The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-22
THEIR LIVES IN PERIL
SHERIFF. MARTIN AND HIS DEPU-
TIES FIRED s'NONE TOO SOON"
Lawyer Ferris's Statement in Behalf
of Defense in the Lattimer Case
First Testimony.

wILKESBARRE. Pa, Feb 21-When the
fourth week of the trial of Sheriff Martin
and his deputies began to-day, the prosecu-
ton had only two more witnesses to hear
before closing. James Hennahan, of Latti-
mer testified that he said to Deputy Price:
"This is bad business, Sam"
Yes" replied Price, land am glad / did
not shoot"
On cross-examination the witness denied
that Price had said to him: It's bad
business, this shooting, but it could not be
prevented"
The testimony of Mike Damschak. the
last witness for the commonwealth was UNI
important Hon. George S. Ferris then made
the Introductory speech for the defense
Mr. Ferris presented in detail the facts
of the case as the defense hopes to prove
them 1t will endeavor to show that there
had been rioting throughout the regions
that the sheriff was justified in calling out
the posse, and that he was also justified in
ordering the shooting at Lattimer if he
deemed it necessary. He then detailed the
movements of the strikers from the time
they left Harwood until they reached Lat
timer. There" he said, 1.-The sheriff adj
vanced alone to meet them. Instantly there
was a tumult of yells. Five or six men
bounced upon the sheriff, seized him, showed
him into a ditch on the left of the road
and began beating him. Two of them flour
ished revolvers at him, and a third made
q savage stab at him with Il knife. The
sheriff in his struggles, freed his right arm
and drew his revolver and snapped it at
one of his assailants. 1t would not go off.
Instantly the man, Novnatna, struck him a
vicious blow in the face with his fist and
IL
revolver shot rang out from the rushing
mob, then another, then three close to-
gether, then a rafting volley from the
guns which lasted a few seconds less than
half minute, and ceased when the mob
gave way. The order to fire was given,
by whom we do not know, but it was none
too soon for the head of the charging col
umn had rushed within fifteen feet of the
deputies line before the attack was re-
pulsed That, gentlemen, is the story of
Lattimer as you will hear it from the dep
uties. We expect q. verdict of acquittal.'
The first witness for the defense was Mrs
Catherine Weisenborn. She said: THE
strikers gathered at Harwood on the day
of the shooting, and one of them, Casper
ick who testified for the state, entered Mike
Kinaskis house and tried to get him to go
out, crying, If you don't come Wen kill
YOU KinasM was in hiding and escaped,
and as the strikers departed they cried:
Wen show the white people what We'll do
when we come back / saw the strikers
chase a number of people. They were all
armed with clubs or stones, and some had
revolvers."
Mrs. Eliza Grace. of HARDWOOD, said her
husband ran into the brush when he heard
the strikers were approaching. He was
afraid of them They tramped through
ny fruit gardens said Mrs. Grace, land
broke my bean poles in two to make clubs
They caught John Edmondson and would
have taken him along forcibly had not his
wife chung to him and begged them to re-
lease him."
Mrs. Rosa Gillespie, of Harwood, told
how she had sent her four boys into the
brush to hide, fearing the strikers would
hurt them
Mrs. Catherine Brennan hid her fifteen
yeai-old boy and went out to look at the
strikers. They We're armed with clubs,
hammers and stones. One man fired a shot
in the air. Others fired into the brush
where many of the men were hiding Mrs
Brennan said she saw Martin Shofronck
march into Joe Shultz's saloon. crying that
if he did not come out he would be killed
Shultz was in hiding and could not be
found
Mrs. Michael Gallagher, of Harwood. said
she was stoned by the strikers, and Mrs
Charles Miller said her husband had gone
TO West Hazelton when he heard the
strikers We're approaching. This concluded
the testimony for the day.