Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-02-26
THE LATTINER HORROR.
Still Presenting Evidence Against
Martin and His Deputies.
STRIKERS INVITED TO LATTIMER
They Had Sent, a Delegate to the Har-
wood Meeting TO Urge Peaceful
Demonstration by strikers There.
Murderous Threats of Deputies.


wilFesbarre. Pa. Feb. 1.-THE prin-
ciral witnesses on Thursday OF last
week In he trial of Sheriff Martin and
lis deputies for the shooting of strik-
crs o. Lattfmer in September last
were Daniel Ferry, a Hazleton grocer;
John Kappa. one OF the wounded men,
August Catsld and Joseph Mekld Fer
ny declared that Sheriff Martin was
quite cut of danger when the deputies
fired. Kappa told how he had been fol-
lowed and shot in the back while run
ming on the further side of the rail-
road. Catski heard one of the depu-
ties say: Let them go until we get to
I.attimer, and then Wen shoot them"
Melxld testified that the deputies called
out at West Hazleton to some of the
strikers IF you do not get out of the
road we will shoot you down like dogs"
Daniel Murphy testified that he saw
Deputy A. f. Hess give water to
wounded striker, and, together with
Alonzo Dodson and A. M. Eby, carry
some of the wounded men to the cars
Andrew Hannes and Adam Lapinski,
two Of the wounded strikers, showed
their scars. Both were wounded in
the back while running away.
defense agreed to admit the following
facts in order TO hurry the trial along
by avoiding a continued repetition of
the same questions: First, the meeting
of the strikers at Harwood; second, the
presence of the deputies and strikers at
West Hazleton; third, the fact that the
deputies were armed; fourth, the fact
that apparently the strikers were not
armed.
On Friday an unsuccessful effort was
made to secure an acknowledgment
from Adam Lapinski, the first witness,
that his evidence was influenced by
hope of securing damages if the depu-
ties were convicted. Other witnesses
testified that some of the deputies fol-
lowed the fieeisg strikers for so yards,
shooting as they ran. Andrew Maier,
who limped into the court room on one
leg, having lost the other on account of
a deputy's bullet, said the shooting con-
tinued for couple of minutes after
the fatal volley. Martin Lachar said he
saw deputy kick Maier as he lay there
wounded, but could not identify the
deputy who did the kicking. The de-
Tense objected to the admission of this
testimony, and Judge Woodward sus-
tanned the objection, as usual. The
other evidence was corroborative of
that already given.
The most important witness in the
trial on Saturday last was John Pc
truska, a huckster. Petruska testified
that he saw the deputies getting guns
ct HaZleton hardware store, and the
men declared they were going to shoot.
His story of the shooting coroborated
that of previous witnesses. Mary Koh-
Ter, a servant girl, testified that the
people of Lattimer were afraid the
strikers would break into their homes.
She said they also feared that the dep
uties were going to shoot.
On Monday last the testimony was
mainly corroborative of that already
presented. Marcy Guncavage testified
that he heard the sheriff give the or
der to fire, and that the sheriff had
previously said to him: There is going
to be big trouble here today" George
Rescter swore that the flag bearer at
the head of the strikers fell dead in the
ditch bordering the road Thomas
Raczicl swore that a delegate from
Lattimer, Joseph Caltiek. attende>4 the
meeting at Harwood and urged them
TO go to Lattimer and invite the men
there to join the strike. The giving of
the delegates name was new evidence.
1t is reported that two of last weeks
witnesses have been discharged from
the mine where they were employed for
giving evidence against the deputies.
On Tuesday there was no new evil
dence introduced, though Casper Wish
nislH, one of the wounded strikers,
swore that Sheriff Martin fired the first
shot, and that a striker fell. This shot
was followed by the fatal volIey. Two
other wounded strikers testified.
On Wednesday the defense introduce
ed two more witnesses who heard Dep
uty Turner declare after the shooting
Il shot nine eff them, and killed five"
One of the witnesses, who was shot
seven times at Lattimer, showed his
wounds to the ifry