Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-04-21
FOUR KILLED
In STRIKE RIOT
Deputies Fire on Mob Storming Jail
at Windber, Pa
SEVERAL OTHERS WOUNDED

Johnstown. Pa. April IA riot oc-
Surred at Windber between striking
miners and others, and in the resulting
shooting by deputies Pietu Martini.
Paul Ellis, Antonio Mazuca and Charles
Foster, IL years old, were killed. Min
ting Engineer Eugene Delaney was dan
gerously injured and several others
were wounded. Foster was shot
through the bowels and died In the
hospital.
An eyewitness Of the riot. in de-
scribing the affair. said the trouble
started when Deputy Sheriff w. W.
AcMullen went 10 the mAss meeting
held by the striking miners in a wood
at the edge OF the town. Many OF the
miners had been drinking, and the
sight OF the deputy made them furious.
The officer was quickly surrounded By
maddened miners. who threatened 10
kill him. McMullen, realizing that his
situation was desperate fed for his life,
finding refuge in the house OF Council
man Charles Davis Practically every
man who had gone TO the mass meeting
Joined in the chase after the fleeing
deputy. and soon after the latter had
entered the Davis house &c was sur
rounded by a mob OF 1000 shouting.
cursing miners. who challenged McMul-
len 90 come out when McMullen
failed 10 appear. the mob attacked the
house and literally wrecked It. The
deputy sheriff was roughly handled. but
again managed to escape. The mem
bers OF the Davis family fed TO the
homes of neighbors for shelter. other
deputies who had been on duty guard
ing the property OF the coal company.
had been notified OF the trouble by this
time. and 20 OF the rioters we're landed
In the lookup at Windber.
The mob. headed by Paul Zills. then
planned an assault on the Jail with the
purpose OF releasing the prisoners. A
great crowd OF the strikers. with Ellis
at their head. marched 20 the centre OF
the town and prepared 10 storm the
fail. The deputy sheriffs fixed the bay
onets to their rifles and surrounded the
Jail 20 keep 10 from the mob's possess
sion. N possible. The members OF the
fire department were also called out 10
help restore order. The foreigners were
urged TO be orderly and TO leave the
N~"AAF t"N AAAAAN'AiA'a ~ AANNoAs AAt1 re-
fused 90 listen. greeting the efforts 20
pacify them with boots and jeers. At
a signal the mob began 20 close in on
the Jail, shouting TO the deputies 20
throw away their guns and give up the
prisoners. The officers first tried 10
keep back the mob with bayOnets. but
the effort was Intellectual, and when Il
became certain that the little band OF
deputies and fremen could not stand
before the bowling. Infatuated mob they
opened fire. Those Of the foreigners
who were closest TO the Jail had al
ready begun using knives in the at
tempt TO disarm the deputies, while
others iOurished revolvers The depu-
ties fired but one volley, and the for
Signers broke and fed in wild disorder.
leaving three of their number dead in
front OF the jail The wounded who
were able to walk were hurried TO their
homes and boarding houses. while an
ambulance took the more seriously hurt
TO the Windber hospital.
At the mass meeting the men had de-
ctded to return to work on the opera
tors terms, when Deputy McMullen
appeared. IL Is said that an intoxicated
striker made an insulting remark to
the deputy. and that when the latter
warned the miner to keep quiet the
trouble began.