Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-07-14
MARCHERS VISIT
UPPER LEHICA
Two Dwellings Attacked
in the Dead Of Night.
Home of William Hoffman
Is Badly Wrecked by a
Band of Unknown Men.
Several Warrants Issued.

Band of Unknown Men.
Several Warrants Issued.
At 1 O'Clock this morning band of
unknown men attacked the residence
of William Hoffman, in No. Upper
Lehigh, also the residence OF William
b. Betterly, In No. 3 Upper Lehigh, In
the former house practically all the
furniture was demolished. In the Bet
terly home no damage was done, but
Mrs. Betterly and her six-year-old son
were given severe fright. Hoffman
and his father escaped while their house
was being attacked, and up to noon
today had not returned to Upper Lehgh.
The affair Is shrouded in considerable
mystery and reports as to the number OF
persons in the attacking party and the
very much.
Hoffman, with his wife and father,
John Hoffman, occupy one-half OF a
double dwelling In No. 4. The other
half of the building Is occupied by Wal
ter Hawkins and family. Mrs. Hoffman
says it was l o'clock or therea bouts
when she heard shouts outside her home.
Later volley of stones against the
house smashed the windows
Her husband and his father, fearing
personal violence, broke through the
| H. Ia 81 d. 4
in that manner. Neither of them has
since been seen In the town.
About the time the men had succeed
ed in escaping the doors of the Hoffman
home were opened and several men
entered the house. The stove was over
turned, tables and chairs destroyed,
curtains torn from the windows and
cooking utensils thrown in the yard.
On the second floor much damage re-
suited from the stones which came
through the windows. The residence
this morning presented scene of
desolation.
Burning Goals from the overturned
opOfo oCO Hio W Sdl PSbi puu buC OldLt
was extinguished by the men who com
mitted the deed before much damage
was done.
At the home of w. b. Betterly the
men knocked at the doors and reused
the inmates from their beds. They did
not enter the house, but their actions
outside caused Mrs. Betterly to become
hystercal and to give their young son
convulsions. The condition of the
woman today is said to be serious.
One report has it that the marchers
numbered over fifty men, while another
gives eleven as the total strength Of the
crowd. The direction from which they
came is also disputed, some claiming
they entered from Upper Lehigh proper
and others that they came from the
Butler end of the town
John Hoffman was until lately a
resident of town, where he was en-
ployed opening drains for the Freeand
Water Company. He recently obtained
divorce from his wife and went to
live at Upper Lehigh with his son.
Both men have been working since the
strike Betterly, it is said, has not
worked since a few days after the strike
was declared.
Deputy Sheriff Isaac Eckert, Chief of
Coal and Iron Police j. d. Hampton and
Coal and Iron Policeman Willard
Young visited Upper Lehigh this morn
ing. Eckert was very bitter in his de-
nunciation OF the attack and charged
the striking miners with being RESPONSE
BILE for it.
The officers spent several hours in
the town gathering evidence and re-
port this afternoon states that warrants
for the arrest of parties suspected to be
concerned in the affair will be issued
this afternoon at Hazleton.
Freeland and Upper Lehlgh members
Of the miners union who were seen to-
day vigorously denounce the action of
the men whose work last night will go
far to destroy public sympathy for the
strikers, as every lawless act committed
now will be charged against the miners.
WARRANTS ISSUED D.-Warrants for
the arrest of several men were issued
this afternoon by Alderman Heidenrch.
He refused to divnlge the names of the
parties accused.
an 7
There is growing conviction that in
stead of declaring a national strike the
convention at indianapolis will arrange
to provide substantial fund for the
strikers, which will be raised by the soft
aal .h1a oil III 10