Evening journal., 1898-02-09
STRIKERS UNARMED.
Witnesses Testify 70 This Fact
at the Martin Trial.
THREATENING NOTE SENT TO JUDGE.
He Terms the Author a Coward--Evi-
dsnoe shows Deputy Tore an
American Flag--A Drummer
on the witness stand.

WILKESBARRE Pa, Feb. 9.-Before
the trial Of Sheriff Martin and his dep
ties was resumed yesterday Judge
Woodward stated that he had received
an anonymous letter stating that II he
did not do certain things something
would happen, and a threat was made.
The Judge said
"The man who wrote this viii prob
ably hear what 1 have TO say, and
want to tell him that he Is a scoundrel
and a coward and that no such dis
honorable means will I'm any way affect
my Judgment. Cowardice and personal
fear are not n characteristic OF the
race from which / come"
Evan Jones, the chief Of police OF
West Hazleton was called. He said that
the strikers reached West Hazleton on
the afternoon OF the shooting. and there
met the sheriff and the deputies. They
carried flag and talked rather loudly,
but they had no arms and made no dis
turbance Of any kind. The sheriff told
them that they could not march to Lat
timer and that they must go home.
whereupon he (Jones) induced them to
80 back and showed them how they
could march by side street.
Herman Pottunger OF Hazeton said
the day OF the shooting Deputy Henry
Heihl threatened to blow my brains
out IL did not get Off the road"
The witness pointed out Barton. Hall,
peisel, Manley and Moile as deputies
whom he saw at West Hazleton. He
heard Hall say, I'D like to get pop at
them" Another deputy said, II bet
drop six OF them when l get over there"
The cross examination was severe, but
II did not affect Pottungers story.
John Fortschek, who required an in.
terpreter. said that he was at West
Hazleton with the strikers and saw the
sheriff threaten to shoot down several
men. He stated that the strikers had
no clubs or weapons OF any kind and
that one of the deputies pulled the
American flag and tore Il. At Lattimer
the witness saw no disturbance, and al
most as soon as the strikers halted a
shot was fired, and then came the vol
ley. The firing continued about FIVE
minutes, he said. on cross examina-
ton no said he did not see much OF
what happened during the shooting, as
he was badly frightened and the bull
let's were whizzing about his head He
said he did not see any man fall within
10 feet OF the strikers and that he stood
about 10 yards away. Chief OF the Coal
and Iron Police Hampton was the man
who tore the flag at West Hazleton.
Simon KowalslSi said that when the
sheriff stopped the strikers at Latti-
mer, he asked whore they were going.
ITO Lattlmer TO see our fellow work.
men" he replied. Then he grabbed a
man by the collar. pulled him out of the
line and pushed his revolver against his
throat. The next moment there was a
shot and 1 ran as fast as l could.
When / came back Mr.. Dodson, a dep
uty, came over as ! was helping a
wounded man.. and said;
You run away, or I'll shoot you,
toor" .f,.'tl8
The cross examination lasted some
time, but the witness story was not
shaken. He said he was not one OF the
leaders. and only walked In the front
ranks because II was hot and dusty.
Walter Pekerski told how the deputies
had struck one of the strikers at West
Hazleton with gun, cutting his head
badly The man, he said, was doing
nothing He could not point out the
deputy. At West Hazleton the sheriff
was pointing his revolver at everybody
near him. None OF the strikers had any
weapons. and all were quite peaceable.
Near Lattimer the sheriff stopped us
and said. Nobody can go to Lattimer'"
said the witness. ''Then some OF the
men pushed forward and the sheriff
pulled a man TO the side OF the road
and pointed his revolver. The man
pushed the revolver away and ran. The
l sheriff snapped his revolver twice. The
third time IL exploded. / cannot say
whether or not he shot anybody As
soon as he fired the deputies commenced
shooting. and everybody ran. I was
among the last, and the deputies fired
at us while we were running The fir
Ing lasted about five minutes"
Andrew i, Adams. travelling man
from Glens Falls, N. y, said he saw the
strikers twice on the day OF the shoot
ing. once as he was going from Mines
Vile 10 Lattimer, when they were
marching In an orderly manneA and
again when he was returning from Lat
timer. At this point it was just when
they were meeting the sheriff. He did
not see the meeting, the car being about
COO feet away but he heard the firing
and saw the smoke and the strikers
running. There were few scattering
shots. then a volley. followed by a num-
Der OF scattering shots
This ended the testimony for the day,
and court adjourned