Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-02-21
MURDER WAS PROVEN
Continued from First Page.


His right arm is yet so crippled that he
could not raise it when taking the oath.
though he made painful efforts to push
it aloft with his left hand as a support
Joseph Pevalczak told the Lattimer
story like this: "A big man (the sheriff.
came out holding revolver, seized OIL
of the strikers by the coat 1t was not
long until the sheriff jumped back and
cried fire."
Gould you identify that man?"
'.Yes."
'Point him out"
Mr.. Palmer stood and looked directly
at the witness. The witness identified
Palmer as the sheriff who ordered "fire. ~
Mr.. Palmer-'I thought he would do
it. And you bet l would have said fire. :"
There was at this stage the biggest
laugh since the trial began.
Mr.. Garman from behind his news
paper-"And you bet Palmer is only
sorry he was not there to holler fire."
A new phase in the case was brought
about by the appearance of Mrs. Ella
Ceslak, widow of Michael Ceslak. for
whose murder Sheriff Martin and his
deputies are now on trial. Mrs. Ceslak
is small woman with pallld cheeks.
She wore a black alpaca gown and a
shawl did duty for bonnet. No sooner
had Mrs. Ceslak taken the stand and
question as to the number of her child
rem been put than there was a row. Mr..
Palmer objected. Mr. Martin declared
that he was simply endeavoring to lay
grounds to positively identify the dead
man from another Ceslak, who miybt
have existed, and to prove malice on
the part of the deputies in killing man
of family.
The question was allowed by the court
and the witness stated that she had five
children. She and her husband were
married in Europe sixteen years ago,
and seven years ago came to America.
The witness did not see her husband
go to Lattimer, but she did see him
when they brought him home He was
dead. A bullet had pierced his brain.
Mrs. Ceslak now makes living by keep
Ing boarders. For this she receives her
pay through company store, which. it
Is alleged, is paid commission for max
ing the collections from the men.
Thomas Lynch gave testimony against
the deputies and recited the collision at
West Hazleton. Deputy Henry Manley
said to him: You'd better get back
you'll get hurt, you'll get shot-get
back, you - -, or I'll brain
you with this gun!" Then Deputy Cook
interiered and made Manley apologize
he heard other deputies make threats
and curse the strikers and declare tina t
they would blow their heads off and
scatter their brains about. The witness
picked out Deputies Cook, Manley,
Ferry and Dodson. He said that he had
seen Dodson holding with his gun
against fence striker from whose
head blood was flowing freely.
policeman Jones led the strikers
around by another road" continued the
witness II told him IL he did right
he d arrest the crowd OF sheriff's depu-
ties. The sheriff didn't behave very
well. He went along in front OF the
strikers with IL revolver in one hand and
paper in the other. He was cursing.
and said he'd fix them If they came on.
The strikers were behaving themselves
and offered no violence. l saw no
weapons among them
John Welsh was on the Lattimer car
which was boarded by number of depu-
ties shortly before the shooting. He
heard Edward Turnbach say: This
is the hardest days work I've had in
long time. The sheriff has been run
ming around the country without giving
us orders to fire."
The witness continues: "The strikers
began to break and run at the first shot.
When the volley cracked they were all
running away as hard as they could.
Some OF them had run nearly to the
school house before the shooting stopped.
| saw Deputy William Raught fire from
the road toward the brush, and saw
man running away in the direction
toward which the rifle was aimed. |
saw A. p. Platt, Dodson and Hall in the
crowd of armed men in the road"
There was long argument over the
admission of language used by strikers
immediately after the shooting. The
court ruled that such testimony was
admissible, although the speech and
conduct of deputies at this time had
been ruled out by previous decision of
Judge Woodward on technical grounds.
Mrs. Mary Gallagher, mother of
previous witness, Miss Grace Coyle, tes-
titled on Saturday. She heard the shoot
ing and arrived upon the scene in time
to assist the wounded men. Her evil
dence was not very important, but was
given In more spicy style than any of
her hundred predecessors. Lenahan fear
ed her sharp tongue and did not cross
examine, having received few cutting