The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-02
THE SHERIFES STORY.
Accused Official Tells Of the Fatal
k-.. Shooting at Lattimer.
NAsATTAoKED BY THE STRIKERS


by the Mob, He Says, and One of
Them Had Knocked Him to His
Knees When the Firing Common ced.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, March An the
trial of Sheriff Martin and his deputies
for the Lattimer shooting the first wit
ness yesterday was Lewis Nielsen,
blacksmith at the Harwood breaker,
who testified that there was no work
at the breaker from Sept. 8, when the
Harwood men were driven out, to
Sept. 10, the day of the Lattimer shoot
ing. Alfred kulp corroborated this tes-
timony.
Thomas A. Harris, paymaster for the
Calvin Pardec company at L.attimer.
said that he was sworn in as a deputy
and armed with Winchester rifle,
loaded with fifteen ball cartridges. On
Sept. he. together with William Kulp.
was guarding the railroad approach to
the breaker at Lattimer. When the
strikers approached Kulp fired his gun
In the air, and the strikers broke and
ran. At the game time striker fired
revolver and shouted: you've got
us today. but we'll come back tomor-
row several thousand strong" He add
ed: Some nine or ten of us followed
the fleeing strikers land further, on
cross examination shooting and YELL
ing, and making more noise than did
the strikers. We chased them back
to the road, and then they went home"
He admitted that he secured his rifle
at Pnrdee's office.
Then witness for the commonwealth,
Daniel Ferry. and one for the defensc,
Otto Leibensberger, occupied half an
hour In contradicting each other about
an alleged statement relative to the
road the strikers took In marching to
Lattimer.
Thomas Hall and William Shoe
maker, employees Of the Pardee COM
pany at Lattimer. said they did not
know OF any dissatisfaction among the
men there or any demand for an in
crease Of wages. Each said he had
been driven from work By the strikers,
but on cross examination admitted
they had left work when they heard
the strikers were coming.
Then Sheriff Martin was called, and
Is he entered the witness stand there
was q rustic Of excitement. His COM
mission and proclamation were read
and placed in evidence. He then went
on to tell his story. and spoke for an
hour without interruption.
Il was at Atlantic City on Sept. A."
he said, ''When l received Il telegram
from Deputy Sheriff Hale, saying I
was needed at home. / came home
at once and met Mr.. Fred Chase, Cen
eral Superintendent w. A. Lathrop,
of the Lehigh Valley Coal company,
and my attorney. Mr.. George S. Fer
rts. ] was told by Mr.. Lathrop that
the Ha2leton strikers had damaged
the companys property and interfered
with the workmen, and he would hold
me responsible for any further trouble.
i suggested that General SuFsrintend-
ent laval, of the Lehigh and Wilkes
barre Conl company, be called in, and
when he camc | suggested that he ar
bitratc the differences between the men
and thus settle tho strike He
agreed, Mr. Ferris, my lawyer then
suggested getting out proclamation,
and this was done just before 1 went
to HazIeton, on the 9th.
AT HaZleton / met Superintendent
Zerbey. of the Lehigh Valley Coal conf
pnny, Mr.. Platt and Thomas Hall
They told me there had been rioting,
and that 1t ought to be stopped l
asked If they could get me up a posse,
es l did not know many men there.
They agreed to do so, and that night l
met the men and swore them in. I
told them that 1t was our duty to
maintain the law. and If l found any
body violating the law we should ar
rest theEl. ] said we did not want to
hurt or shoot anybody, and that we
should not shoot unless our lives or
theirs were in danger.
The sheriff then told OF dispensing a
crowd Of strikers at Crystal Ridge the
next day, and of swearing in addition
nj deputies, and had to argue with the
strikers some time before they agreed
to march around the city. Later ne
dispersed the same crowd at Crystal
Ridge, but was threatened by them
as they dispersed.
The following day he dispersed a
erowd at Cranberry who were trying
TO prevent men s)ing to work. Later
he and his deputies aided Sheriff Sol
Ser. of Carbon county, in protecting the
breaker at Beaver Meadow. Tho shcr-
In then told the story Of the fatal
,hooting at Lattimer, az follows:
Friday morning, Sept. 10. l reached
Drifton and found all my deputies
there. AT ! o'clock in the afternoon
| got message that the strikers were
marching through Cranberry, bound
for Lattimer. l hurried off with the
Hazeton deputies to intercept the men
1t West IIaz!cton. While going there
repeated my instructions to the Dept
Ties about keeping cool and avoiding
trouble If possible.
"The mob swore at us when we ap-
preached, cursed me, and would not
bulge when told them to do So
read my proclamation and walked
through them, asking them to go home.
Dne young man swore at me violently,
md said they would go to Lattimer in
pite of ne. I arrested him. One man
picked up a stone, but dropped it when
: pointed a revolver at him.
II told crowd of spectators to 20
home, as the strikers were desperate,
md there might be trouble. Finally the
strikers Left the road and started off
Ncr some lots. Soon heard they were
going to Lattimcr, and / hurried off
WITH my deputies to- intercept them.
told them again to keep cool and not
TO shoot unless their lives or mine
were in danger. After lining them up
,iongsde the road l told them / would
60 out and meet the strikers and try
once more to Gisnarse them. A deputy
asked il he should not go with me.
Mo- I said 'I'Il 70 n one | thOught