Evening journal., 1898-03-02
MARTIN UNDER OATH
Sheriff Tells His Story of the
Lattimer Affair.
WARNED DEPUTIES TO KEEP COOL.
Declares a Striker Shot at Ills Men at
Beaver Meadow-swears a Man
Struck Him Violently Before
the shooting Eegan.

the Shooting Began.
WILKESBARRE. Pa, March a.
Chief interest IN the proceedings in the
trial Of Sheriff Martin and his deputies
centered in the appearance of the sher-
III himself as a witness for the defense.
When he was called and as he entered
the witness stand there was a rustic
Of excitement He was rather nervous,
coughed frequently and could not keep
his hands still. He was asked the
usual questions about his position and
said he was elected in 1895 and took
office the first Monday In January,
1895. He then told his story and spoke
for an hour without interruption.
In beginning. he told how he had
been called home from Atlantic City on
account OF the strike and stated how
proclamations had been published and
posted to quiet the disturbances. on
the 9Th Of September, he said, he had
met the men collected 10 serve as depu-
ties. Continuing, he said
II told them that It was our duty TO
maintain the law, and If / found any
body violating the law we should arr
rest them. / said we did not want to
hurt or shoot anybody and that we
theirs were In danger"
The next morning he went to Crystal
Ridge with five deputies and dispersed
three crowds of men who he stated,
were about to throw stones at men at
work in the strippings. The next day
he went to Drifton and swore in a num-
Dor Of additional deputies. After re-
turning to Hazleton he heard a mob
was marching TO Stockton and took a
car thither with some deputies. He
met the strikers and read his prOclama-
ton. eventually persuading them not TO
enter the city limits. They turned to
Crystal Ridge, but he headed them off
and with difficulty dispersed them.
Continuing his story. he told how, on
the following day Thursday, he dis
persed some strikers at Cranberry.
Then he got word Of a mob at Beaver
Meadow and went there. The mob
charged on the deputies, and they had
10 push them away with their guns
held like rails The sheriff then added
that one man fred upon the deputies as
the crowd dispersed and made good his
| escape.
Friday afternoon he got a message
that the strikers were marching through
Cranberry, bound for Lattimer He hur-
ried to West Hazleton and met the
strikers there. After a great deal Of
difficulty he persuaded them TO scatter
the mob cursing him all the time. They
left the road he said, and went over
some lots. Soon he heard they were go
ing to Lattimer
II hurried of with my deputies" he
continued, Ito Intercept them. I told
them again TO keep cool and not to
shoot unless their lives or mine were in
danger After lining them up along
side the road 1 told them I would go
out to meet the strikers and try once
m0re TO dispense them. A deputy ask
/ ed If he should not go with me- No, I
/ said, I'll go alone / thought one man
was enough to die at once. felt some
how there was going to be trouble.
met the strikers about so yards from
the deputies and asked them where
they were going.
ITO stop the Lattimer breaker a
lot OF them cried
II told them they must not go. and
tried 10 read my proclamation TO them.
but they crowded around me. swearing
at me and hustllng me to one side. One
man tried TO grab me, and I then at
tempted to get hold Of him. but the
crowd jumped on me and pounded me
about the body. I dropped my paper
and pulled my revolver. One Of the
men tried to snatch the revolver from
me, but failed. Then he struck me an
awful blow in the face and knocked me
TO my knees. I tried TO shoot him. but
my revolver would not explode. Ther
the shooting commenced. 1t lasted
about half q minute. In the crowd J
saw three men armed with revolvers
and one with a knife The latter made
a stab at me, but missed. Two mer
were shot just behind me to the left.
was in the direct line of fire"
The cross examination, conducted by
Mr. Scarlet, lasted for two hours ant
will be resumed. While many minoi
details were brought out nothing was
adduced to affect the main story.