Connecticut western news., 1898-02-10
CARRIED NO WEAPONS
WITNESSES DECLARE THE HAzLEToN
 MINERS WERE uNARMsD.

aties Identified In Court-A Witness
 Says Martin Fired First.
 Wilkesbarre, Pa., Feb. 9.-In the con. tinuation of the trial of Sheriff Martin and his deputies Evan Jones, chief of police Of West HaZleton, testified that the strikers reached West Hazleton on the afternoC I of the shooting, and there met the sheriff and the deputies. They carried a flag and talked rather loudly, but they had no arms and made no dis turbance of any kind. The sheriff told them that they could not march to Lat timer and that they must go home, whereupon he (Jones) induced them to go back and showed them how they could march by a side street.
 Herman Pottunger of Hazleton said that while he was at West Hazleton on the day of the shooting Deputy Henry Heihl threatened to "biow my brains out Ii l did not get eff the road" The witness pointed out Barton. Hall, Beisel, Maniey and Moile as deputies whom he saw at West Hazleton. He heard Hall say, "I'd like to get a pop at them" Another deputy said, T bet I drop six of them when I get over there" The cross examination was se- were, but it did not affect Pottunger' 3 story.
 John Fortschek, who required an in- terpreter, said that he was at West Hazleton with the strikers and saw the sheriff threc ten to shoot down several men. He stated that the strikers had no clubs or weapons of any kind and that one of the deputies pulled the American flag and tore it. At Lattimer the witness saw no disturbance, and al-
 
 shot was fired, and then came the vol ley. The firing continued about five minutes, he said.
 The Threat of a Deputy.
 Simon kowalski said that when the sheriff stopped the strikers at West Hazleton, he asked where they were go- Ing. ITO Lattimer to see our fellow workmen," he replied. Then he grabbed a man by the collar. pulled him out ot the line and pushed his revolver against his throat. The next moment there was a shot. and I ran as fast as could When I came back, MT. Dodson, a dep- uty, came over as I was helping a wounded man, and said:
 "'You run away, or I'll shoot you too!'"
 Walter Pekerski told how the deputies had struck one of the strikers at West Hazleton with a gun, cutting his head badly. The man, he said, was doing nothing. He could not point out the deputy. At West Hazleton the sheriff was pointing his revolver at everybody near him. one of the strikers had any weapons, and all were quite peaceable. Near Lattimer the sheriff stopped us and said. Nobody can go to Lattimer,' ' said the witness. Then some of the men pushed forward, and the sheriff pulled a man to the side of the road and pointed his revolver. The ma l pushed the revolver away and ran. Tht sheriff snapped his revolver twice. The third time it exploded. I cannot say whether or rot he shot anybody. Al soon as he fired the deputies commenced shooting. and everybody ran. I was among the last. and the deputies fired at us while we were running. The fir ing lasted about five minutes" The trial of Sheriff Martin and hi. deputies. charged with shooting and killing p striking miners and wound ing more than 50 others at Lattimer Pa., last September, began at Wilkes barre last week.
 It Is the contention of the prosscutioT that the miners were marching in or derly procession on the public highway from Ha2leton to Latttmer; that they were uuarlnsd and made no demonstra- tion of hostile character; that they were stopped by the sheriff and hts dep uties and were wantonly killed O. wounded, many of them, it Is claimed | being shot in the back after they ( | dispersed and were flying to places T safety. Tn support of this contention | yrIHn hay in 0e | during the past week:
 | John Nal lla, president of the ioca l union of UI. ted Mine Workers. testified | that he was at the head of the proces | sion Of miners and was carrying ar | American flag. when they were stopped | by the sheriff's posse. The flag wa: | grabbed from his hand and torn ir | pieces. The shooting, he says, followed | without pro'-ocation almost immediate l ly thereafter.
 ] Rev. Richard Aust. pastor of the Pol | ish Catholic church. and Rev. Car Hauser. pastor of the Lutheran church ] testified that they had examined many | of the dead and wounded and found l that several were wounded in the back. | Charles G. scott, principal of the Lat | timer schoo located near the scene oi the shooting: testified that he saw the | | marching Tn an orderly manner along l the highway. when they were stopped | by the sht If and deputies. Shortly
 after he heard shots and saw the min. | CTS disperse, the deputies continuing | the shooting for several minutes. Sev' | aral volleys were fired, he said. the min, | CTS being shot In the back as they ran. | Miss Grace Coyle, 0 teacher in the | Lattimer school. who was an cyewit- | ness of the shooting. fully corroborstet
 the testimony Of Principal Guscott. Sht | declared that the shooting continued
 while the men were running away. Dr. Kellar an attending surgeon, tes 1 tiled that 46 wounds on 39 men were
 inflicted by A caliber winchester bull
 lets. He classified the position of thu
 wounds as follows: Shot directly IT
 front, 5; indirectly in front. g: directly
 In the side, Is; indirectly In the side, 6
 directly in the rear. 3; indirectly in tn. l rear, &.
 John Egler, secretary of the local un
 ion Of mine workers, testified that tn,
 miners were marching peacefully, car | rying an American flag, and were whol , ly unarmed.
 John Yeager. 6 Slovenian. who wa!
 among the marching strikers. identified | in court several of the deputies who dfC the shooting at Lattimer.
 Thomas Hall, clerk of the Valley hote
 at HaZleton, testified to hearing Dep
 uty John Turner say after the shootin.
 at Lattlmer that he shot nine miner
 and killed five.
 c. Brehen gave testimony tending t,
 show malice on the part of some (
 the deputies. He said he was asked
 shortly before the shooting. to join tn
 ranks of the deputies by Deputies Bern
 heiser and Dodson, both of whom, la
 declared. said strikers ought to be shot 1 President Dole Leaves Washington. 1 Washington. Feb. 7.-PresIdent Dol