Waterbury Democrat., 1902-08-29

Since Daybreak-The Captain was
Grasped by the Legs and Pulled
From a Car-Privates Who Followed
Him Were Also Roughly Handled.
Tamaqua, Pa, Aug z5.-In an en-
counter between troops and strikers
at Lansford this morning Captain w.
H. Helm of Co K, Twelfth regiment,
was slightly injured. A half dozen
strikers were bayoneted by the sol
diers as a result of the fracas. Major
Gearhart. in command of the troops
here. states that he will appeal to the
military law to put the town of Lans-
ford under martial law
From daybreak the troops were ac-
tive in quelling disturbances and pro-.
tecting non7union men on their way
TO work. AS has been the case for
the last few days, the troops were
Jeered wherever they went. The Of
ncers repeatedly admonished the
crowds not to insult or molest the SOL
dlers, but their words had but little
erect. AT 8 o'clock Companies K and
u were placed in two trolley cars. One
or 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, out as no
stop was made the strikers did not
make any violent demonstration. At
summit Hill about double the usual
number of men availed themselves of
the protection of the soldiers and went
TO work. The pickets of the strikers
made efforts to stop them. but the
Of h. n; 1<sJ-1
pay When the workmen had been
ioaded on the car the return trip
through the valley commenced. The
word that more men than usnaI vara
reporting for work spread through the
lower part of the valley like wildfirei
and in short time the streets were al
most blocked with people. When tbe
corner OF Center and East Bertsch
streets was reached the cars stopped
20 allow several non-union men to GET
on As the men stepped to the
ground the mob made rush FOR them.
a haf dozen soldiers sprang off the
car and with leyelled guns forced the
strlkers back and made passage for
the nOn-union men.
When the soldiers returned after es-
corting their charges to a place of
sa1ety the mob commenced to close in
around the cars The strikers wore
IA an ugly mood and when ordered 10
dlsperse merely yelled louder and
pressed closer. AS Captain Helm of
20 k was about to jump from the ear
ne was seized around the legs and
thrown to the ground. A half dozen
prlyates who followed him were rougb-
~ handled :
Major Gearhaft, who was in COM
mand OF the two companies. then or
dered his men to disembark.
w. dubbed guns and fixed bavo-
nets the soldiers forced the crowd hack
Many of the strikers stood fheir
ground and would not move until tba
soldiers jabbed them with their bayo-
nets. Some Of the strikers. fearing
tnat the troops would fire, rushed into
{ The opera house on the corner and for
time a wild scene of confusion
relgned. In about five minutes the
crowd had been pushed back to the
curb line. Several of the strikers
were knocked down while Others suf.
fered slight bayonet wounds. Can
tain Helm was severely bruised nv his
fall. - n's
Last night carload OF timber which
was standing on the Lehfgh Coal e,
navigation Co.'S tracks at Summit
Hill was started down the steep stretch
OF road which leads to Lansford. The
car leaped the track at a sharp curve
and was hurled to the bottom of a
mine breach.
At midnight the governors troop.
captain Weaver, was sent to Summit
Hill to protect the home of William
Henry, non-union man. It was re-
ported that the strikers were firing on
the house. A part OF the troop re-
mained on guard there all night