Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-26
RIOT At BETHLEHEM
Two Workmen Shot by Penn
: syIvania State Police.
ONE OF THEM MAY DIE
Ordered to Fire Into Air, One
Trooper Aims Too Low.

SOUTH BETHLEHEM, Pa, February
26.-State police. summoned here from
Philadelphia during the night. had sew
eral clashes today with the foreign ele-
ment involved I'm the Bethlehem Steel
Company's strike.
Two foreigners were shot. Several 9TH
ers were injured by riot sticks. One
man shot is in a serious condition.
The state troopers had been dispers-
ing crowds Of Hungarians all morning.
In front of the Majestic Hotel, within a
half block Of the steel company's main
office. the police encountered a crowd that
showed considerable resistance. Missiles
were thrown at the police, who were
ordered to draw their revolvers and fire.
The police declare they fired into the
air to scatter the crowd and that un-
fortunately one of the troopers aimed too
low. The bullet struck Joseph Sambo.
thirty-eight years old. in the head. An
other foreigner, whose name was not
learned, received slight flesh wound.
Sambo was removed to st. Luke's Hos
pital. II is said his condition is serious.
He was not actively engaged in inter
fering with the troopers, 1T Is said, but
was standing on a sidewalk when wound
ed. The shooting had magical effect
on the crowd, which quickly scattered.
Striker Trips Troopers Horse.
Prior to the shooting a striker trip
ped a troopers horse by throwing an
obstruction in front of the animal. The
horse fell on sidewalk. Leaving the
animal. the trooper got his man and
marched him off to the police station
Leaders of the strikers declare that
the riotouS actions of the foreigners are
discountenanced by them. and that COM
been appointed to take charge of the
foreigners i'm order to keep them in
check.
The violence which broke out among
the foreigners at the works yesterday
caused the Northampton county authori-
ties to anticipate further trouble. and
they decided to prevent, IL possible, any
serious rioting. The governor was COM
municated with
During the night Capt. John C. Groome
of the state police was instructed to send
men to Bethlehem at once. Accordingly
about thirty policemen with their mounts
left Philadelphia. where they were doing
strike duty. at Am and arrived here
shortly before Z o'clock.
When the troopers reached the town
they were Immediately assigned to the
various gates of the works, and on their
way along Sd street the mounted men en-
countered the foreigners The troopers
paid no attention to them until some OF
the foreigners began calling them names
and a few missiles were thrown.
The captain In command instantly
wheeled his men about, Ordered them 70
draw their riot sticks and charge. The
policemen and their we'll trained horses
promptly obeyed and they waded into the
foreigners.
The long heavy hickory sticks were not
used except where a man declined to
move, the men depending on their horses
to scatter the crowd. A sharp watch
was kept for pistols, but not a shot was
fred at this time
After about fifteen minutes work the
troopers had the street cleared. The men
taken into custody resisted the police
mems efforts to clear the street and are
charged with inciting to riot.
The entire plant Of the Bethlehem Steel
Company. which employs about 1900
men, was shut down today until Mon
day. II Is expected to resume then under
the protection of the state police.
The strike at the Bethlehem steel
works started February 4, when several
hundred machinists quit because they
were refused time and one-half for extra
work The strike later spread to va
rious departments of the plant, crippling
the company to some extent.
The strikers were not organized and
several breaks occurred, hundreds of men
returning TO work, but the trouble again
began to spread this week when the
strikers became more active in picketing.
The violence yesterday was due to
pickets interfering with men on their
way to and from the works.