Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-08-09
FIERCE FIGHT
WITH MOB
Infatuated Strikers Caused Reign
of Terror at Shenandoah.
TROOPS SENT TO THE SCENE
Sheriff Could Not Preserve Order
and Appealed to Governor.
OFFICERS RAN FOR THEIR LIVES

Deputy's Attempt to Escort Non-ynlon
Men Through Strikers Lines Started
Battle, In Which Many Were In
jured, Some FataIly-Twelve Hun
dred Soldiers, Under General Goblin,
10 Maintain Peace.
Shenandoah, Pa, July 31.-A reign
OF terror, compared with which the
scenes enacted during the riots of 1900
seem insignificant, held 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-
hcemen were shot, two perhaps fatally.
Joseph Beddal, leading merchant and
cousin of Sheriff Beddal was brutality
dubbed, and upwards of a score
OF strikers whose names could not
DO ascertained, were shot by policemen
and It is expected that many deaths
viii result Sheriff Beddal arrived
from Pottsville at 7.45 o'clock with &
posse Of deputies. He admitted that
he has asked Governor Stone to send
the militia.
The trouble started about six o'clock
last evening when Deputy Sheriff
Thomas BedHal attempted to escort two
non-union workers through the strikers
line OF pickets. The workmen were
dressed in their street clothes, but one
OF them carried bundle under his arm
and this aroused the suspicion OF the
strikers. The bundle was torn from
him and when 1t was found to contain
a blouse and overalls the man was ia
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
ny 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. 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.
L 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. Ip few moments, how
ever, the police fired 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 flight
at short intervals and fired volley af
ter volley at their merciless pursuers
but the mo seemed thoroughly infuri
ated. and smoking revolvers seemed
to have no terrors for them. When
the Lehigh Valley Railroad crossing
was reached passing freight train
blocked the progress of the police, two
Of whom were caught and brutally
beaten.