooting has east pail over
this entire region. Busi: ess is sus
pended and people tonight fill the
streets in manner never before
witnessed.
NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE.
This morning the situation in the
Honey Brook district waa very
qaiot. This has been tho hotbed of
the strikers. Tho Silver Brook
men endeavored 10 get up a march
ing raid, and arrived at Macrdoo
With the Wow of securing the champ
ionslip of these men The strikers
a Macadoo showed little inclination
TO continue the march, and, as a re.
suit, the projected raid was abandon
ed. All coliierieS in that District
wero idle. In the co!eraiuo and
Beaver Meadow district there was
lnothing transpiring that occaeioned
alarm. The mines were idle.
The first brush between deputies
and strikers took place at the Hlzle
mines at p. m. The strikers a
lraiding brigade at ITarwood and
started out on the expedition. Ev
erYthiug went well until they ap
preached the stIippings where
Cnyle's men were at work.
The strikers charged on the work.
men, but the deputies were with
them, and then occurred fierce
hand to hand struggle. The strik
ers fought like demons, but the dep
uties drove them back manfully. re.
framing from using their guns. In
the melee the strikers had number
OF men wounded, and two were
placed under arrest.
The strikers, however, succeeded
in driving the workmen away from
the strippings and they then started
for Lattimer to stop work there.
The deputies boarded traction car
and started out to head them off.
The deputies numbered eighty, ard
they were reinforced with about
twenty more :aen when they reach
ed Lattimer.
hattimer, the scene of carnage, is
small mining village. 1t is located
between two hills with broad, sloap.
ing sides, and has often been men
toned as a model mining town. At
the western end of the town the
deputies were drawn up in line,
standing with tkeir backs to the
fence line which fronts the houses.
STRIKERS SOON APPEAR.
The consultation here between
the Sheriff and the men under him
was brief, for the strikers were soon
visible coming across the ridge.
Thep occupied the middle of the
highway.
When they reached a point below
the school house, which stands be
yond the line OF houses, Sheriff Mar
tin went out to meet them. He
stopped the mob, holding his reyolv.
er in his hand. He tried to explain
the proclamation and the riot act
but the men became boisterous and
crowded about him. Then he step.
ped back.
Who gave the command to fire is
not known. The guns We're sud.
denly raised and jbst as quickly the
deadly fire began to belch forth.
The firing was irregular AID it was
ninety-nine seconds before it ceased.
The strikers, who then numbered
about four hundred men, dropped
like wheat stalks before scythe,
and the scene was we'll nigh Inde-
'cribable. The deputies, seeing
the strikers dispensing in terror and
leaving their comrades, dead and
dying, on the field, went to the aid
Of the unfortunate man The ~