Connecticut western news., 1898-03-03
MARTINS OWN STORY THE LuZERNE COUNTY SHERlFF's
 VERSION OF THE SHOOTING.
Declares That the Marching Minors Were Armed ana Riotous and That the shoot ing Was Necessary to Protect the Lives of His Deputies and Himself.


 Armed ana Riotous and That the shoot
 ing Was Necessary to Protect the Lives
 of His Deputies and Himself
 Nflkesbarre, Pa, March 2.-Chief in- terest in the proceedings in the trial of Sheriff Martin and his ueputies center ed in the appearance of the sheriff 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, lSaf. 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 to serve as depu- lies. Continuing, he said:
 'l told them that it was our duty to maintain the law, and if I found any body violating the law we should ar rest them. l said we did not want to hurt or shoot anybody and that we should not shoot unless our lives were in danger"
 The next morning he went to Crystal Ridge with i've deputies and dispersed three crowds of men who, he stated, were about to threw stones at men at work in the strippings. The next day he went to Drifton and swore in a num- Der of additional deputies. After re- turning to Hazleton he heard mob was marching to Stockton and took 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 to push them away with their guns held like rails. The sheriff then added that one man fired upon the deputies as the crowd dispersed and made good his escape.
 The Shooting at Lattimer.
 Friday afternoon he got 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.
 q hurried off with my deputies" he continued, Ito intercept them. I told them again to keep cool and not to shoot unless their lives or mine was in danger. After lining them up along side the road told them l would go out to meet the strikers and try once more to disperse them. A deputy asked if he should not go with me. No, I said, I'll go alone.' I thought ono man was enough to die at once. I felt somehow there was going to be trouble. met the strikers about 50 yards from the deputies and asked them where they were going. TO stop the Lattimer breaker lot of them cried.
 "I told them they must not go, and tried to read my proclamation to them, but they crowded around me, swearing at me and hustling me to one side. one man tried 10 grab me, and I then at- tempted Co 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 fin the face and knocked me to my knees. I tried to shoot him, but my revolver would not explode. Then the shooting commenced. 1t lasted about half a minute. In the crowd l saw three men armed with revolvers and one with knife. The latter made a stab at me, but missed. Two men were shot just behind me to the left. was in the direct line of fire"
 More Trouble Is Anticipated.
 While the story of violence Is being told in court there is danger of another strike that will involve the entire Ha- zleton region. The present trouble is at the Coleraine colliery of A. $. Van Wickle X Son, in Carbon county, just over the Luzerne county line. This is one of the biggest collleries in the re- zion, employing about 800 men and boys.
 At the time of the settlement of the September strike the Coleraine em- ployees were granted a 10 per cent in- crease, but a week ago this was with drawn. The men protested, and the company asked time to consider. On Saturday one of the leaders of the men was discharged. apparently without cause, and today the employees gave notice that if he was not reinstated and 10 per cent added to their wages they would strike at once. As the min CTS throughout the region are now thor oughly organized, such a strike would mean much, for the Coleraine men would expect the support of the other collierios.
 Joseph Schwartz has received n check for $500 from the Polish National Ali ance of Chicago to be added to the pros