The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-10-18
Occurs at a Mine in the Striking
District.
OFFICERS AND STRIKERS USE GUNS.
A Policeman Falls Dead at the First
Volley--One Striker Fatally Wound
ed and Several Hurt.

H2ZletOn, IA, SpScldl.-A SpeCidl
policeman was instantly killed, an
other was wounded in the head a strik-
er was probably fatally shot and ten
non-union men mere more or less
seriously wounded at the Oneida COLI
cry, of Coke Brothers, in a clash be-
tween the officers and 500 strikers
Wednesday. The victims are: Killed,
Ralph Mills, aged so years, Of. Beaver
Meadow, one of the officers conveyed
in a special train early this morning
from that place to Oneida. He :;as
shot through the back. Wounded,
George Keiner, aged SO, of Beaver
Meadow, also a special officer, shot
wounds in the head, but will recover;
Jos. Lesko. aged SO, of Sheppton, a
striker, shot in the groin, and will
probably die.
The non-union men were stoned, but
only two Of them were seriously in
jured. They were: John VanBlargil
and James Tosn, OF Sheppton. The
former sustained scalp wounds and the
latter had four ribs broken.
The Oneida colliery, having bG<n in
operation since the inauguration OF
the strike, the union men at Oneida
and Sheppton, where many of the en-
ployes Of the Oneida and Derringer
collieries Of Coke Brothers and Com
pany live, decided to close down the
mine. They gathered in groups on the
streets as early as o'clock. AS the
non-union men went to work they
were asked by the strikers to remain
at home. Some turned back; others
did not. Those who went to the colli-
cry were stoned. Van Blargin, one Of
the non-union employees, attempted to
pull revolver, but the weapon was
taken from him and in the beating be
received had several ribs broken. This
occurred just before starting time at
the mine.
The strikers remained at the colliery
all morning. AS the small mine loco
motive used in hauling coal from the
No. and No. 8 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 Superintendent kud
lick to go home. He assured them
that their husbands would get an in
ASease in wages and that their other
would be properly adjusted.
PThe women refused to listen and
. stoned the superintendent who was
wounded in the head. Then the strik-
ing men and women rushed toward the
No. 2 colliery. A force of about 20
special policemen, who had been
brought down from Beaver Meadow TO
prevent trouble, attempted to intercept
the mob. but they were powerless to
do anything and retired to the engine
house.
Just as the officers got c,ose to shell
ter a shot was fired This was followed
bv another and in a few seconds many
shots rang through the air. Policeman
Mills was the first to fall. Then JOS.
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
gunshot wound killed Mills and small
shot struck Policeman Kellner. Lesko,
the striker, was struck by ball from
q T6NOlNSI, Will Will Oil luS OuSCi
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'Donnell, arrived here
in the afternoon, and went to the
scene with a force Of men. Rev. Carl
Houser, a Lithunian minister from
Freeland, who baptised a child at
Oneida just at the time the shooting
was in progress, was mistaken by rhe
strikers for Superintendent Kudlick
and narrowly escaped being stoned.
He was soon recognized by friend and
escorted safely to the station.
r!itcteIl Tells the Miners They Have
Not Got Enough.