Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1902-07-31
STRIKERS CAUSE
TERRIBLE RIOT
.ROVOIVerS, Clubs and Stones
Used in Fatal Fight
POLICEMEN FLEE FOR LIFE
DepuiV'S Attempt 10 Escort NOn-uniOn
Men Through Strikers Lines
Starts Battle

DlhllN DdlllU
ire
Shenandoah. Pc. July 3l.-A reign
of terror, compared with which the
scenes enacted during the riots of 1900
seem insignificant neld Shenandoah in
its grasp last night Centre street
which is one Of the principal streets Of
the town, was in the hands of an in
furiated mob. Four of the borough po-
! licemen were shot, two perhaps fatally.
Joseph Beddal, leading merchant and
cousin of Sheriff Beddal was brutally
clubbed to death, and upwards Of a
score OF strikers whose names could not
be ascertained, were shot by policemen
and II is expected that many deaths
VIII result Sheriff Beddal arrived
from Pottsville at 7.45 o'clock with a
posse Of deputies. He admitted that
he has asked Governor Stone to send
the MALTA. The Governor wired that
the militia.
The trouble started about six o'clock
last evening when Deputy Sheriff
non-union workers through the strikers
line of pickets. The workmen were
dressed in their street clothes, but one
of them carried a bundle under his arm
and this aroused the suspicion of the
strikers. The bundle was torn from
him and when it was found to contain
blouse and Overalls the man was ta-
ken from the deputy and beat almost
TO death.
In the meantime Beddal opened fire
on the mob. which had gathered by
this time and emptied his revolver
Two of the shots took effect, one man
being shot in the leg and the other
in the foot The deputy and the other
strike breaker were now compelled to
| fly for their lives, and took refuge
in the Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
road depot The depot was soon sur
rounded by an angry mob of 5000
which was becoming more threatening
and demOnstrative every moment
Joseph Beddal, a hardware merchant
and brother of the deputy sheriff, was
seen making his way through the
crowd in an effort to reach his brother,
and the mob, divining that he was car
rying ammunition to those inside the
depot, seized him and beat him with
clubs and billies into insensibility. He
died enroute to the Miners Hospital.
Shortly after this the entire borough
police force arrived on the scene and
escorted the deputy sheriff and his man
to an engine which had been backed
into the depot for that purpose. When
the mob realized that their prey was
about to escape they surrounded the
engine and the engineer was afraid
to move In a few moments, how
ever, the police fired a vOlley, dis
persing the crowd for a brief period,
and the engineer turned on full steam
and got away with his men. Stones
were thrown thick and fast about the
heads of the police whereupon Chief
John Fry gave the order TO fire. At
the first volley the mob fell back, and
several were seen to fall. Their re-
treat, however, was but momentary.
They turned, and, with revolvers,
stones and even a few shotguns. they
charged on the little band of police
men and made them fly for their lives.
The policemen turned in their fight
at short intervals and fired volley af-
ter volley at their merciless pursuers,
but the mob seemed thoroughly infuri-
ated, and smoking revolvers seemed
to have no terrors FOR them. When
the Lehigh Valley Railroad crossing
was reached a passing freight train
blocked the progress of the police, two
of whom were caught and brutally
beaten One of them, Stiney Yacop-
sky. will die.
The doctors of the town dressed the
wounds of nearly 40 strikers, all Of
whom were foreigners, whose names
could not be ascertained. It was
known that four out OF the six
policemen were shot Chief Fry
received a slight wound in the hand;
Yacopsky was shot in the neck and
head, and may die; Ringheiser was
shot in the hand and back, not serious;
Laurites was shot in several places,
and cannot recover.
The following printed notice was
posted by the mine workers all over
the town last night: in view of the
disturbances that have occurred in
Shenandoah within the past "a hours,
in utter disregard to the teachings and
principles of the United Mine Work
ers. as an organization, and contrary
to the explicit instructions of the lead
ers. we call upon all members Of the
United Mine Workers to at once do all
In their power to suppress lawlessness
and to aid the officers in every way to
maintain peace and good order. John
! Fahy, President District No. g."
!. ANY old hat blocked In the latest