River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-02-10
SHOT IN THE BACK.
Statement Made by Doctor Testify
ing in Inttfmer Affair.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, Feb. 5.--In the
trial of Sheriff Martin and his deputies,
who are jointly charged with the muir
der of the striking miners at Lattimer
on September 10, DR.. II. NJ. Keller, who
viewed the remains Of the strikers,
and attended many of the wounded, tes-
tilted that number Of the strikers were
shot in the back, thus bearing out the
allegations of the commonwealth that
the deputies fred when the men were
running away
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Feb. THE fi~r4
week of the trial of Sheriff Martin "a.
his deputies ended Saturday with the
case well under way, and the jury hav-
ing a lot of evidence to think about
over Sunday. There was the usual
crowd at the morning session.
The first witness, Michael Nichol-
son, described the condition of some of
the wounded on the road near Latti-
mer. One man died as he watched him;
five others whom he saw were badly
wounded
The next witness, one of the most inn
portaut of those to be heard on behalf
of the commonwealth. was John Egler,
secretary of the HARDWOOD union of
the United Ironworkers. He told how,
on the night before the shooting, a
meeting had been held at Harwood, and
the men gathered there decided to
march over to Lattimer that day to
show themselves to the men at that
place at the request of these men. Wit
ness got an American flag and nailed it
TO long pole he had cut. They agreed,
he said. to march unarmed, and TO be-
have peaceably. Speaking of the meet
ing with the sheriff and deputies at
West Hazleton, witness said: They
rushed at us and pointed their guns in
our faces and told us to stop. | eX-
planned to the sheriff that we were Just
going to show ourselves to the Latti-
mer men, and were going TO do no harm
to anybody. The sheriff said: If you
get to Lattimer, you must kill me-
Burgess Jones, of West Hazleton, said
we could march through the streets,
and so the sheriff and deputies went
away, and we marched on to Lattimer''
The witness said that at Lattimer he
again told the sheriff they were not
armed, and would behave themselves.
The sheriff pulled a couple of men out
of the ranks and drew his revolver, and
witness saw him trying TO shoot one of
the strikers. The revolver did not ex-
plode, however, and then a crowd
formed around the sheriff At this time
/ there was a shot, and then three or four
shots, and at last a volley. Witness
| fell down between two men, but did
not think the men were shooting ball
| cartridges until he saw one of the men
bleeding. Then he got up and ran
with the rest, and the bullets kept whiz-
! zing about his ears. He saw lots of
wounded men, but did not go near the
| deputies, as he was afraid.
On cross-examination Egler admitted
| that when the sheriff told them to dis
perse, he said: 1--WE amt going to; we
are going to Lattimer."
| Wilkesbarre, Pa, Feb, SIN the
! course of the Martin trial Monday
morning there came severe denuncia-
| ton of the sensationalism Of certain
newspapers in endeavoring, as the court
| said. to prevent justice by an exaggera-
ion of the facts and incidents of the
trial. He would he said, not mention
any names at present. But if
the astounding falsehoods and misrep-
resentatious continue the representa-
tives of the papers will find the door of
the court closed to them" Just be-
fore the noon adjournment the court
accepted bail for all accused deputies
and the sheriff in the amount of $4,000
in each case, making 100000 in all.
Bail was furnished by the Philadel-
/ nhia Surety comDapy