New-York tribune., 1902-07-02
MAN SHOT DOWN AT NINE.
KILLED IN ATTACK, APPARENTLY BY
a COMPANION-STR KEEP
UNION MINERS FROM WORK
Icy TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE. ]


Wilkesbarre, Penn. July 1.-The first loss Of
.'fe due to the strike occurred midnight at
tie William \ collierv Of the Lehigh Valley
Coal Company. at Old Forge. but was not known
till daybreak The victim was Louis Vanassa.
IN Italian, and whether he killed by the
coal guards at the mine or by his fellow rioters
outside is mystery upon which Coroner Saltry
and Sheriff Schadt are now at work. According
10 the story told by the company, the colliery
was attacked about midnight and five stots
were fired through the fence at the Office inside
The stOckade One of the coal guards fired Cnce
in the direction the FIVE shots came from. and
that ended the trouble. This morning the body
of Tanassa was found near the fence. There
was bullet hole behind his right ear.
The company officials hold To the theory that
he killed accidentally 10y his companions.
and their theory is in part borne out hy the
fact that the wound is = large one, seemingly
Insde by a .H-caIihre bullet. while the guards
are armed With guns of .:iS-calibre.
Tho mans friends contend that he shot
by a guard and that his body had been carried
some distance from the stockade when they
found il this morning. He was striking mine
worker
A systematic effort to prevent workers reach
3ng the collieries in the Hazeton region was
made this morning. The strikers feared that
few of the colIieries. and in order to prevent
IL committees blocked the approaches TO every
colery and turned back the workers. The men
were threatened with violence If they did not
furn back, and a few who refused We're han
died roughly. Others We're taken from the cars
each one that approached mine being stopped
and searched for non-union workers. Stones
were thrown Caleb Williams general fore
anan of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company, he
WAS taking a non-union worker 10 the mine.
Fears of break in their ranks is great among
the strikers in the Hazleton district. The call
of c. Pardee & Co. for men yesterday has in
creased union activity The Dusky Diamond
coliiery offered 10 pay the union scale if per-
mission was given to work. but the union would
nor allow it. The owners then started work
without permission
A suit in trespass will result from the sensa-
fional scene in the Olyphant Catholic Church
on Sunday when Stephen Reap. district board
member. led bolt of the mine workers of the
congregation because the pastor, the Rev. p. J.
Murphy, refused TO eject from the church
tnarles Beatty, who refuses TO quit his position
as fire boss at the Van Dyke colliery. Beatty
VII bring suit against Reap and the others in
The movement.
Reports from Alabama that 12.0A0 men
strike there are received with enthusiasm here
by the strikers, who believe that another step
has been taken toward q national strike which
VIII end in A big victory and a national union
of miners thoroughly organized in every State.
AT a meeting of the engineers. firemen and
pumpmen on strike here this afternoon it
decided TO hold a mass meeting Saturday after
noon. Recent desertions are causing the Off
Gals to make extra efforts to retain those who
still strike.
The officials here have received no notice that
Mrs. Montgomery Stone. widow of Sebastian
Stone. has given $4,000 10 the striking miners
as evidence of her sympathy. 1t is supposed
that she sent il to Treasurer W. B. Wilson in
Indianapolis.
The guard at the William A Colliery was
doubled tonight and the sheriff swore in
special posse 10 preserve order. When darkness
came about thousand people collected near the
IN ne and attack would undoubtedly have
been made on the guards had not the sheriffs
pogse kept the crowd III check.
A telegram sent from strike headquarters
10 President Mitchell in the West to-day that
there truth in the reports that the strik-
ers We're weakening, but. the contrary, the
situation about the same as when he left
here.