The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-31
POLICE AND
STRIKERS WAR
Reign of Terror in Shen-
andah, Pa.
MAN BEATEN TO DEATH
Officers Fire Into Mob and
Wound Many.
Governor Stone Refuses to Send
Troops Unless Petitioned to Do
So by the People of
the Town.
MAN BEATEN TO DEATH

Shenandoah, Pa, July So-A reign Of
terror, compared with which the scenes
enacted during the riots Of 300 seem in
significant, held Shenandoah in its grasp
tonight. 49,.
From o'clock in the evening Center
Street, which is one of the principal
streets of the town, war in the hands OF
an Infatuated mob. Two of the borough
policemen were shot, one perhaps fatally.
Joseph Beddal, a leading merchant and
brutally dubbed to death and upwards
Of score of strikers whose names could
not be ascertained were shot ty policemen
and it is expected and that many deaths
will result
Sheriff Beddal arrived from Pottsville at
$50 o'clock with posse of deputies. he
took up his headquarters at the Ferguson
hotel, which was surrounded by several
thousand men late tonight The sheriff
after the trouble occurred asked Gov
ernor Stone to send militia and the Gov
ernor wired that If the citizens Of the town
The Trouble Starts.
The trouble started about o'clock this
evening, when Deputy Sheriff Thomas
Beddal attempted to escort two non-union
workers through the stikers' pickets.
The workmen were dressed in their street
clothes, but one of them carried bundle
under his arm and this aroused the sus-
picion of the strikers. The bundle was
torn from him and when it was found TO
contain a blouse and overalls. the man
was taken from the deputy and beaten
almost to death. 20 ~
In the meantime, Bedda1 opeded fire on
the mob, which had gathered by this
time, and emptied his revolver, of
the shots took effect, one man being
shot in the leg and the other in the foot.
The deputy and the oti1er strike breaker
were now compelled 20 fly for their lives
and took refuge in Sfhe Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad depot. The depot was
soon surrounded by an angry mob of
500 which was becoming more threaten
ings and demonstrative every moment.
Joseph BeddaI. a hardware merchant
and bfother of the deputy sheriff. was
seen making his way through the crowd
in an effort to reach his brother, and the
mob, divning that he was carrying am
munition to those inside the depot. seized
him and beat him with clubs and billies
into insensibility. He died en- route to
the Miners Hospital.
Shortly after 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, however, the
police flred a volley, dispensing the crowd
for brief period, and the engineer turn
ed 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 retreat, how
ever, was but momentary. They turned
and with reviewers, stones and even a few
shot guns, they charged on the little
band of policemen and made them fly for
their lives. The policemen turned in their
fight at short intervals and fred volley
after volley at their pursuers, but the
mob seemed thoroughly Infatuated and
smoking revolvers had no terrors for
them.
Fired Into Mob.
When the Lehigh Railroad crossing was
searched a passing freight train blocked
the progress of the police, two Of whom
were caught and brutally beaten. One
of them. Stiney Yacopsky, will die.
1t is estimated that upwards of 1000
shots were fired and the wonder is that
more fatalities did not result More than
twenty strikers, all Of whom were for
eigners, were shot and at least two of
them will die.
Many Of the merchants and citizens are
refusing to sign the call for troops. fear
ing that the miners will boycott them
after the trouble, and as the Governor
has made the sending Of troops contingent
on the petition of the citizens, there is
doubt as to whether they will be sent.
At II o'clock tonight the streets were
still crowded, but everything was quiet.
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