Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-02-09
Delhi Threatened to elbow my |

belSSel, Nancy and Mole as deputies
whom he saw at West, Hazleton. He
heard Hall say I'D like to get a pop OF
them,' Another deputy said, 81 bet
drop six OF them when | get over
there"
The cross-examination was severe,
but 1t did not affect Pottinger's story.
Judge Rice, of the Supreme Court,
occupied a seat beside Judge Wood
ward when court convened for the af-
ternoon session.
The cross-examination of Pottinger
was resumed and he was asked if he
did not tell Benjamin Morris that he
did not know much about the case, but
that he was getting id well paid for
it, showing him at the same time a roll
of money. Pottinger denied this
John Fortchek, who required an in
terpreter, said that he was at West
HazletOn with the strikers and saw
the sheriff threaten to shoot down sew
eral men. He stated that the strikers
had no clubs or weapons of any kind,
that one of the deputies pulled down
the American flag and tore it. At
Lattimer the witness saw no disturb
ance and almost as soon as the strik
ers halted a shot was fired and then
came the volley. The firing continu
~ oh |,
cross examination he said he did not
see much of what happened during the
shooting, as he was badly frightened
and the bullets were whizzing about
MS head. He said he did not see any
man fall within fifteen feet of the
strikers and that he stood about fif-
teen yards away. He said chief of the
coal and iron police Hampton was the
man who tore the flag at West Hezle-
ton.
Simon Kowlaski said that when the
sheriff stopped the strikers at Latti-
mer he asked where we We're going
ITO Lattimer to see our fellow work.
men," he replied. Then he grabbed
man by the collar, pulled him out Of
line and pushed his revolver against
his throat. The next moment there
was a shot and | ran as fast as l could.
When | came back, Mr.. Dodson, dep
uty, came over as | was helping
wounded man and said: You -,
you run away or I'll shoot you, too y
The ross-examination lasted some
time, but the witness story was not
shaken. He said he was not one of
the leaders and only walked in the
front ranks because it was hot and
dusty.
Waldo Perkerski told how the dep
uties had struck one of the strikers at
West Hazleton, with a gun, cutting his
head badly. The man said he was do
ing nothing. He could not point out
the deputy. At West Hazleton the
sheriff was pointing his revolver at
everybody near him. None Of the
strikers had any weapons and all were
quite peaceable. Attorney Palmer, for
the defense, claimed that Attorney
-Iartin was merely taking up time in
asking each witness if the strikers
were armed 'Will you admit it,"
asked Martin.
mo. sir we admit nothing"
Then we will go ahead and prove
it,
"Go on" said Palmer; sit will take
you seven years"
Eat Lattimer," said the witness, "the
sheriff stopped us and said nobody
could go to Lattimer. Then some OF
the men pushed forward and the sher-
if pulled a man to one side of the road
and pointed his revolver. The man
pushed the revolver away and ran.
The sheriff snapped his revolver
twice. The third time it exploded. |
cannot say whether or not he shot any
body. AS soon as he shot the deputies
commenced shooting, and everybody
ran. | was among the last and the
deputies fred at us while we were run
ming. The firing lasted about five
minutes.
The witness could not point out any
of the deputies who fired after the
men ran, saying ne was too busy run
ming to look back at all. In the cross
examination the witness denied en-
phatically that any of the strikers re-
sisted the deputies or that the sheriff
was thrown to the ground. The only
deputy the witness could remember
seeing at Lattimer was Cook, whom he
pointed out
Andrew F. Adams, travelling man
from Glen Falls, n. Y, said he saw
the strikers twice on the day of the
shooting. Once as he was going from
Milnesville to Lattimer they were then
marching in an orderly manner, and
again when he was returning from
Iattimer. AT this point it was Just
when they were meeting the sheriff.
He did not see the meeting, the car be-
mo about six hundred feet away, but
he heard the firing, saw the smoke,
and saw the strikers running There
were few scattered shots, then vol
lev. followed by a number OF scattered
shots This ended the testimony for