The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-01


Strikers would Blow Up the Town.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, March 1.-The ju-
rors in the trial of Sheriff Martin and
deputies for the shooting of strikers
at Lattimer, after a quiet Sunday and
long walk about the city, came into
court yesterday in excellent health.
Jurors Washburn and Weaver have
fully recovered from their indisposition.
The first witness, Miss Cora Heni-
bach, eyed IS, testified that on Sept.
10, the day of the shooting she heard
woman who was running past her
home at Lattimer call out that the
strikers from Harwood were coming
and that she was going to find her
husband and make him hide Il was
afraid they would blow up the town."
continued the witness, $50 l ran to the
schoolhouse and asked the teacher,
Miss Coyle, to excuse my little sister,
as l knew she would be safer at home.
She did so, and 1 hurried home with
the little girl. We were all going up
stairs to hide in the garret when the
shooting commenced"
Stephen Guttenmiller gave the first
evidence to substantiate the assertion
of the defense that a man stood be-
hind the line of deputies and urged the
strikers on. He said: Il was driving
from West Hazleton to Lattimer and
got there just as the deputies lined up
along the roadside. 1 stood some lit
tie distance behind them and saw
the strikers coming up. AS they ap-
preached L saw man standing be-
hind the deputies. He was a big fell
low, and had no coat on. 1 saw him
wave his arm and beckon to the strik-
ers to come on. They did so. After
stopping a moment with the sheriff
they pushed past him and on toward
the deputies. They were close to them
when the shooting commenced"
On cross examination he said that
many of the men were lying dead and
wounded in the road, and he saw one
of the latter trying to raise, whereupon
two men whom he thought We're depu-
ties kicked him.
John Wolfe, a conductor on the troll
ley road, said the strikers were armed
with clubs.
George Name, of Hazleton said he
was with the sheriff at Crystal Ridge
few days before the shooting and
saw the sheriff disperse a number of
strikers. AS they went away one cried,
Wen come back tonight and burn
the breaker"
Mrs. Katharine Craig, whose house
is near the spot where the shooting
occurred, at Lattimer, saw the sheriff
advance to stop the strikers. "They
pushed, and pulled him around" she
said, land crowded past him and went
toward the deputies. Then l became
frightened and ran into the house with
my two boys. One of them ran to the
window and cried oh, Mamma, they
are killing the sheriff The shooting
commenced about that time That
night we heard the strikers were COM
ing to burn or blow up the town, and
nearly everybody left the town. Our
family walked to Milnesville at 2
o'clock in the morning."
Burgess w. w. Smith, of West Ha-
zleton testified that on Sept he saw
| about so strikers drive the men from
| the Cuyle strippings by throwing
stones at them. After Sept. he or
dered Policeman Jones to place on
| duty three special policemen, to aid
him at night. This was owing to the
fear of violence at the hands of the
strikers.
Oliver Leibensberger, a builder and
contractor of Hazleton, rode on his
| bicycle to Lattimer, passing on the
way some 12 or Is strikers, who pur-
sued him, crying: xiii him, kill him"
| The witness then described the meet
| ing of the sheriff and the strikers, the
| latter advancing with paper in his
| hand. The sheriff was crowded into
the gutter, and then some one gave
an order to fire.
William j. Evans, reporter of the
Hazleton Sentinel, corroborated the
above testimony He continued: "Af-
ter the shooting 1 saw three men lying
dead together, and close up to the
hand of one of them was a revolver.
I picked it up, stuck it in my pocket
and reported it to the sheriff. l kept
1t until the inquest when 1 gave it to
Coroner Mckee" The prosecution fail
ed to prove that the pistol picked up
by Evans was his property.
Benjamin Norris a motorman on the
trolley line, testified to bringing the
dead and wounded to Hazleton, and as
to the finding of an empty pistol in the
coat of one of the dead men.
DIR. John Koons, a practicing physi-
clan of Hazleton, testified to being
called by the chief of police to treat
two wounded men in Jail. one of the
men declined to be examined, although
he claimed he had a broken arm, and
the examination had to be made by
force There was no fracture of the
arm. The other man had two slight
scalp wounds.
John Landmesser, an old resident OF
West Hazleton, advised the strikers
to disperse and go home. They re.
piled, 1.-THE sheriff no good"