The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-01

Scene of the Trouble.
Shenandoah, Pa, July 30-A reign
of terror. compared with which the
scenes enacted during the riots OF 1900
seem Insignificant, holds Shenandoah
in its grasp tonight. Since o'clock
this evening Centre street which is one
of the principal streets of the town has
been in the hands of an infuriated mob.
Two Of the borough policemen were shot
one perhaps fatally. JOS BeddaI,
leading merchant and cousin of Sheriff
Beddall was brutally dubbed to death
and upwards of a score of strikers
whose names at this writing could not
be ascertained. were shot by policemen
and it is expected that many deaths
will result. Sheriff Beddall arrived
from Pottsville at o'clock with a posse
of deputies. He has taken UP his head
quarters at the Ferguson hotel.
To an Associated Press reporter he
admitted that he has asked Governor
Stone to send the militia. The govern
or wired that if the citizens of the town
asked for troops he will send them and
a petition is being circulated for that
purpose now.
The trouble started about o'clock
this evening, when Deputy Sheriff Bed
dali attempted to escort two non-union
workers through the strikers line of
picketS. The Workmen We're 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
ct, III
overalls the man was taken from the
deputy and beaten almost to death.
In the meant time, Beddall 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 strike break
er were now compelled to fly for their
lives and took refuge in the PhiladeI-
phia and Reading railroad depot. The
depot was soon surrounded by an angry
mob of five thousand which was be-
coming more threatening and demon
StratiVe every moment. Joseph Bedd-
all, 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, divIn-
ing that he was carrying ammunition
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 this the entire borough
| police force arrived on the scene and
escorted the deputy 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
| a brief period and the engineer turned
On full steam and got away with his
men.
Stones were thrown thick and fast
| about 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 turn
| ed and with revolvers, stones, and even
a few shotguns they charged on the lit
tie band of policemen and made them
| fy for their lives. The policemen turn
| ed in their flight at shot intervals and
| fired volley after volley at their merci-
| less pursuers, but the mob seemed
! thoroughly infuriated and smoking re-
volvers seemed to have no terrors for
| them. When the Lehigh Valley rail-
road crossing was reached a passing
freight train blocked the progress of
| the men and two of whom were caught
and brutally beaten. One of them.
| Stiney Yacopsky, Will die.
It is estimated that upwards OF one
| thousand shots were fired and the on
| der is that more fatalities did not re-
suit. More than twenty strikers, all OF
whom were foreigners, were shot and
at least two of them Will die. Many
of the merchants and politicians are
refusing to sign the call for troops,
fearing that the miners will boycott
them after the trouble Is over and as
the governor has made the sending OF
troops contingent on the petition OF
citizens there IS some doubt as TO
! whether they win be sent.
At IL O'Clock tonight the streets are
still crowded with people but everything
| Is quiet.
The doctors Of the town dressed the
wounds of nearly forty strikers, all OF
| whom were foreigners whose names
| could not be ascertained. It is known
| at midnight that four out Of the six
| policemen were shot. Chief Fry re-
| ceiyed a slight wound in the hand:
| Yacopsky was shot in the neck and
| head. may die. Ring Hergser was
| shot in the hand and back, not serious:
| Laurites was shot in several places ano
cannot recover
The following printed notice was
| nosfed by the mine workers all over the
/ town tonight:
| "In view of the Disturbances thai
/ have occurred in Shenandoah within
| the past twenty--four hours in uttel
/ disregard to the teachings and princi-
/ pies of the United Mine workers, as ar
organization and contrary TO the ex-
j plicit instructions Of the leaders. W.
/ Mine Workers to at once do all In theil
| r,ower fo suppress Iawlessness and t(