The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
SAW THEM SHOT DOWN
KILLING OF STRIKERS AT LATTIMER
DESCRIBED BY EyEWITNEssEs.
Testimony of Michael Nicholson and
in Martin and Deputies.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, Feb. 5.-The first
week of the trial of Sheriff Martin and his
deputies ended to-day, with the case well
Under way and the jury having plenty or
evidence to think about over Sunday. There
was the usual crowd at this mornings ses-
sion The first witness, Michael Nicholson,
described the condition of some of the
wounded on the road near Lattimer One
man died as he watched him; five others
whom he saw were badly wounded. The
witness came upon a dying striker and was
joined by a man named Costello. While
they were trying to aid the man deputy
named Alfred Hess came up and Costello,
with great Indignation said it was a scan
dalous piece of work the deputies had done,
whereupon Hess replied, 'sYou shut up or
I wiIl treat you the same way" The de-
Tense objected to this reference to Hess
and the evidence was stricken out.
The next witness, one of the most i'm
portant of those to be heard on behalf of
the commonwealth, was John Egler, secre-
tary of the Harwood Union of the United
Mine Workers. He told how, on the night
before the shooting. meeting had been
held at Harwood and the men gathered
there and decided to march over TO Latti-
mer the next day to show themselves. AT
the request of the men witness got an
American flag and nailed It on long pole
he had cut. They agreed, he said to march
unarmed and to behave peaceably. Speak
ing of the meeting with the sheriff and
deputies at West Hazelton. witness said:
They rushed at us and pointed their guns
In our faces and told us to stop. explained
TO the sheriff that we were Just going TO
show ourselves to the Lattimer men and
were going TO do no harm to anybody. The
sheriff said If YOU go to Lattimer you
must kill me- Burgess Jones. of West
Hazelton, said we could march through the
streets, and so the sheriff and deputies
went away and we marched to Lattimer.'
The witness said that at Lattmer he again
told the sheriff they were not armed and
would behave themselves. The sheriff
pulled a couple of the men out of the ranks
and drew his revolver, and witness saw him
trying to shoot one of the strikers The
revolver did not explode, however, and then
crowd formed around the sheriff. At this
time there was shot and then three or four
more shots and at last n yolley Witness
fell down between two men. but did not
think the men were shooting ball cartridges
until he saw one OF the men bleeding Then
he got up and ran with the rest and the
bullets kept whizzing about his ears He
saw - buuipSE GI NOuiiueu IlGiis out d1u
not so near the deputies, as he was afraid.
On cross-examination Egler admitted that
when the sheriff told him to disperse he
said: We amt going TO: we are going to
Lattimer.'
Before adjournment till Monday District
Attorney Martin, addressing the court.
asked that the defendants be required TO
furnish bail or be cummitte1 to Jail. Their
hail he said Uhac baap forfaf,aa .i,,o
the last term of court in November when
their appearance here absolved their bonds
men. BY mistake their bail was not then
renewed. and We have discovered that they
have not been under bail since that time.
They are charged with the highest crime
on the calendar, and the court should not
discriminate between them and the ordi-
nary criminal. They should either furnish
bail at once or be sent TO jail Judge Wood
ward said that defendants should furnish
bail on Monday.