The evening Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-1902, 1902-08-29
SOLDIERS ATTACKED
Strikers Quelled by Bayonst
Charge.
ONE MAN IS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED.
give Others ArresteeI--Gi,cers of the
Twelfth Regiment Say situation
In the PAT t.i"r Valley Coal
Region Is Serious.

TAMAQUA, Pa, Aug. 23.-The first
clash between the striking miners and
the troops here has occurred, and as IL
result five prisoners are in the guard
house at the Twelfth regiment camp,
and Captain j. Beaver Gearhnrt of
Company f. Twelfth regiment, is suf-
fering from a wound on his shoulder,
made by ii stone thrown by striker.
A report gained currency that the
striking men We're gathering in force
to make a march on the No. colliery,
where the Lchigh Coal and Navigation
company is mining and cleaning coal.
The colliery is at the west end of the
Panther creek valley, and the Govern
or's troop was ordered to that point.
Companies f and X of the Twelfth
regiment were placed on trolley ears
and run through the valley. When the
cars reached Summit Hill. they We're
surrounded by a mob of strikers, who
hurled rocks at the soldiers and called
them hard names.
While Jimmy Marteen, an Italian,
a car several soldiers jumped off and
made an attempt to capture him.
Marteen offered resistance, and the SOL
diers were compelled to fix their bayo-
nets. In the melee which followed
Marteen was slightly wounded in the
left side.
The troopers started hack to camp,
and as the ears rounded the curve just
outside of Summit Hill, at point
where the tracks take an abrupt dip,
the mOtorman on the first car made
the discovery that the rails had been
creased. The cars were stopped, and
soldiers were sent ahead to place sand
upon the rails. When this had been
done, it was possible by moving the
cars slowly to reach Lansford III
safety.
A mob had gathered there, and for a
time it looked like riot. AS the first
car was passing through the mob Cap
tain Gearhart was struck on the right
shoulder by stone. Several soldiers
jumped from the car in pursuit of The
stone throwcr. After an exciting
scuilie they captured Joseph Mccain,
young miner.
The cars proceeded again. but had
not gone far when another crowd WAS
encountered. and the soldiers were
again haunted and stoned Half
dozen soldiers jumped off and captured
three men, who. it is alleged, were
urging the crowd to attack the trOous.
Tie men gave their names as John
King, Timothy King and John Kelly.
They were taken to camp at Manila
park, where, together with McCanr
and Marte"n, they were placed under
a heavy guard.
The officers Of the Twelfth regiment
all agree that the situation is serious.
They say the feeling against the sol
diers is very intense in COaldale, Lans-
ford and Summit Hill.
a council Of war which was particle
rated in by Colonel Clement and the
brigade staff has been held at head
quarters, at which the ACCESSIBILITY Of
sending the o'hcr hattalion Of the
Twelfth regiment to the Panther creek
region was considered. After rccciv-
ing the report of njor GcarhcArt to
the effect that the turbulence had sub
sided it was decided that tho battalion
should remain here for the present If
it becomes necessary later on to take
the balance of the Twelfth regiment it
is understood that the Ninth regiment
will succeed ii here
Colonel Clement has issued an order
to the troops on duty in the Panther
creek valley calling attention to a re-
cent act of the legislature providing
penalty for calling of obscene names.
lie directed that the officers in com
mand rigidly enforce the provisions Of
the act.