The Penn's Grove record., 1900-10-12
FATAL COAL STRIKE RIOT
One Man Killed and Many Injured
Near Hazleton, Penn.
SPECIAL POLICEMAN THE VICTIM.

Effort to Close the Oneida Colliery Brings
ON an Early Morning Fight STRIKERS
and Special Oficers Clash Shot Are
Fired with Fatal Results-The Rioters
Dispersed-Women TAX Part In Fight.
Hazleton. Penn. (SpeciaD.-A spe-
cial policeman was Instantly killed, an
other was wounded in the head, a
striker was probably fatally shot, and
ten non-union men were more or less
seriously wounded at the Oneida col
liery of Coke Brothers & Company in
a clash between the officers and 500
strikers. The victims are: Ralph
Mills, aged fifty years, of Beaver
Meadow, special policeman, shot
through the back and killed. George
Kellner, aged th~irty-eight, of Beaver
Meadow, a special officer, received
shot wounds in the head, but will re-
" Joseph Lesko, aged thirty
eight, of Sheppton, a striker, shot in
the groin and severely injured.
Ten n%On-uniOn men were stoned, but
I'LL LWO III tlAC" WClC 0ClIOuSly LII
jured. They are John Van Blargin
and James Tosh, of Sheppton. The
former sustained scalp wounds and
the latter had four ribs broken.
The Oneida colliery, having been in
operation since the beginning of the
strike, the union men at Oneida and
Sheppton, where many Of the en-
ployes of Coke Brothers live, decided
to close down the mine. They gath
cred in groups in the streets as early
as 3 O'clock. AS the n%on-union men
were going to work they were asked
by the strikers to remain at home.
Some turned back; others did not.
Those who went to the colliery were
stoned. Van Blargin, one Of the nom
union employees, attempted to pull a
revolver, but the weapon was taken
from him and in the beating he re-
ceived he had several ribs broken. This
occurred just before starting time at
the mine.
The strikers remained at the col
liery all the morning. As the small
mine locomotive used in hauling coal
from the No. 2 and No. 3 collieries to
the Oneida breaker pulled up on the
road near the latter colliery a crowd
of women blocked the track. The
women were told by General Super
intendent Kudlick to go home. He
assured them that their husbands
would get an increase in wages and
that their other grievances would be
properly adjusted. The women re-
fused to listen, and stoned the Super
mtendent, who was wounded in the
head. Then the striking men and the
women rushed toward the No. 2 col
liery.
A force of fifty special policemen, who
had been brought down from Beaver
Meadow to prevent trouble, attempt.
ed to intercept the mob, but they were
pOwerless to do anything, and retired
to the engine room. Just as the Off
GERS got close to shelter a shot was
fred. This was followed by another,
and In a few seconds many shots rang
through the air. Mills was the first
to fall. Then Joseph Lesko, a striker,
staggered to the ground. No one
knows who shot first, but it is believed
that both the strikers and the officers
used their weapons. A gun shot killed
Mills and a small shot struck Police
mar Kelnor. Lesko was struck by
a ball from a revolver, with which
class of weapon all the officers were
armed.
After the shooting the strikers dis
persed. Sheriff Toole, of Schuylkill
County, in whose territory the clash
occurred, was in Philadelphia and
could render no assistance. His chief
deputy, James O'DonnelI, went to the
scene with a force of men.