The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-23
THE STRIKERS ARMED,
According to Sworn Testimony in
Sheriff Martins Defense.
HAD THE PEOPLE TERROR1zED.
Witnesses Declare That Number of
Men Wero Forced Into the Ranks OF
the Marchers Against Their WIN.
An OctogenarIan Stoned.


Men Wero Forced Into the Ranks o
the Marchers Against Their Will
An OctoaenarIan Stoned.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Feb. 23-Owing tc
the mass of business in court Judge
Woodward decided there should be nc
holiday yesterday. But" said he, 81
deem 1t appropriate that we observe the
day by hearing Washington's farewell
address, and l have requested Mr.
Scarlet to read it," The reading was
given careful attention, and was fol.
lowed by prolonged applause.
The first witness of the day was Mrs
James Edmondson, who lives at Har.
wood, She said that on the day of the
shooting she heard neighbor shout
Skin out: the strikers are coming
Continuing. witness said, II saw the
men. They all had clubs. My man and
my boarders hid behind the shanty, and
l went to protect my sick boy in the
house. They found my husband and
tried to get him away. l grabbed him
and after lot of words they let him
CO. They said to me. Wait until we
come back; we'll fix you A neighbor
gave me big stone, and said should
throw 1t IL they tried to get my man
again. They did try, and l threw some
stones. They threatened to knock my
brains out. Some tried to get into my
house to take my sick son. but told
them that II they came in they'd be
dead when they went out"
James Edmonson, husband of the
nrnVionS Iyitnacc said ha baar5 bis
neighbor, Mrs. O'Donnell, shout to him
that the strikers were coming, and that
he'd better get out. Continuing, the
witness said: II went with my two
boarders, but hardly had we got out
before the strikers caught us. They
dragged me along for couple of hun
dred yards and then my wife rescued
me. All the strikers were armed"
Peterd Wolfe, a driver at the Har-
wood colliery. said: when the Nc
Adoo men came to Harwood on Tues
day, Sept. 7. one Of them said: How
would you like to be made go to Nc
Adoo?' I said, Let me put the mules
away first lie waited. but l did not
go. On the Friday the strikers gather
ed to march to Lattimer l went down
to the company store and we locked
ourselves in. Afterward, when we
thought the strikers had gone, we went
out. One man chased me with big
club for a long distance. I saw Joe
Muhall that day with q club about four
feet long. He was one of the leaders
Of the strikers"
Mrs. John Bonner testified that on
Sept. 10 she saw the McAdoo strikers
come from different directions. They
were armed with sticks and pieces of
iron. She told her boy to go into the
brush.
Michael Dogostino, an Italian, saw
the strikers when they came along He
went into an clubhouse. Tho strikers
stoned the building and pulled him out
He told them he was sick, and they
allowed him to go. Witness described
how the crowd came into the village
and drove the people before them like
goats.
Mrs. Annie Catherine Draper, aged
50. testified that on Sept. 10 the strik-
ers came through Cranberry. They
acted like wild men. One man was
armed with club and another with
revolver. Another man picked up a
otolle ullu TIRE" IL At HeI. 1 lie SlUllc
weighed nearly a pound and was pro-
duced in court. Attorney Lenahan,
holding 1t up before the Jurors, said:
This Is one Of the stones the strikers
picked up to strike matches with"
Margaret Rogouse, the next witness,
said she feared the strikers because
they stoned her father. When the
strikers came along she warned her
husband, and he hid under the bed.
Thomas McNellis gave important tes-
timony. He had charge of six men
working on the public road when the
strikers came along. They wanted the
men on the road to stop work. Nc
Nellls expostulated with them. The
however, were threatening,
and the men at work on the road, see
ing they were outnumbered, agreed to
and go along with the strik-
ers.
Mrs. Ann O'Donnell said the strikers
were armed, and she warned a neigh
Dor to hide from them.
Mrs. Elizabeth Mumie, the next wit
ness, said the strikers ran after the
people at Cranberry, and several shots
were fired.
William Gcrlach, breaker boss at
Cranberry, testified that the strikers
were riotous and drove the men from
work at HaZleton No. / mine at Gran
berry and at No. / breaker. The men
Travelled in bands of from 100 to 200.
The strikers went into the houses at
Iarwood and drove the inmates out.
They armed themselves with clubs and
;craD iron at the breaker
Mrs. Chrstiana Starcy, of Cranberry,
saw her husband driven away from
work at the breakers by the strikers.
She also heard a number OF shots fired. |
When the strikers came into the town
he men ran into the brush, and the
tril,ers fred at them. The whole town |
vas in an uproar.
Mrs. Josephine Caramonza, of Gran
'eTry, saw the strikers go into the coal
trippings armed with heavy sticks.
hey drove out the men at work. Some
f the strikers were overheard to say
hat they would shoot to kill.
Jacob Berger, a carpenter, of Gram
eTry, picked up his tools and ran upon
he approach of the strikers. He said
he strikers wore armed.
August Starcy. another resident of
cranberry, ran into the brush when
he strikers came.