The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-11

ASSlSGduCS VA tAkc Hkckus
Hazleton, Pa, September 10.-The
strike situation reached a terrible crisis
on the outskirts of Latimer this after
noon, when band of deputy sheriffs fired
into an inturiated mob of miners. The
men fell like so many sheep and the ex-
citement since has been so intense that
no accurate figures of the dead and
wounded can be obtained. Reports run
from fifteen to twenty odd killed, and
forty or more wounded. Many of these
will die. One man who reached the scene
tonight counted thirteen corpses. Four
other dead lie in the mountains between
Latimer and Harleigh. Those who were
not injured carried their dead and
wounded friends into the woods and an
estimate is baffled.
Some of those known to be dead are:
Mike Chostoll, Harwood; Frank Cheka.
Harwood; John Staniska, Crystal Ridge;
George Kulick, HarwoOd; Steve l1orrlck,
Harwood.
Among the injured are: George Krfho,
Harwood, bullets through leg, hip and
knee; John Knerolivischi, shot in neck !;
Andrew Shabolick, shot in breast and
John Kulich, shot in stomach; John
Damfnske, shot in both legs; George
Vercheck, shot in both legs; John Forty,
shot in head, will die; John Cleshok, shot
in hip; Kafimir Julius, shot in breast;
Jacob Kulschot, shot through body, will
die; Steve Erskuki, shot in body; John
Koti, shot in arm and left side; Joseph
Bobick, shot through the back; John
Treble, deputy shot in the arm.
Three bodies were found tonight on the
Hazleton at $50 o'clock announcing their
intention to go to Latimer. AS soon as
| this became known, a band of deputies
| boarded trolley car and went across the
mountain to where the conflict followed
! After reaching Latimer, they left the car
and formed into three companies under
| Thomas Hall, e. A. Hess, and Samuel B.
Price They drew up in line at the edge
of the village with fence and line of
| houses in their rear.
Sheriff Martin was in command and he
walked up and down in the front of the
| line until the strikers approached. They
were seen coming across the ridge, and
Martin went out to meet theme The men
drew up sullenly and listened in silence
until he once more read the riot act
This finished, a low muttering arose
among the foreigners and there was a
slight movement forward. Perceiving this
the sheriff stepped toward them, and in
determined tone forbade the advance.
One struck the sheriff and the next COM
mand to the deputies was to fire. The
guns of the deputies instantly belched
forth terrible volley. The report seemed
to shake the very moutains and a roar of
dislnay went up from the people. The
strikers were taken entirely by surprise
and as the men toppled and fell over each
other those who remained unhurt
stampeded. The men went down before
groans of the dying AMI of the wounded
filed the air. The excitement that fol-
lowed was simply indescribable. The
deputies seemed to be terror stricken at
the deadly execution of their guns, and
seeing the living strikers fleeing like wild
men and others dropping to the earth,
they went to the aid of the unfortunates
whom they had brought down.
The people of Latimer rushed pell nell
to the scene, but the screams of the
wounded drowned the cries of the sympa.
thizing and half crazed inhabitants.
A reporter, who soon afterwards reached
the scene, found the road leading to
Latimer filled with groups of frightened
Hungarians. Some surrounded dying
companions and others fearful of pursuit,
C1uuG 10 Ull6 u6W COIutE duU UcRR0u ulS
protection.
At Farley's hotel there were two men
lying on the porch. Both had been shot
in the head, and one had three bullets In
him. His groans and appeals for doctor
or death were heartrending. All along
the road the wounded men who were able
to leave the scene of battle scattered them
selves and sought the shade of the trees
for protection, but there was no need of
that then. Approaching the place where
the shooting occurred. people were met
wringing their hands and bemoaning the
catastrophe They could not talk intelli-
gently and it was with the greatest diff
Guilty that information could be CLEANED.
Along the bank of the trolley road men
lay in every position, some dead, others
dying. Three bodies. face downward, lay
along the incline and three Others were
but short distance away. On the other
side of the road rs many more bodies lay.
The school house was transformed into
temporary hopital and some of the
wounded were taken there. The colliery
ambulance was summoned to the place as
soon as possible and Immediately upon its
arrival, two men, both shot through the
legs, were loaded into the wagon All
along the hillside wounded men were
found on the green, ON the roadside and
in the fields. Many Others who had been
carried to distance could not be found.
AS soon as the news of the shooting
reached Hazleton there was consterna-
tion. Within ten minutes the streets
were blocked with excited people.
The Lehigh traction company immedi-
ately placed a number Of extra cars on
the Latimer line and doctors and clergy
men responded promptly. The rush of
people to Latimer was so great that
vehicles along the road were impeded.
Amidst the excitment 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 Hun from
Mt. Pleasant who was shot in the arm,
was seen by a reporter on the car coming
over and gave this version of the affair: