Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-03-05
THE SHERIFF'S STORY.
Accused Official Tells Of the Fatal
Shooting at Lattimer.
WAS ATTAoKED BY THE STRIKERS

He Was Jumped Upon and Pounded
by the Mob, He Says, and One of
Them Had Knocked Him to His
Knees When the Firing Commenced.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, March 2.-The de-
Tense in the case against Sheriff Mar
tin and his deputies, on trial for the
shooting OF strikers at Lattimer last
September, is producing strong evil
dence to show that the rioters had
been riotous and threatening for some
time previous to the fatal encounter.
Many witnesses testified that they had
been forced by threats to join the
strikers ranks, while others who re-
fused were brutally beaten. A score or
more witnesses have testified that
some of the strikers were armed with
revolvers. and several swore that the
first shots at Lattimer were fired from
the strikers ranks.
On Wednesday Of last week Jacob
Williams, timekeeper Of the Cranberry
breaker, told Of the attack by the strik-
ers on that breaker on Sept 3, when
they also stopped a coal train and
stoned the crew. On Friday Sheriff Sell
SER Of Carbon county. told how he had
called on Sheriff Martin and his depu-
ties for aid in defending Coxe's break
er at Beaver Meadow. Martin in
structed his deputies to do no firing
except In defense Of their own lives.
The witnesses on Saturday and Mon
day were mainly women, who told of
the terror the strikers had created.
Mrs. Katharine Craig and her children
walked from Lattimer to Milnesville
at o'clock in the morning, fearing the
strikers would blow UP the town.
Stephen Guttenmiller testified that a
man stood behind the deputies urging
the strikers on.
There were several important wit
nesses on Tuesday last, who told of
the reign of terror the strikers had
created. The most important witness
OF the day, however, was Sheriff Mar
tin himself The sheriff told of the
riotous days previous to the conflict
at Lattimer, admitted that his depu-
ties had been selected by mine officials,
explained how he had repeatedly warn
ed the strikers against riotous march,
ing, and then came down to the day
of the Lattimer shooting. He said:
Friday morning, Sept. 10, reached
Drifton and found all my deputies
there. At l o'clock in the afternoon
got message that the strikers were
marching through Cranberry, bound
for Lattimer I hurried off with the
Hazleton deputies to intercept the men
at West Hazleton. While going there
I repeated my instructions to the depu-
ties about keeping cool and avoiding
trouble If possible.
THE mob swore at US when we ap-
preached, cursed me, and would not
bulge when I told them to do so. I
read my proclamation and walked
through them, asking them to go home.
One young man swore at me violently,
and said they would go to Lattimer in
spite of me. I arrested him. One man
picked up a stone, but dropped it when
pointed revolver at him.
II told crowd of spectators to go
home, as the strikers were desperate,
and there might be trouble. Finally the
strikers left the road and started off
over some lots. Soon I heard they were
going to Lattimer, and I hurried off
with my deputies to intercept them.
I told them again to keep cool and not
to shoot unless their lives or mine
were in danger. After lining them up
alongside the road told them would
go out and meet the strikers and try
once more to dispense them. A deputy
asked If he should not go with me-
No.. I said, I'll go alone / thought
one man was enough to die at once.
I felt somehow there was going to be
trouble. I met the strikers about SO
yards from the deputies and asked
them where they were going. TO stop
the Lattimer breaker a lot of them
cried.
II told them they must not go, and
tried to read my proclamation to them,
but they crowded around me, swear
ing at me and hustling me to one side.
One man tried to grab me, and I then
attempted to get hold of him. but the
crowd then jumped on me and pounded
me about the body. dropped my pa
per and pulled my revolver. One of the
men tried to snatch the revolver from
me, but failed. Then he struck me an
awful blow in the face and knocked
me to my knees. tried to shoot him.
but my revolver would not explode.
Then the shooting commenced. 1t
lasted about a half minute.
I'm the crowd I saw three men
armed with revolvers and one with
knife. The latter made a stab at
me, but missed. Two men were shot
just behind me to the left. I was in
the direct line Of fire."
On Wednesday evidence strongly
corroborating that of Sheriff Martin
was given by Samuel Price, Halle
ton contractor and commission mer-
chant, and Arion Pardee Plat, man
ager of the Pardee department store at
Hazieton. both of whom were deputies.
Plat declared that the guns used by
the deputies were the property of an
association of property owners form
ed to protect their property from the
violence of strikers. Neither of the
witnesses did any shooting, nor could
they tell who gave the order to fire at
Lattimer.