The herald., 1898-02-08
MARTINS CASE
Is Slowly Approaching a
Conclusion
JUDGE SCORES NEWSPAPERS
FOR ATTEMPTS TO PREJUDICE
THE RESULT
The Defense Gathers a Little Hope
From Technical Points De-
cided Against the People
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WILKESBARRE, Pa, Feb. Hum
dreds of persons anxious to hear what
action Judge Woodward would take in
reference to the sensational outbreak on
Saturday between Attorneys Garman
and Lenahan. opposing counsel in the
Lattimer shooting case, thronged the
courtroom today. Judge Woodward
spoke of the incident of Saturday, saying
that after he had left the bench and be-
fore court adjourned. an alteration had
arisen between two lawyers engaged in
the trial, which the court did not fully
hear nor realize until they were seen in
the newspapers.
Had we heard" said the judge, what
was said. we should have dealt with the
lawyers in a summary manner, as the
affair so deserved. and if there is repe-
tition of it we shall punish the guilty
parties for contempt of court.
Then came a severe denunciation of
the sensational issue of certain newspa-
pers in endeavoring, as the court said,
to prevent justice by an eXaggerauon
of the facts and Incidents of trial. He
would, he said, not mention any names
at present, but if the astounding false
hoods and misrepresentation continue,
the representatives of the paper will find
the doors or the court closed to them"
The first witness today was Silas
Jones, Justice of the Peace of West Iia-
zelton. He stated that he had seen the
meeting of the deputies and strikers at
West Iiazelton and followed them to
Lattimer He saw Sheriff Martin ad-
vance toward them with a paper in his
hand Some of them surrounded him
and an alteration occurred, but the wit
ness could not see exactly how the alter
cation took place. He heard couple
of shots and then a yolley, and several
men fell. Two fell near him. He was
asked what the spectators said after
the shooting. The defense objected.
After listening to all the arguments.
the court sustained the objection, thus
shutting out the evidence. This is re-
garded as an important point gained
for the defense.
Counsel for the defense asked the wit
ness il he was not frightened when he
saw the Sheriff surrounded by the strik-
ers, and he replied that he was, and ow-
ing to this fact he could not tell clearly
Just what happened at the moment.
John Yeager. a Slav, who required an
said he had seen the depu-
ties on their way to Lattimer on the day
of the shooting. All We're armed with
rifles. but he could not see whether the
Sheriff had any weapons. Just before
' 1,n hA
cepted bail for all the accused deputies
and the Sheriff in the amount of $4,000
each, making $4,000 in all. Bail was
furnished by the Philadelphia Surety
Company.
When court met again in the after
noon Geo. Yeager resumed his testi-
mony. He joined the strikers and
with them to Latimer. He de-
scribed the meeting with the sheriff and
said the sheriff drew his revolver and
pointed it at the strikers. He grabbed
one of them and pulled him out from
the others, all the time holding
the pistol at his breast. Then some one
shouted TO shoot and the deputies fired.
After the first few shots" said the
there was volley and then a
of single shots, and eleven men
We're killed in five minutes and lots
Upon cross-examination witness stat
ed that he could point out any deputy
who was present at the shooting, and
the defendant Immediately called before
the witness John Hampton, chief of the
coal and oil police. Yeager was asked ii
he had seen Hampton with the deputies.
Yes" he exclaimed, "he was in the
line, and was holding his rifle this way"
and he illustrated the position.
The defense will prove that Hampton
was not on the scene a all but was in
at the time.