The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-11

o'clock train from Hazelton. He was
cool and collected. He was met at tho
depot by his legal adviser. The two
got into cab and drove to the court
house, where they We're cloSeted to-
gether for some time. The sheriff was
at first reluctant to say whether he
had given the command to fire. but
afterwards admitted that he had. The
sheriff's detailed statement is as fol-
lows:
Il heard early this morning that the strik-
ers were going to march to the breaker at
Lat1mer and compel the men there to quit
work L resolved to intercept them and if
possible, prevent them from reaching the
Dreaker; one of my deputies told me that
the strikers would probably be heavily armed
l got my deputies, seventy in number, to
meet at certain point They were all armed.
L told them to keep cool under all circum-
m stances. The trouble began at o'clock. I
met the marching column. 1 halted them and
read the proclamation. They refused to pay
any attention and started to resume their
march. Then l called to the leader to stop.
lie ignored my order l then attempted to
arrest him. The strikers closed in on me.
ihey acted very vicious, kicking me, knock
ing me down and trampling upon I
called upon my deputies to aid me and they
did so, but they were unable to accomplish
much
Il realized that something had to be done
at once, or l would be killed l called to the
deputies to discharge their firearms into the
air above the heads of the strikers. as it
might probably frighten them. 1t was done
at once but it had no effect whatever on the
inlurlated foreigners who used me so much
the rougher and became fercer and fercer
more like wild beasts than human beings
Inc strikers then made still bolder move
ana endeayored to surround my entire force
OF deputies. l fully realized that the for
e1gners were desperate lot of men, valued
lie at a very small figure. l also saw that
parleying with such a mob of infuriated men
was entirely out of the question as thev were
too excited to listen to reason and that my
seif and deputies would be killed if we were
not rescued, or if we did not defend our
selves l then called upon the deputies to
defend themselves and shoot, if they must to
protect their lives or to protect the property
that they had been sent to guard. The next
second there were few scattering shots
hred into the foreigners and moment later
tne entire force of deputies discharged solid
volley into the crowd.
Il hated to give the command to shoot
and was awful sorry that l was compelled to
do SO. but l was there to do my duty, and
dld 1t as best knew how and as my con-
science dictated as the strikers were yioIat
ing the laws Of the commonweal and fatty
refused to obey the proclamation that 1 read
to them They insisted doing violence
! and disobeying the laws"
~. Mr.. Martin was asked: when you met
! the men, were they on company property
|, or on the public road?''
He replied; mo, they were on the pub
lie road. -
Were. they marching towards Latimer?"
Had they, up to that time, committed any
overt act or acted otherwise than peaceably2''
Why. then, did you order the deputies
to fre?"
L did not order the deputies to fire; some
one else did that. First came a signal shot
and then volley. I gave no order
How many were killed?"
There were twelve dead when 1 left and
about forty wounded"
Were any of your men hurt!''
one of my deputies was shot through the
arm"
Sheriff Martin, when he reached Wilkes
barre, was badly scared. Though he claims
! to have been brutally assaulted, when seen
ne dlo not have mark on his person to
show that he had been roughly handled. All
classes of citizens in this city and county
| unite in condemning Sheriff Martins hasty
action.