Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-09-27
SLAIN BY SHER|FF'S POSSE.
Street Battle in Shenandoah,
Pennsylvania.
TWO PERSONS ARE KILLED.
Ten Others Receive Wounds, Some of
Them Serious - First Bloodshed in
Great Strike OF Coal Miners-One OF
the Dead an Unoirending Little Girl

result of q collision between riotouS
strikers and a sheriff's posse in the
afternoon. OF the twelve who fell, nine
were hit by bullets fired by the states
officers. Since daylight in the morning
a spirit of turbulence had prevailed in
and around the town. which culmi-
nated in the evening in a series of riots
between striking mobs of miners and
mine bosses and men on their way
home from the mines.
The Killed-MiHe YuckavGge, shot
in the eye; lite girI, nlme unknown.
shot in the back of the neck.
Wounded - Edward Coyle, aged
about so years, bullet wound near the
heart he was sitting on his stoop;
Michael Seaman. shot in the arm; An.
thony SkarnaZicZ, shot in left wrist by
22-caliber bullet; John Wusdickey,
aged 40 years; shot in the hand, mar
ried. Peter Stalmocovich. % years,
shot in the shoulder at the back; Mike
Sazitska, shot in left shoulder; An
thOny AXaasuge, shot in left side, Sc
rious, by 40-caiiher bullet; removed.
Injured by Rioters-George Bedding,
of Ringtown, ugly cash on right fore
head, caused by a brick; Robert Ed
wards, aged GA years, injured seriously
by being hit with stones Charles Raw
land, aged 35, injured on the neck and
head by stones.
Sheriff Summoned to q CollieIy.
Sheriff Toole aid Deputies O'Donnell
and Brenneman were called to Shen-
andoah to suppress the mobs that
threatened mine workers and collier
property. At quitting time the three
sheriffs and a small posse whom the
sheriff had summoned on the ground
went to the Indian Ridge colliery OF
the Reading company to escort the
workingmen to their homes. The col
liery is located a short distance east
of Shenandoah. The workmen left
for home shortly after o'clock. They
walked up the middle of East Center
street and reached the Lehigh Valley
railroad station. Here had gathered
large crowd of Poles, Slavs and Hun
garians, men, women and children
who lined both sides of the street.
Fire with Awful Effect.
A shot rang out from a saloon. This
was followed by a shower of stones
Many Of the crowd had picked up
sticks and stones and were acting in
a threatening manner. Seeing this,
the sheriff, who had previously eau
toned his men to keep cool and not
to use their firearms, commanded them
to fire. The order was obeyed, with
terrible results. The crowd pursued
the sheriff and his posse to the Fergu-
son house, where they took refuge
Sheriff Toole shortly afterward tele-
phOned to Harrisburg and asked that
a detachment of troops be sent here.
1t was learned that Adjt-Gen. Stewart
was in Philadelphia, and a telegram
was sent to him there.
The Shooting of Coyle.
Coyle was found lying in the street,
near his home. He had been shot in
the back, and was unconscious. Though
a miner, he had taken no part in the
struggle. When the force of deputies
appeared Coyle's children were stand
ing in the street, watching the crowd.
At the report of the first shot the faith
er, who was at home, ran out to pro-
tect them, crying to his wife to keep
within doors. He had reached his lit
tie ones, and was hurrying them into
the house when hit
After the ARRAY Center street looked
like a battlefield. For several blocks
every window was shattered and leaves
and tWigs shot off the trees. No wom-
en- or children yentured into the
street since noon.
At night armed men patrolled the
streets.
The Governor promised to send a
force OF militia at once, and they were
rushed to the scene of the trouble.
President Mltchers Letter to Public
Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 24.-President
John M. Mitchell, of the United Mine
Workers OF America, has issued an
open letter to the public in which he
explained the strikers reasons for re-
tusing to arbitrate with individual
firms and stated the position of the
workers in the present struggle. Nine
railroads, according to Mr.. Mitchell
produce Y per cent of the hard coal
and are the carriers of the entire ont
put OF the region. For the transpor.
tation they charge three times as
much for anthracite as they do for hi.
luminous coal, thus reducing the an.
parent profits on the product ant
making it impossible for the independ
ent operators to grant concessions r.
employees, which the big concerns re-
fuse. Even should these independen
firms agree to the miners demands
now that the other workings ar,
closed, Mr.. Mitchell says if the strik,
fails as regards the railroad miners IN,
old condition would have to he re
stored or the smaller firms could no
compete with their rivals. This h
claimed, was the chief argumen
against a partial settlement, and th
men must stand together. An arranee
ment for yearly conferences, such a
are had in the Western coal fields i
suggested as best for both men on,
employers. Mr.. Mitchell said the cen
trail body Of the mine union was will
ing to take back seat in any negotia
lions II the operators would agree [
meet their men.