The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-30
TROOPS USE STEEL
RIOTING STRIKERS BAYONETTED
AT LANSFORD.
OFFICER SLIGHTLY HURT.
CAPT. ". IL. HEM JERkED
FORCIRLY FROM CAR.

Expected Clash Between Miners
and Strikers Realized by Events.
Troops QueIIing Disturbances and
Protecting NOn-Union WOrkmen,
Jecred by M0b-Large Number of
Men at Work Excited Passions o.
StrilSers-Cnrs Containing Soldiers
Halted by Dense ThrOng - With
BayOnets Troops Forced Strikers
Back.
Tamaqua, Pa, Aug. 29.-In an en-
counter between troops and strikers
at Lansford to-day. Capt. w. H. Helm
of Company K. Twelfth Regiment,
was slightly injured. A half-dozen
strikers were bayonetted by the SOL
diers as a result of the ,fracas. Maj.
Gearhart, in command of the troops
here, states that he will appeal to the
military authorities to put the town
of Lansford under martial law.
The troops were active in quelling
disturbances and protecting non-unien
men while on their way to work. As
has been the case for the past few
days, the troops were jeered wherever
they went. The officers repeatedly adj
monished the crowds not to insult or
modest the soldiers, but their words
had little effect.
At o'clock Companies K and E
were placed in two trolley cars. One
Of the cars was run in front of the car
which carried the 'non-union men to
work, and the other in the rear. While
passing through Coaldale and Lans-
ford the soldiers were hooted, but as
no step was made the strikers did not
make any violent demonstration.
Held Mt Bay BY Troops.
At Summit Hill about double the
usual number of men awaited them
selves of the protection of the soldiers,
and went to work. The pickets of the
strikers made efforts to stop them, but
the warnings of the soldiers held them
at bay. When the workmen had been
loaded on to the car, the return trip
through the valley commenced.
The word that more men than usual
We're reporting for work spread through
the lower part of the valley like
wildfire, and in a short time the streets
were almost blocked with people.
When the corner of Center and East
Bertsch streets was reached the street
cars stopped to allow several nom
union men to get Off AS the men
stepped to the ground the mob made
a rush for them. A half-dozen soldiers
sprang off the car, and with leveed
guns forced the strikers back and made
a pathway for the noH-union men
When the soldiers returned, after es-
corting their charges to a place of
safety, the mob commenced to close in
around the cars.
Helm Pulled to the Ground.
The strikers were in an ugly mood,
and when ordered to dispense merely
yelled louder and pressed closer. AS
Capt. Helm of Company K was about
to jump in the car he was seized
around the legs and thrown to the
ground. A half-dozen privates who
followed him were roughly handled
One of the men had a portion of his
shirt torn off, and, according to the
soldiers, number of blows were
struck.
Maj. Gearhart, who was in COM
mand of the two companies, then or
dered his men to disembark With
dubbed guns and fixed bayonets the
soldiers forced the crowd back. Many
of the strikers stood their ground and
would not move until the soldiers iab-
bed them with their bayonets. Some
of the strikers, fearing that the troops
would fire. rushed into the opera house
on the corner, and for a time a wild
scene of confusion reigned.
In about five minutes the crowd had
been pushed back to the curb line
In the melee several of the strikers
were knocked down, while others suf-
fered slight bayonet wounds. Capt.
Helm was severely bruised by HIS fall.