Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-09-09
Mistaken Identity Leads to a
Bloody Fight Between An
thracite Strikers.
ONE MAN KILLED, ONE INJURED.
TWO Men Arrested Charged With
Being RineIeaders Of Mob-Crowd
Threatens to Lynch Hiram Fisher.
Mitchell Says Strikers Are Firm.

Wilkesbarre, Sept. "a fight oc.
CURED between striking miners at
Maltby yesterday morning which re-
suited in the death Of one- man and
the injuring of another. The VIC
tins were Italians. The name OF the
man killed was Sistieno Van Castelli
aged 36. His companion, Frank Por-
lay, was stabbed several times and
he Is not expected to live. He Is now
in the Wilkesbarre hospital.
All Sunday night strikers gathered
in the vicinity of the Maltby mine OF
he Lehigh Valley Coal company at
Maltby and the Harry E. colliery at
Forty Fort. It was rumored that both
of these mines were to start yester-
Day with full force Of men, and the
strikers had pickets out on all roads
leading to the mines to intercept any
men who might be on their way to
work. A heavy fog prevailed and it
was difficult to see people in the road
way. Shortly after 7 o'clock a num-
Der Of strikers on guard at the Maltby
colliery saw two men approaching.
They carried guns. The pickets came
t. the conclusion at once that they
were non-union men going to work
armed. The strangers were held up.
The strikers crowded around them.
One striker who understood the Ian
guage stated that one man spoke in
Italian and said that he and his COM
panion were starting out on hunt
ing trip and that they were union
miners. But the other strikers did
rot know what was said, and still
thinking that the foreigners were non
union men on their way. to work at
he colliery, attempted to take the
gun away from Van Castelli. He re-
sisted. A fight then ensued and soon
the two Italians were lying in pool
of blood In the roadway. Van Cas-.
telli was shot in the side and the left
see Of his face was crushed in. His
companion, Portray, was stabbed In
the side several times.
One Man Dead.
A number Of coal and iron police
men were on the scene few minutes
after the discharge Of the gun was
heard. Van Castelli was dead and
Portray was unconscious. The dead
man was taken to his boarding house.
nearby, and his companion was
brought to the hospital in this city.
In one of the pockets Of Van Cas-
telli's coat was found union miner'a
card.
The news Of the riot brought a large
number of deputy sheriffs to the scene
and upon their arrival the mob dis
persed
A crowd of 2,O00 men and boys sur
rounded the town hall Of the borough
Of Edwardsville yesterday morning
Hiram Fisher was confined in the
lookup there. Fisher, who Is charged
with shooting a Polish woman Sun
day night, fred into number "
strikers who held him up and the
bullets went wild and struck the
woman. who was seated on the stoop
of her house. After being terribly
beaten by the mob Fisher was finally
lodged in the town lookup.
Mob Surrounded Jail.
mob surrounded the place all
night, threatening to demolish the
Lookup. Fisher suffered much from
his injuries. and Burgess Dando was
afraid to give the man a hearing. as
the crowd on the outside threatened
t. lynch him If they laid their hands
on him. At noon, under strong guard.
Fisher was removed 70 an ambulance
and driven to this city, where his in
luries were dressed at the hospital.
Some Of the foreigners attempted to
acid up the, ambulance, but were
driven off by special officers. Burgess
0ando breathed a sigh Of relief when
he got the man out Of his bailiwick.
Sheriff Jacobs was much exercised
yesterday over the riots and blood
shed in the county, and AT one time i
was thought he would have to call
upon the militia for aid. Some citi
sons urged him to do so without de
lay. But yesterday afternoon order
was pretty we'll restored in the Wy.
oning valley, and if there are no more
outbreaks the sheriff will not ask the
governor for troops.
The court Yesterday appointed D.