Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-02-14
STRIKERS SHOW SCARS.
SURVIVORS OF LATTlMeR MASSACRE
EXHIeIT THEIR WOUNDS.
Bullet Marked Bodies Are Barred in Court
AS Evidence of the Deputies Aim.
Tragic Marks of the Terrible Slaughter.
Raught Accused of WiIfuI Murder.


On Thursday the first wounded striker
was put on the witnesss stand. and told
to show the red scars that marked the
track of Winchester bullets. 1t is the
intention of the district attorney to
follow with the entire body Of more than
thirty men who were treated in the
Hazeten hospital and were discharged
upon recovery. Five months have eapS.
ed since the Lattimer killing. The men
who were wounded have resumed their
work, barring two under treatment now,
and several others who were crippled
for life, one having a leg amputated
The wounds are marked now only by
crimson and angry sears on muscular
shoulders, arms, legs, chests and backs
As these Hungarians and Poles stripped
off their coats, torn with bullet holes,
and pulled their coarse shirts they
became excited and these scenes were
thrilling and pathetic.
The tactics of the prosecution in
heaping up evidence by continual repeti-
tion OF the same story is irrating the de-
|
nesses for the commonwealth and the
| long-drawn out cross-eXamnations of
Mr. Lenahan the trial stretches far out
into indefinite futurty, and month is
now considered II conservative estimate.
On Thursday afternoon Mr.. Palmer
said to the district attorney, when al
most Identical stories were following on
| l,,, 1
going over this ground again and again.
1t has been proved that these men
agreed to march peaceably. and appar-
emily they were unarmed at Lattimer."
This was an important admission by one
of the leading counsel for the defense.
One of the most important witnesses
was Daniel j. Ferry, IL tea agent. lie
saw the strikers going to Lattmer and
they acted peaceaby as they marched
along, carrying in front the American
flag. He was about twenty yards dis
tant from the sheriff when he was talk
heard voley," he said, "and saw a
young man fall near the trolley road.
He was shot twice. "Did you know
any of the deputies preSent?" The
witness named John Turner, Will
liam Raught and Edward Turnbach.
Il saw William Raught get on the bank
on the electric railway and shoot after "A
man running in the direction of the
schoolhouse after the volley."
The first of the wounded men intro
duced was Joseph Zappas, who talked
through an Interpreter After telling
his story of the shooting he removed his
clothing to the waist, and the iury
viewed his sears. A hole in his back
and another through the left arm show
ed the course of rifle ball, which had
gone through him oblquely, coming out
through the arm. The defense objected
to this display, and Mr.. Palmer asked if
the district attorney proposed to play
upon the sympathy of the jury by strip
ping the thrty-eight wounded men on
the witness stand.
The tenor of Mr.. Mathis reply indi.
Gated that he was ready to strip $500
men if he thought it advisable for the
interests of the prosecution.
A stocky young Polander, August Cas-
catski, was an intelligent witness who
made an admirable stand against bat
tering cross-eXamination and emerged
with colors flying. He swore that Depu-
ty Dodson struck the man whose arm
was broken at West Hazleton
Joseph Mekki was shot through the
arm, and when asked to takeOff his coat
he fairly tore off his upper garments.
A Winchester ball had hit his forearm
near the elbow from behind, while he
was running away, and came out
through his upper arm over the biceps.
He was very much excited as he barred
his arm and shoulder and walked in
front of the jurybox. He said: They
said they would shoot us down like dogs
when they met us at West Hazleton.
At Lattimer the sheriff pointed pistol
at my breast. | turned to run when the
guns went crack. crack, and was shot
from behind in my right arm. | had
run about ten or fifteen yards from the
sheriff and was shot while | was running
down the road
Andrew Hanes was shot through the
hips by the flanking fire while he was
running away. He barred himself and
showed the two big sears left by Win
chester ball.
Andrew Lapiniski was shot through
the shoulder while running, the ball
going clean through from behind. He
showed the scars. 1t was very notable
that the vitality of these men who toll
by sheer strength and muscle is extra
ordinary, their constitutions amazing.
Three of the men on the stand on Thurs
day had been Shot clear through body or
shoulder.
The commonwealth, since the begin
ming, has been endeavoring to introduce
the testimony OF strikers and spectators