The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-03
DEPUTIES ON THE STAND.
spFRIrr MARTIN,s STORY ooRRoB-
BIZ MS HELPERS.

ne EEEnARItH Y hss wv - potthAoh
-,ror nv sheriff Martin whom he went on the
s..nd vcstcrdny in his own defence in the trial
ssnInsclf and deputies for the Lattimer shoot
- Gas corrobornted In every detail by the
hnn,,,cs who gave testimony to-day. They all
Ia lint at all tho previous clashes between
-. .,rircrs and the deputies the Sheriff again
- ,coln had warned the strikers against tho
..rr.c they were pursuing; that no had on
...rr occasion shown and read his proclama-
,,or 10 them; that he had even argued and
shaded with them, but that they had at all
80 sLoUp A sullen, rcbcllious demeanor, and
-h.n the last stand. prior to Lattimer, was
r,,de Mt West Hazleton, had only one reply to
III his pleadings. and that had been the iterated
nd reiterated expressed determination to 20 on
~ La,timer to chase out the men employed
there.
,.,orc the shooting at Lattimer the Sheriff had
s.sn beaten and assaulted by the Infatuated
.oh and that his and the deputies lives were In
,mnlnent danger when tho firing began. Dep
,,v Price told how a Hungarian fred point
Mani At him with q revolver, and that he only
.,csn.d being shot by dropping to his knees,
Tho question by whom and for what purpose
tbe guns with which the deputies were armed
had been bought and distributed was fully and
frankly explained by Deputy Plat.
Whom court opened this morning the Sheriff
,os still on the stand for further cross. exam
nation. After saying. in reply to Mr.. Scarlet.
TIA, neither be nor any Of his deputies had had
,nv splrituous drink on tho day in question.
s,nt. 10. the sheriff went on to say that after
the shooting he had at once returned to Halle
ton. and from there had gone to Wilkesbarre.
Tint same night, in consequence of legal advice.
no had telcgraphed to the Governor for the
80 l~--&. at-NAs NhA
peace in the lower end Of Luzerne county. Mr..
ienahan wanted to submit the call to arms sent
out BY Gov. Hastings. but it was objected to and
the objection sustained by the court.
Samuel h. Price. the Sherif's chief deputy,
VAS then called. He said that on Monday after
MON. Sent 6. he had met Mr.. Hall in Hazleton.
Mr. Hall had said that the Sheriff needed q few
men for a posse to preserve the peace and asked
Tho witness if he would serve. The witness said
he would, and that evening met the Sheriff in a
a,ore room in Hazleton. The Sheriff asked IL
those assembled were citizens, and they all re-
plied that they were. Then he said that they
were not to shoot or take any life unless he gave
N, order to fire, but that II his life or their own
was In danger they shouio use their own Juog-
ment.
lieutenant. and put him in full charge in his
absence. Thomas Hall and A. z, Hess were put
in command OF companies. Mr.: Price then told
Of eating q rlHe Ut a bIOE6 III dLitt "ulCH
was loaded and furnished by whom he did not
know, and after describing. the occurrences at
the various places to which the deputies were
called to protect property and disperse mobs
came down to the happenings on Sept. 10 and
the mohs with which the posse came in contact.
rude fashion. some with clubs. iron bars. and
pick handles. 4 few had guns and pistols.
there until noon. We then heard that the crowd
had clubs. iron bars, and miners needles. We
got in front of the strikers and showed them
LAttimer. The sheriff and l went through the
disperse. but they said they were going to Latti-
mer to stop the breaker. Some, cried out that
they were not citizens. As I rubbed up against
them l found that about twenty to twenty-five
q them had revolvers in their hip pockets.
Others had stones there"
its way to Lattimer and the deputies boarded a
oar. The witness did not hear Mr.. Hall mako
the c~ommonw SesftPu to the ne effect aa@ that the depu.
ties were going to Lattimer to shoot down the
strikers there; If such a remark had been made.
ne witness thought he would have heard 1t. as
We got off at Farley's.' the witness said.
I'D lined up across the tracks; but the mob
car again and got of at the entrance to the vii
lase OF Lattimer. l asked the Sheriff II he
Get along the tence. We did so. I asked him
whether | had not better go along with him to
alone, and l should go back and tell the men to
keep cool;
alot Of noise. The Sheriff started out to meet
Them and wanted to go after him. but some
one called out to me to come back. As I turned
1heard a shot and saw two deputies run down
an alley. | followed them. but was suddenly con-
irSnted by a big Hungarian who pointed a re-
fred and the bullet whistled over my head.
Then heard a vo!ley Of shots and I ran back to
over " p0 / got $ sheets mea ! f EE! tngTH tes a sn10 %e cared wes
for the wounded and sent for conveyances to
take them to the hospital"
iore the shooting ., Mr.. Lenahan asked.
When ! turned around to get away from
t sSs,if big so, Hungarian z an got a glimpse Of the
es rush at the line of deputies"
.9ld you fire a shot. Mr.. Pricef"
D you see the deputies shoot at fleeing
you see q man shot while hiding In .
s9 "Hd rn
Deputy Ario p. Platt was then called to the
srsnd. After telling Of the disturbances at
cranberry and Crystal Ridge he was asked how
the arms were furnished to the deputies:
There is an organization of the coal opera
tors Mr.. Platt said. "in the Hazleton region
sailed the Upper Lehigh and Iron Police Assoc
-.'H "i'Sh tIupIoNs IL luTC0O VI pOllCo % tHB
protection Of the collieries and other works OF its
members, While they are in the employ of the
tnulVldual operators, they can be called together
~ any point II the occasion demands 1t. am
.he secretary and Treasurer of that organiza-
s0n, There had been many threats and riotous
demonstrations.
SO constables were in evidence, and we did
nor know. where the Sheriff was. The police
Iorce Of Hazleton was entirely inadequate to
bleet Tue emergency, so it was deemed advisable
n NE coal operators TO protect themselves.
WIN thls end in view II was then thought best
uogct suitable arms. What kind of arms to get
ana Inc quantity was left entirely to Superin-
'n4ent smith of G. u. Markle & Co. of JeddO.
received a number of guns In consequence
" tn!s arrangement. and put them In a store
room OF A. Pardee & Co. When the posse was
aoruled some one. l do not remember now what
ootePuty, came to me and asked me about some
"a muskets which had been in our place since
nc war OF the rebellion. for the use
" inc posse. But the guns in ques-
non had been given away long ago.
Rn,rty 10 the local Grand Army posts. partly TO
~ sons or Veterans organization. and to other
nstsphs, ana there WIS not one left. As 1t WAS
anu ~, mat the posse should be armed with
~ iurther loss OF time, / asked permission OF
~ nembcrs Of the Coal and Iron Police Asso-
.GIloh 10 lend the new guns we had Just re-
SeineH I" the posse, and they consented. The
ny came and got them. The Sheriff was not
PREM ana knew nothing n bout these guns"
d.rnme sheriff asked the witness TO become a