The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-07-22
STRIKERS URGED
TO BURN MILLS
Socialists Advise Arson and Pill
lage at Mckees Rocks. =
ARBITRATION is REFUSED
Company President Declines to Settle
and Troops Have Orders to
klli--Women Fight the
SIS Soldiers. &

4
Pittsbusg, Pa, July 17.--President
Frank N. Hoffstot of the Pressed
Steel Car Company last evening
blocked all chance for settlement
of the great McKees Rocks strike by
arbitration by refusing to see any
committee from the strikers.
A tense nndercurrent OF unrest is
apparent and with quantities of
liquors hidden about the strikers
headquarters and the uncertain tenn
per of the strikers and their sympa-
thizers, trouble ID. apprehended to-day.
The troops have orders to shoot to
kill.
Socialists Advise Arson. Il
1t was said that the men have
taken the advice of socialistic leaders
and were addressed by orators preach.
ing burn, blow up and pillage."
2 1t is known that the striking men
were approached by socialistic lead.
ers and that the men partially ae-
cepted such leadership. .@#E
, Wild rumors of dynamite being
carted into McKees Rocks are
abundant. 1t was reported also that
strikers had been sent to Pittsburg
to purchase large quantities, Of gaso-
line. 4 ss....
i 4 A strike leader said there was no
basis for the rumor that a letter had
been sent to the car company stat.
ing that unless the strikers were at
rpin0tpfaH in hot thar
would burn the entire plant before "a
hours had passed.
q, The events yesterday were highly
colored by the appearance of the
wives and women sympathizers of the
striking men. With their babes in
one arm and bricks and Stag In their
free hand, these Amazons resisted at.
tempts Of the authorities to enter
their homes In search of strike lead
ers -. s'.' ..' '.r.'''' ''.', ..'... -.
Women Assault Daring Trooper.
A trooper of the constabulary meet
ing with this resistance in one in
stance, drove his horse through the
front door of the home of striker
and without dismounting, arrested the
man he was looking for and practic.
ally galloped him to the box cars be-
! ing used as police stations. The troop
er it is reported was badly beaten by
women sympathizers while perform.
ing the arrest. ~ ..s,.
1t Is also reported that a woman
was shot in the rioting. While the
rumor is credited by the strikers, the
car company officials deny knowl-
edge OF. the affair. s...s.., i il
The striking men have tried to or
ganize themselves into some sort OF
order. The attempt was futile, al.
though four of the strikers were final
ly selected as a committee to wait
upon the company officials and en-
deavor to get an arbitration hearing.
Officers Greatly outnumbered.
There are now on the riot ground
more than 200 police officers, includ.
ing city, county and state authorities.
This is at the ratio of one police off,
Ger to every II strikers, not including
the hundreds of sympathizers. Sher.
III Gumbert said he would increase
his force of deputies to-day. Pitts.
burg reserve police are also stationed
near the riot center.
~ The constabulary are doing effective
work with the strikers Riot maces
three feet long seemed to have
queiled the spirit of the more daring
OF the strike leaders. However the
strikers complained OF the drastic
measures, employed by the troopers.
:" The constabulary divided into two
squads OF four and made a house to
house search for firearms. Under a
law passed by the state legislature of
last year, a foreigner In this state has
no right to carry firearms of any de-
scription. Under this law the troop
ers entered houses and searched sus-
poets