Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
Miners Union Official Tells of the
Hazelton Tragedy.
SAYS STRIKERS WERE PEACEFUL
Claims Sheriff Martin Made First
Attempt to Shoot.
DEFIED SHERIFF'S ORDERS

W1LKESBARRE, Pa, February 5.-The
first week of the trial of Sheriff Martin
and his deputies ended today with the case
well under way and the jury having lot
of evidence to think about over Sunday.
There was the usual crowd at this morn
ing's session, a crowd which before ad-
journment filled all the available space
and overf1owed into the aisles. shutting off
the view Of the seated spectators. Before
the case opened Judge Woodward
stated to the jurors that he desired TO
make their Sunday as pleasant as possible,
and that as the quarters IN the court house
were rather uncomfortable, the jurors could
take a trolley ride, go to church, but you
must all go together" and take walks
under the direction of the tipstaves.
Nicholson on the Stand.
The first witness, Michael Nicholson, de-
scribed the condition of some of the wound
ed on the road near Lattimer. One man
died as he watched him; five others OF
whom he saw were badly wounded. The
witness came upon dying striker and was
joined by a man ramed Costello While
they were trying to aid the man, a deputy
named Alfred Hess came up, and Costello,
with great Indignation, said 1t was a scan
dalous piece of work the deputies had DONE
whereupon Hess replied: You shut up or
l Will treat you the same way"
The defense objected to this reference to
Hess. saying the evidence was not proper,
and after argument, in which the pros
ecution said the evidence was for the
purpose of showing malice On the part of
the deputies. the objection was sustained
and the evidence striken out .
Egler nm Important Witness.
The next witness was one of the most
important of those to be heard on behalf
of the commonwealth. He Is John Egler,
secretary of the Harwood Union of the
United Mine Workers. He told how, on
the night before the shooting a meeting
had been held at Harwood and the men
gathered there decided to march over to
Lattimer the next day to show themselves
to the men at that place, at the request of
these men.
Witness endeavored to get an American
flag because he understood they could not
march without carrying a flag He did
not obtain the flag until noon on the day of
the shooting. When he got it he nailed it
on a long pole he had cut. They agreed,
he said, to march unarmed and to behave
peaceably all the time.
Speaking of the meeting with the sheriff
and deputies at West Hazleton, witness
said: They rushed at 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 any
body. The sheriff said: If you go to Lat
timer you must kill me- Burgess Jones of
West HaZleton said we could march
through the streets, and so the sheriff and
deputies went away, and we marched on
to Lattimer."
Story of the Shooting.
The witness told about the arrival of the
strikers at Lattinier and said that he again
told the sheriff they were not armed and
that they would behave themselves. The
sheriff pulled a couple of the men out of
the ranks and drew his revolver, and wit
ness saw him trying to shoot one of the
strikers. The revolver did not explode.
however, and then a crowd formed around
the sheriff. At this time there was shot,
and then three CT four shots, and at last
a volley. Witness fell down between two
men. but did not think the men were shoot
ing ball cartridges until he saw one of the
men bleeding. Then he got ND and ran
with the rest. and the bullets kept whixzing
about his ears. He saw lots Of wounded
men, but did not go near the deputies, as
he was afraid.
On cross-examination Egler admitted
that when the sheriff told them to disperse
he said We amt going to; we are going
to Lattimer." ~ 80
After the cross-examination of Egler the
court adjourned until Monday morning at
10 o'clock.
New BAIL Demanded.
After Egler had left the stand the jury
was dismissed and District Attorney Mar
tin. addressing the court, asked that the
defendants be required to furnish bail or
be committed to Jail.
Their bail" he said, has been forfeited
since the last term OF court in November
when their appearance here absolved their
bondsmen. 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 or
dinary criminal. They should either fur
nish bail at once or be sent to JAIL
Judge Woodward said that the defend
ants should furnish bail on Monday.
The attorney for the prosecution object,
ed. saying this was allowing them too much
freedom.
The court said this was an fnpertinent
statement. and repeated fts decision abont
cure bail.
The court then adiournad