Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-09-17
A SCORE KILLED.
Sheriff in Miners District
Loses His Head.
Orders Second EoIlcy While Strik-
crs Flee From First.

HAZELTON, Pa, Sept. l9-Thc strike
situation has reached a terrible crisis. On
the outskirts Of Latimer a band OF deputy
shcriifs has fired into an infuriated mob Of
miners. The men fell like 50 many sheep.
More than 20 were killed and 40 or more
wounded. Many of these latter will die. The
strikers left IIazeltun announcing their iu-
tention to go to Latimer. As soon as this
became known, "A band Of deputies boarded
trolley ear and went across the mountain
to where the conflict followed. After reach
ing Iatimer they left the ear and formed
into three companies They drew up in line
at the edge of the villag with fence and
line of houses in the rear. sheriff Martin
was in command and he walked up and
down Ia front OF the line until the strikers
approached. They We're seen coming
across the ridge and Martin went out to
meet them. The men drew up sullenly and
listened In silence until he once more read
the riot act. This finished, low muttering
arose among the foreigners and there was "a
slight movement forward. Perceiying this,
the sheriff stepped toward them,
and in determined tone forbade
the advance. Someone struck the
sheriff, and the next moment there was
command to the deputies to fire. The guns
OF the deputies instantly bclched forth ter
rihe v0llry The report seemed To- shake
the very mountains and roar of dismay
went up from the people. The strikers were
taken entirely 10y surprise, and as the men
topplcd and fell over each other those who
remained unhurt stampcded. The men
went down before the storm of bull
lets like tcnpins, and the grOans OF the
diving and Of the wounded filled the air
As the men fled, it is said, a second and
third voley was ordered and discharged.
The excitement that followed was simply
Understandable. The deputies seemed to be
terrur-Sticken at the deadly execution OF
their guns and seeing the living strikers
fleeing like wild men and others dropping
to the earth, they went tn the aid of the un-
fortunate whom they had brought down.
Popular feeling is very high against Sheriff
Martin and his deputies. and the intensity
of the situation is such that n sudden turn
of the head or word spoken above the or
dinary tone brings running crowd. lhe
state troapS have been called out and are
watching and ready for any emergency, and
the people of the town are in a state which
may easily become panic. There IL trouble
In the air / his is clear from the words
used by General Goblin, commander of the
third brigade. The striking miners havc
made elaborate preparations for demon
stratiOn at the funeral Of ten OF their VIC
tins. The military authorities are deter
mined that nothing Of the kind shall be
permitted and that from this time on
there shall he no marching of any
character whatsoever. whether during
funerals or otherwise. This resolution
is not generally known, and the miners are
going on with their arrangements. Most Of
the dead were Hungarians. Poles and Swedes
and did not know the meaning Of the riot
act nor understand the words that were
read
To all ntents and purposes Hazelton is
under martial law. General Goblin has de-
clared that, in spite Of the warrants issued,
no constables nor any civic authority
will be permitted to arrest dep
utes. He says that the sheriff is
an executive officer, whose duty it is to
preserve the peace. and that he Go
bin and the troops are really subordinate
to the sheriff at this time being engaged in
helping him to perform that duty. Under
these circumstances he will not permit inter
ference with the sheriiIs officials SO long as
the militia is here. In spite OF this fine dis
tinction, the commanders decision on this
point is accepted as super~eding civil au-
thority by the military power