The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-20

Assassination of the most cold blood
ed kind was attempted late Monday
night at the washery of the Temple
Iron company at Edgerton, between
Jermyn and Mayfield. James Connolly,
the foreman at the washery, and Forest
Crossman were both seriously wound
ed. A reward of $1,000 has been offered
by the Temple Iron company for arrest
of the person who did the shooting.
The Edgerton washery has been rum
ming for weeks and there has been no
attempt to cause trouble there. Mon
day there was break down of the
machinery, and it was idle for a time.
To make up for this it was decided to
run the washery at night. the bright
moonlight making this idea feasible.
No men were employed on the bank
where the refuse from the washery is
slushed and consequently no guards
were on that part of the property.
About 1890 o'clock Foreman Connolly
went down to the slush bank to see
If everything was all right. He took
Crossman with him. Both of the men
were unarmed. Connolly carried a
lighted mining lamp so that if any Of
the guards happened to be around they
would know they were workmen and
not fire on them.
He Left Crossman There.
After travelling some distance down
the bank the foreman left Crossman at
point where there seemed to be some
indications that the slush might break
through the retaining wall around the
bank. and Connolly continued his
rounds.
He had passed almost to the other
side of the dump when he heard shot
fired. 1t did not seem close and he paid
no attention to it. Then came another
shot and he felt a charge of buck shot
enter his legs and hands. The shot
was fired by a man on the bank about
thirty or forty yards away.
Under the impression that it was one
of the guards who was firing he cried
out: Don't shoot again, this is Con-
Molly" Immediately another shot was
fired at him, one of the pellets lodging
in his right eye.
Connolly ran for the head of the bank
and went down the side to get out of
range of the shooter, and Crossman,
who had heard the shots fired, crossed
the bank and also went down the side.
AS he got to the bottom, the man who
shot Connolly appeared on top of the
bank. took aim and fired at Crossman,
the bullet splintering the bone of the
left leg from the ankle almost to the
knee.
Started for Mayfeld.
Connolly. supposing from the shots
fired at Crossman that he was sur
rounded. started down the railroad
tracks for Mayfield as fast as his
wounds would permit him to travel.
Yesterday he was taken to the Scran-
ton Private hospital.
After Crossman was shot he tried to
drag himself up the railroad toward
the washery, some 200 yards. 1t was
labor of torture and several times he
sand exhausted from loss of blood and
pain. Presently he heard noises and
the sound of mems voices. Thinking
the man who shot him and others We're
searching for him to end his life, he
craWled under a car standing on the
track and remained there until the
mems voices were lost in the distance.
Then he resumed his painful journey
to the washery.
The men he hid from were the guards
at the washery, who on hearing the
shots, made roundup of the prop
erty. They did not succeed In finding
the shooter or the men who We're hurt
as Connolly was making his way to-
ward Maytield, and Crossman had
slowed himself away under the car
When the latter dragged himself up
to the office at the colliery he was ten
derly carried inside, and a physician
sent for who directed that he be taken
to the Emergency hospital at Carbon
dale. where 1t was found necessary to
amputate the shattered leg.
Connolly's Condition.
Connolly rested easily at the Scranton
Private hospital in spite of the fact
that some thirty shot are lodged in his
body. He did not appear to suffer
much pain last night, and the physi-
clans entertain hopes of yet saving the
sight of his right eye.
Other bullets took effect in both legs.
both feet and the right and left arms
and hands. When asked whether he
had any suspicious as to the identity
Of the perpetrators of the outrage,
Connolly said:
well, to be frank, l really haven't.
When mans being fired at he is hard
ly cool enough to make a critical ex-
animation of the fellow that's doing
the shooting This was the first night
turn for Crossman and myself. as
we've been working on the day shift
the last three weeks. We were out ON
the dump totally unarmed, when we
We're fired at, as we'd left our revolvers
in the office. There was only one man
doing any shooting, as far as / could
see, and he fired five shots in all. The
first shot didn't hit anything, and 1 |
called out to him, not to shoot, that |
was Connolly. He didn't answer, but |
another shot came, which hit me in the
leg and hand. and struck the mine |
lamp, was carrying from my hand.
II started down the tracks after him,
and then came another report, and I |
was struck In the eye and right leg. |
staggered around awhile. and then |
saw him coming up the track, and ]