Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1897-09-17

sume their march. Then called to the
leader to stop He ignored my order.
then attempted TO arrest him. The
strikers closed in on me. They acted
very viciously, reviiing and kicking me,
knocking me down and trampling upon
me- l called up my deputies to aid me,
and they did so, but they were unable
to accomplish much. / realized that
something had to be done at once or
would be killed called 10 the deputies
to discharge their firearms into the air
over the heads of the strikers. as 1t
might probably frlghten them. 1t was
done at once, but II had no effect what
ever on the infuriated foreigners, who
used me so much the rougher and be-
came lereer and flercer, more like wild
beasts than human beings.
The strikers then made still bolder
move and endeavOred to surround my
entire force Of deputies I fully realized
that The foreigners were a desperate lot
and valued life at very small figure
/ also saw that parleying with such a
gang of infuriated men was entirely out
OF the question. as they we're too ex-
cited to listen to reason and that my
self and deputies would be killed IL we
were not rescued or If we did not de-
AtAAu OuiNttNtHr lHGD CAlle1 upon the
deputies to defend themselves and shoot
II they must TO protect their lives or 70
protect the property that they had been
sent to guard from being demolished.
The next second there were few scat
tered shots fired into the infuriated for
eigners. and a moment later the entire
force Of deputies discharged solid
volley into the crowd. I hated to give
the command TO shoot and was very
sorry that was compelled to do so, but
was there TO DO my duty. and did II
as best I knew how. and as my con-
science dictated. as the strikers were
violating the laws Of the common
wealth and hatiy refused 10 obey the
proclamation that read to them. They
Insisted instead on doing violence and
disobey1ng the laws.
The scene after the shooting was
simply terrible, and l would have Will.
ingly not had 1t occur; but. as a public
official, I was there to see that the law
was obeyed and lived up to. and
merely did my duty. Some Of the for
eigners fell over dead and others badly
wounded Some rushed about hither
and thither, seeking place where they
would be shielded from any more shots.
Others were aiding their wounded COM
panlons 70 places Of safety while here
and there could be seen men taking
away some one who was badly injured
or dead. The entire crowd Of foreign
ers. as soon as the volley had been fred
BY my deputies, turned and started TO
retreat. They rushed of In all direc-
tions as fast as they could run. taking
as many Of their dead and wounded
with them as they could carry during
their hurried retreat. The excitement
az the time was terrible"
Testimony Of an Eyewitness.
Charles Guscott. the principal Of the
Lattimer grammar school, who was an
eyewitness Of the shooting on Friday
afternoon. furnished the following
graphic account Of H.
1T was just Is minutes past o'clock
when the affair occurred. l had just
disbanded school and, with my assist
ant. Miss Grace Coyle. was on the porch.
Marie Sharkey, l2-year-old pupil, was
near the porch. remember that at the
frst volley she dropped her schoolbooka
and ran. picked them up an hour or
% afterward.f
miss Coyle and were attracted first
by the deputies marching 70 a position
about 300 yards from the schoolhouse
almost directly In front Of it and few
yards on the far side Of the highway
along which the strikers marched. The
deputies came on an electric car, left II
near the road and marched 10 an open
place on the road 200 yards from the car