The sun., 1898-02-15

4 LIE OF TEE IArrIMER sTRIKERs
NAIJBD AT WILKEsBlRRE

Ne Mes who Testified for the Proaecutton Dfn-
charEed by the Companies. as Thoy say
Moro Testimony OReFea That sheriff Hsr-
tin Wsrned the Strikers Net 60 nuarch.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, Feb. IA story with
considerable detail was put in circulation to-
day by those interested In the prosecution Of
Sheriff Martin and his deputies. TO tho efFeot
that witnesses who had testified against the
deputies in tho course Of the trial had been sum
marily discharged whom they came back and
reported for work. Josnph Meki, a miner
hitherto employed in tho Harwood mines, op-
Grated by Calvin Pardee q Co.. said to-day to
number OF the reporters and to tho District
Attorney that after he had given his testimony
on Thursday he roturned to his home in HAr
wood. On Friday morning when he went to
the colliery for work he was stopped enter
ing the slope by Outside Forcman,Thomas Beach.
who said to him:
"You were on the stand yesterday. You lied.
You arc Q blanked blanked blank. There 10
no more work for you at Pardees mines"
Meki said that he had never had any trouble
with his employers before. and that ho could
conceive OF no other reason for his discharge
than that no had given testimony for the prose-
cution. He had wife and four children in
Austria, went to see them last summer. and
since his return last August has had steady
work and no fault had ever before been found
with him.
Martin sofronik. another witness, also said
that when he had returned to Harwood after
giving testimony, Foreman Robert Fagin haA
said to him:
"You cannot work hero. What's moro, there
win be plenty of empty:houses after tho trial 10
over"
The inference was that all the mon who had
given testimony against the deputies would bo
diACbarRad and avfCfed tha 49,,
houses.
When THE Sun reporter came TO hunt the
stories down he ascertained from those best in
position to know that they had no founda-
tion in fact and were probably made out of
whole cloth. Milner Morris said in reference to
those allegations that he had been authorized
at his colliories had been or would be dis
charged for giving testimony, of whatever ma
any pqcrHE aH wis tSat snKs is
:, g, General sugeriptendent Lathrop Of the ,Le.,
heard that allegations had been made that ~ mem n
had been discharged at the Hazel mines in
there was not a scintflla Of truth in it. The
company had not and would not discharge mon
the Of
now who had been or would be witnesses for
In the sss g mot Ss
who has charge of all the oolllories of the Le.
high Valley Company In the Hazleton region,
in Hazleton and also replied that there was abso-
iutely no truth In the reported charges.
mat, At t0dayS psSseedinss sas the story of tho
wood. the encounter with tho deputies at West
Hazleton and. the shooting at Lattimer was
prosecution With great detail but only 'Sf few %
now features were disclosed.
saying anything that had not nc be been brought out
the time OF the strike and had joined the march.
to West Hazleton. Then he met the Sheriff.
who said to him: II see you are a good man
ter not go any further. Keep behind; there is
going to be trouble to-day" The witness did |
to Lattimer. There be saw the deputies push push.
One of our men,", said the witness, looked |
as II he were dead, he was scared" |
Are the defendants here indicted for soaring |
men to deathf' interjected Mr. Palmer sarcasti. |
cally.
The witness went on to say that when the
shooting began he ran away. but came back !
nG when M, It Tss;oSSer S he saw the Sheriff again
had warned at West Hazleton not to go on.
said. pointing to the dead and dying lying about:
On cross. examination the witness said that at
Lattimer there were about 800 mep(betweenIhim
Fire" in a loud voice and:that thereupon the the
deputies had fred the first volley.
the oy derx be rod the rGess said that
those at:W est. .Hazleton was Charles J. Haines
He did not see him at Lattimer
The only points OF interest in the testimony
OF George Roseter. the next witness. were that
he had heard some one give the order to fire at
Lattimer. and that the first man shot was the
one carrying small American flag.
Joseph Joniatowsky. the next witness said
that when the sheriff walked out OF the ranks
Of the deputies at Lattimer and ordered the
strikers back some stopped and others rushed
right on past him. Then the Sheriff had shot
of his revolver, and had called out in a loud
voice, "Fire!" and the deputies had at once
dred volley into the ranks of the strikers.
Thomas RacZick, the last witness of the day |
said that on the evening previous to the march
TO Lattimer man named Joseph Kalet, who
represented himself being n delegate from
the miners at Lattimer, had come over TO Har-
wood and had invited the Harwood men 10 go
ever to Lattimer on the following day to hold
D meeting with the Lattiemr men In pursu- |
ance Of this invitation the Harwood men
had marched to Lattimer on the following day
When court adjourned it did so until 2
al connected with the trial an opportunity TO