Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-04
HISTORY OF We TROUBLE.
Shooting Grew a.. II the Great CoaI
Miners Strike.

Smoothing Grew 49,. II the Great Coal
Miners Strike.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
WILkESBARRE. Pa. February 4.-The
eyes Of the people of Pennsylvania. and,
indeed. of the whole country, are now
turned toward the unpratentious court
house here in Wilkesbarre, Pa, where
Sheriff Martin of Luzerne county is being
tried for the shooting of twenty-five men
last september.
The circumstances of the shooting are
well known. Early in September last
trouble arose between the mine owners in
the Hazleton district and their employees
On September Sheriff Martin proceeded
from Wilkesbarre, the county seat to
Hszleton. and swore in deputies to preserve
tn peace. From September to September
10 the sheriff was kept busy in visiting the
little towns in the vicinity of Hazleton,
where bands of men We're congregating
threatening and intimidating the workmen
not ON strike. and doing more less mis-
CHIEF 10 property of the mine owners.
He issued a proclamation calling on all
disorderly persons to disperse and in the
future to preserve the peace. No atten-
ton was paid to the proclamation or to
the sheriff's personal appeals. The for
eagnerS, Poles. Hungarians and Russians
persisted. in their threats and intimida-
tons Finally September 10 the sheriff
got wind of a mob. which was forming in
Harley. Miekadoo and other little towns
near HaZleton, for the purpose of march
ing on the Lattimer mines, in the vicinity
OF Hazleton. and driving OFF the work
men still engaged at the company's mines.
The sheriff first met the mob before they
reached HaZletOn, through which they were
intending to march to reach Lattmer His
Efforts To stop them here were in vain
Trey outwitted him and started through
west Hazleton toward Lattimer. The
sheriff and his deputies to the number of
nearly 100 embarked on the trolley car
procured for them and FASTENED TO inter-
cept the mob, which was proceeding on
loot by the same route to Lattimer The
deputies leaving their car planted them
selves directly in the Path of the con- ing
mob. which was advancing in large num-
hers. constantly augmented, and armed
with sticks, clubs and pistols.
Where the Fight Took Place.
AT the bend of the road leading to Lat
timer is a little house with its fence at
right angles to the road. Against this
fence and in neighboring alley the dep
uties. armed with Winchesters took their
stand to oppose the further march Of the
advancing mob. Upon the approach of the
crowd the sheriff advanced some little dis
taree in front of the deputies commanding
ITEM to halt and dispense, reading also
again to them his proclamation. He was
greeted with jeers and threats and the
Sheriff Will testify that there were knives
H.
out TO arrest one of the most violent lead
erS of the mob. he was beset by a number
OF them and thrown down in the road
Just mere there was clump of bushes on
the road which hid the fallen sheriff from
tne deputies As soon as the sheriff was
Gown the mob advanced threatepingly
upon the deputies who not seeing the
sheriff. evidently thought he was being
beaten and perhaps killed.
There were a couple of pistol shots when
the mob was within twenty feet of the
deputies and then the deadly yyinchesters
spoke, and in twenty seconds the terrible
result was accomplished and more than a
score OF men lay dead in groups upon the
highway and In the adjoining field
Whether Hess, Drake or Hall, who led the
deputies, gave the order to shoot no one
now knows 1t is hoped to establish this
upon the trial One of the attorneys for
the defense says in this connection:
Zone man will testify that he set his ston
watch when the firing began and that il
lasted just nineteen seconds. That to say
the least, was a remarkable man. In the
midst of the awful excitement to think 10
set a stop watch, :
One man will testify that the sheriff
drew hiss pistol and shot one of the mob in
the head before the awful firing of the
deputies.
1T will be shown on the trial that the
mob had terrorized the region about Hezle-
ton Even drummers were compelled to
march with the mob on its visits to the
different mines. and escaped only at night
fall from their hands.
1T Is interesting to note that the mob
was composed Of Slavs entirely. There