Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-15

composed of unarmed Hungarians,
Poles and other foreigners.
Although the entire country for
miles was filled with striking miners,
and the massacre created intense in
dignation and excitement, no overt
act was committed. The miners held
big meeting on Saturday and swore
out warrants for the arrest of the sher-
iff ami his deputies. Then, at another
big meeting, resolutions were adopted
expressing sympathy for our murdered
brothers and continuing in this fash
ion:
"For years we have been oppressed by
| G.. Pardee Il Co., by the payment of starva-
tion wages. They have deprived us OF
our liberty by compelling us to deal in
their company store. They have forced
us to purchase powder at five times its
actual value, and have otherwise tyran-
nized us in ways too numerous to men,
ton, so that we are no longer free men
but Slaves. We assembled together peace
| fully and to seek redress for our griev-
ances. Not one man among us was arm
ed. Our mission was not to take human
| life, nor to destroy property, but to 60 ana
meet our fellow-employes of the same
company at Latimer, who were in SYM
pathy with US. We were opposed on the
public highway and without proVocatlon'
were shot down like dogs.
"We place ourselves before the bar OF
the public and appeal to the good citizens
of this state and country and ask them il
there was justification or warrant in such
assassination.
"Resolved, That we extend our sympa-
thy to the friends and relatives OF those
who have fallen and pray to God that those
now dead will live in our memories as
martyrs to the cause of downtrodden Ia
/ bOr."
Upon the order of the governor OF
the state, some $500 state troops ar
rived in Hazelton on Saturday. There
had been no signs of disturbance on
the part of the miners, however, and
there was nothing for the troops TO do
but 60 quietly into camp. The COVER
nor issued proclamation advising the
people to retire quietly to their homes
and not to take part in unlawful as
semblages on the highways or else
where.
During Sunday many of the miners
were buried. The funeral services, Of
course, were conducted by Catholic
priests, and were attended by large
numbers of miners. There were few
carriages, but there were in line over
900 men following the coffins Of their
comrades. At the head Of the pro-
cession there was brass band which
played the dead march with muffled
drums.
DIR. Thodororitch, secretary of the
Austrian consulate at Philadelphia,
arrived in Hazelton on Sunday, and
procured affidavits from number of
miners who were in Friday afternoons
affair which threw light upon the
shooting. The affidavits declare in
substance, that on the morning of that
day messenger arrived at Harwood
and asked the foreigners to come to
Latimer, as the employees of colliery
No. 1 at that place were about to
strike. Later, second message to
the same effect arrived, and then the
men started over to Latimer. At
Hasele colliery, so the atfidavits con-
tinue, Sheriff Martin met them and
warned them not to 60 through Hasel'
ton, but to 20 around the other way.
They did so, but arriving at the fatal
bend in the road near Latimer, they
again found themselves confronted by
the sheriff, this time backed by the
army of deputies. AS soon as they
reached the spot, it is declared, Sheriff
Martin stepped out and roughly grab
bed the foremost man by his coat COL
lar. With his other hand he thrust
revolver into his face and used abusive
language. The miner knocked the
sheriff g revolver arm from in front Of
him and tried to wrench himself from
the officials grasp. Almost instantly,
the affidavit says, the order to fire was
given. The deputies were lined up in
a hollow square, the fourth side of
which was formed by the body Of
strikers. This would possibly account
for the fact that so many were shot in
the back and side.
SITUATION MONDAY.
The situation on Monday was alarm
ing in the extreme. In the vicinity of
Haseiton, all was quiet enough. The
military had charge of the town, and
the miners, though loudly muttering,
were not showing any disposition to-
ward an outbreak. But this was hard
ly an index. Haselton is surrounded,
within radius of dozen miles or so,
by numerous other mines, at which
there are thousands of miners. These
miners have been hearing all kinds of
rumors with regard to the recent massa-
ere and the subsequent movements of
the troops, etc., and have developed a
frame of mind that is decidedly ugly.
There have been calls for troops from
different points; but on account of the
fact that the miners number many
thousands, while the number of troops
is comparatively small, the officer in
command-General Gobin-ls inclined
to keep his little army concentrated in
Haselton. The troops, and the people
generally, had great fears on Monday
night that there would he an out