The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-04
SHERIFF MARTINS
DEFENSE CLOSED
Deputy Hess on the Witness Stand.-f1e
Did Not Shoot.
EVIDENCE SHOWING DISORDER
Several Witnesses Testify to the
Treatment That sheriff Martin Re-
ceiyed from the Mob--Depuies
Did Not shoot TO Kili--Iipstave
Commit the Last witness.

comm tue bHst "ttuOoo'
Wilkes Barre. March 3.-When court
opened this morning in the Martin
trial, Deputy Hess was placed on the
stand and his cross-examination was
continued. Witness said he heard no
command to fire, and did not hre
shot, nor did he know what men OF the
company he commanded did shoot.
Deputy Hess said that Sheriff Mar
tins life was in great peril from the
shooting, as he was in a group OF the
strikers.
James A. Salem, of Harrisburg. but
formerly of Hazleton, said he was act
ing as deputy for four days. He cor
roborated the testimony of other wit
nesses as to Sheriff Martin being
roughly handled by the strikers and
saw their main body make a rush to-
ward the deputies. He said no shots
were fired after the voney, and that
he did not fire at all. At the time the
firing began he was overcome by the
heat and was leaning against the
fence.
Lawyer George A. Coke, of Philadel-
phia, representing the Austrian gov
ernment, was here today for the hrst
time since the trial began. He said
his visit was unofficial.
AS soon as all the witnesses have
been heard the defense, so Attorney
Lenahan says, will ask Judge Wood
ward to give binding instructions to
the jury to bring in verdict of not
guilty for all the defendants.
II fired one shot," said Charles j.
Haenst this afternoon. He was the
first of the deputies to admit that he
had shot. He told what he had seen
at West Hazleton. Deputy Platt lev
eled his gun at a striker who was
picking up a stone. He also rode in
the car with Thomas Hall and did not
hear him making any threats against
the strikers. "At Lattimer," he said,
81 saw the sheriff hold up both hands
to stop the strikers. In one hand he
held a paper. / saw him grab for a
man and also saw two strikers with
revolvers thrust them at the sheriff.
while another made a dig at him with
"A knife. Then they rushed upon us
and when they got within ten or fifteen
feet of us l raised my gun and fired.
] thought my life was in danger and
felt if they got at us they would kill
US"
DID NOT SHOOT TO KILL.
on cross examination the witness
said he did not fire at any particular
point of the mems bodies, that he did
not take aim, and that he did not de-
sire to kill and did not think he shot
to take life.
Thomas Hall. who organized the
posse for Sheriff Martin, was the next
witness. He told how the sheriff had
told him to get together lot of men.
He had done so and they had been
sworn In ~ Sheriff Martin who had
ine ructed them not to shoot unless
their lives We're in danger, and said
that he would tell them to disperse,
that if they refused he would make
an arrest and if they then resisted the
deputies should shoot
Il heard two shots before the volley"
said the witness, they sounded like
revolver shots. When l saw the sheriff
surrounded l thought he was gone and
when the strikers charged on us
thought they would at least disarm
us. / did not shoot
On cross-examination witness said
that he had organized posse of coal
and iron policemen on the Saturday
before the sheriff reached Hazleton.
This was at the request of Superin-
tendent Zerbe, of the Lebigh Valley
Coal company, whose colliery had been
attacked and the men driven out The
cross-eXamination was very lengthy
but brought out nothing particularly
new.
Sheriff Martin was recalled at this
point and asked if he observed any
weapons on the strikers at West Hazle-
ton. He answered that he saw three
men with revolvers in their hip pock-
cts. On REORGANIZATION he said he
did not converse with any of them
nor did he arrest them. Asked if any
not been sworn in as deputies he said:
"Well there were not many who had
not been sworn in"
He could not tell how manv
II. NJ. Coniff, tipstave, said that on
the night of the shooting he met Sheriff.
Martin in the court house about s
o'clock. The sheriff had a brulse on
his cheek and scratch on his neck.
This was the last witness for the
defense and when he left the stand At
torney Lenahan announced the clos
ing.
District Attorney Martin said he had
six or eight witnesses in rebuttal whom
he would have in court in the morning
Court then adjourned.