Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-04-23
SIX PERISHED IN
INCENDIARY FIRE
Miners Home Burned During Strike
Trouble at Garrett, Pa.
ARMED MEN PARADE STREETS


Somerset, Pa, April 20.-An out
break even more disastrous than the
riot at Boswell in January last has
been expected hourly at the town of
Garrett, the scene of the mining oper-
ations of the Garrett Coal company,
the Somerset Coal company and other
lesser operations. Trouble has been
brewing there ever since the Inaugural
ton of the miners strike there five
months ago. A number of the striking
miners at Garrett own homes there,
but recently the Garrett Coal company
erected number OF houses, and the
bringing in of new men to occupy
these houses and take the places of
the strikers in the mines, has worked
the latter up to a high state of ex-
element and resentment, and for the
last few days the town has been a
veritable mine of indignation that
might easily be exploded. The strik-
ers have been parading the streets
openly armed, and they have prevented
the moving of the household goods Of
incoming miners from the railroad sta
ton to the new company houses
A horror that may or may not be
connected with the strike situation at
Garrett was the burning to death of
two women and four children in their
homes at that place.
The victims were: Rosanna Meyers.
her two daughters Lucinda and An
ME, aged 30 and years respectively.
and her son Richard, aged years. The
two other victims were young chill
dren of Lucinda.
The house was a one and a half
story log building, and the women and
children were sleeping in the upper
story. Mr.. Meyers and Jonas Sulli-
van. boarder. were asleep on the
first floor. They were awakened by
the smoke and the noise made by the
fire and had barely time to save their
lives by rushing from the building.
The victims in the upper story per-
ished without help, and their bodies
were all reduced to ashes The ORIGIN
of the fire is unknown. It may never
he known, but rumOr connects II with
the troubles growing out of the min
ers' strike. One story is that evidence
of the fire was discovered on the ex-
terror OF the building while It was
burning. Meyers. the head of the
houehold. was a miner. and until re-
Gently worked for the Somerset Coal
company. Lately he has not been
working. and it is said he has been
supported by the miners union. The
strikers lay the origin of the fire to a
number of Italians who are working
for the Garrett Coal company. but
what motive the foreigners could have
for such crime has not developed.
Strikers armed with Winchesters
paraded the streets. They say this
demonstration is to prevent the Ital-
fans from leaving the community be-
fore the coroner's inquiry has been
completed. They say that in doing
this they are acting under the In
struction Of the township constable.
When Sheriff Coleman reached Gar
rett with his deputies. he found no
alarming condition of affairs. though
the people gathered in LARGE numbers
about the station, having learned that
he was coming The sheriff's first
work was 10 arrest two Italians who
were charged with setting fire to the
Meyers house. The only evidence thus
far against the two Italians was a
statement made by Movers. in which
he alleges that they called at his house
several days ago TO buy some butter.
and that when told that Meyers would
not sell butter ~ "scabs," they left
swearing vc1 ~~ance.
Three months ago the Garrett Coal
company secured an injunction re-
straining the strikers and all other
persons from interfering with the COM
pany employees. This injunction is
still in force, and the present condition
of affairs is in open violation OF it, 1t
was to enforce the requirements of this
Injunction that Sheriff Coleman went
TO Garrett.