The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-10
BOY SHOT BY GUARD AT STAN
TON coLLIERY.
THREATS Of LyNcHlAG
High Board Fencing Surrounding
Mines Burned by Boys and
Young Men.

Wilkesbarre, June G.-The spirit Of
unrest that has been manifesting it.
self, more or less, here and in the vi
cinity during the last few days, broke
out in earnest at two places in this
city last night, and as a result a boy
was seriously, II not fatally, shot by a
guard at the Stanton colliery and a
considerable portion Of the fence
around the Murray oclliery was de-
stroyed by fire.
There has been considerable trou-
BILE around the Stanton colliery, which
is operated by the Lehigh and Wilkes
barre Coal Co., controlled by the Gen.
trail railroad OF New Jersey. The col
liery is located in the southern part
of the city. Several nights ago, part
of the fence surrounding the place
was burned and also a small frame
building on the cuim bank. Since then
other attempts were made to fire the
fence. The guards, as a result, have
kept close watch.
While Charles Mccain, aged 10
years, was walking along a field out
side the fence, il is said, a guard on
the inside fired a revolver or rife at
him. The bullet struck the boy in the
back. The shot was heard by the
people in the vicinity and it looked
for a time as though there would be
serious trouble. The boy was quickly
removed to Mercy hospital and the
police notified. The chief of the Wilk-
esbarre police. with a squad Of men,
went to the c~olliery to arrest the
guard, and after some trouble the
chief and his men gained an entrance.
They got their man., but the crowd
on the outside was SO great and
threatening that the police did not
dare to take him outside. At a late
hour the crowd a still hanging
around the colliery.
Shortly after the shooting the crowd
sought vengeance on the company's
property and some one set fire to
the trestle work. The fire department
was summoned and with considerable
difficulty put out the blaze.
At the Murray colliery, also operat-
ed by the Lehigh and W~ilkesbarre
company, in the eastern part of the
city, a crowd of boys succeeded in
burning about 400 feet of a high board
fence that surrounded the company
property. The fire department extin.
guished the blaze.
Coal and Iron Policemen Arrested.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 6.-The
shooting ARRAY at the Stanton col
liery at South Wilkesbarre last night,
in which a 13-year-old boy was serious
" wounded by coal and iron police
men, has stirred up this community
more than any other happening since
the strike began. The strikers ex
press the utmost contemut for the
deputies and coal and iron police, and
trouble may be started on the slight
est provocation.
The police we're fortunate in getting
the four men who were accused Of
doing the shooting safely away from
the colliery.
This morning another coal and iron
policeman was arrested for f%ourishing
a revolver in a threatening manner
Sheriff Jacobs, of this county, had
q particularly busy night, being called
upon by several companies to protect
their property.
Several men were sent to the local
tiles where trouble was looked for,
prepared to read the riot act, but 1t
was not done.
Hundreds OF yards of fencing sur
rounding the c~ollieries have been
burned by boys and young men,.
The coal campany's officials hold the
mine workers responsible for all the
disturbances. They argue that II the
strikers wish to keep the peace they
should prevent their sons from start.
ing trouble.
The hearing Of the accused polio
men has been postponed until this
afternoon.
Hundreds of men have been placed
on duty to protect the collieries.
Imported Men Want to Return.