Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-08
SHOOT into R0TERSP0NTS TO REC0RD|R RACING WITH FLOOD
State Police Taft "Pato Who As
linn Face
HURT DEFENDS
of dPrenTr of
Persons CnedFo
FINAL There No Cnemone
rcahn M eContuu Acompan
Mob Attacks State Police at
MinersviIIe, Pa.
THREE DYING; DOZEN HURT
Two Thousand Tried to Prevent Men
Going to Work.
DISPERSED ONLY BY GUNS
Order Finally Restored by Con.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. at Sha-
mokin and Mount Carmel.

POTTSvILLE, Pa, May SIN a pitch
ed battle between the state police and a
crowd estimated at between two and three
thousand men at Minersville early this
morning four men are known to have
been shot and three we're probably fatally
wounded. 1t is believed a dozen more
others also were struck by bullets. but
We're not seriously wounded and did not
seek medical attention. A woman, Mrs.
George Woll. who was standing on her
porch was struck the arm by a brick
and was painfully injured.
The men who are thought to have been
fatally hurt are:
David Davis. shot through both lungs.
Two foreigners. not identified by the au-
thorities at this time.
Another foreigner was shot through the
leg and was seriously wounded.
The fight occurred in the central part
of town and came as the result of a
crowd gathering in front of Ulmer's ga
rage, the old electric light plant, to pre-
vent Supt- George W. Keiser of the Pine
Hill Coal Company from taking two men
in his automobile 10 his colliery.
Supt. keiser had been coming to Miners
vile the past several days and taking
Thomas Parry, repair man, and Will
car. This morning it was determined to
prevent him from taking the men, ana
at an early hour a big crowd gathered in
front of the garage. When Supt. Keiser
not 10 take 1t out. and was practically
held prisoner at the place.
Crowd Refuses to Disperse.
Chief Burgess Richard Levan. vet
eran Of the civil war. addressed the
crowd and demanded that they disperse
peacefully but no attention was paid to
him.
He thereupon requested the state police
barracks at Pottsville to send a detail to
Minersville to assist in preserving order.
that section arrived on the scene. and
shortly after were reinforced by four
more from the Pottsville barracks They
ordered the crowd to disperse. but their
the automobile was then taken from the
garage and was being cranked wheD
some one in the crowd threw a brick. 1t
struck a policeman on the head.
Hundred Shots Fired.
1t seemed to be the signal for an attac (.
and Immediately there came a shower Of
stones. followed by several pistol shots
The officers then fired volley into the
Raising their pistols. they twice fired into
the air. but the only effect it had was to
draw shots from the crowd
The officers then turned their weapons
into the crowd and commenced nring. Tne
shots were returned and q regular pitcned
battle followed. in which 1t is estimated
that hundred shots were nred. AS
usual the firing resulted in the crowd dis
persing. leaving four lying on the ground
David Davis was taken into the garage
w summoned pro-
nounced his wound fatal. The three
wounded foreigners were carried away oy
friends and taken to nearby saloons,
where medical attention also was sum-
rnoned. Little hope was expressed for
two of them.
Situation Now Peaceful.
detachment of Troop d. state troop
ers stationed at Butler. arrived here
early this morning and a detail of twelve
men was sent to Minersville. These, with
the seven members of Troop c, are pa
trolling the town and report that the law
less spirit is now under control.
Mai John C. Groome of Philadelphia.
superintendent of the state police is here
and in command of the troops. In an
interview he said
The situation as l md il is peaceful.
At present / have eighty-six additional
well drilled men in Pottsville besides
Troop c. Forty-six of these are from
Troop d at Butler and forty from Troop
at Greensburg- At Minersville this
shoot to protect both themselves and the
men they were assisting. They now have
the situation well In hand.
Search Houses for Arms.
The state police left Minersville for the
Pine Hill colliery nearby, where an at
tack was feared upon Supt. Keiser and
I~ a
that when additional reinforcements ar
rive the entire foreign section Of the
town will be put under guard until a
thorough search is made of every house
and every foreigner is disarmed.
A pathetic incident of the shooting of
David Davis is that his wife is seriously
III. When she learned of the shooting of
her husband. who was merely an onlooker,
10 survive the day. Davis was shot en-
tirely through the body. the bullet pass
ing through both lungs.
One of the foreigners who will die has
been in the country but two weeks.
Refuse to Ride on Guarded Train.
SHAMOKIN, Pa. May s.-A number OF
company hands employed by the Susque-
hanna Coal Company refused to ride to
work from this place to Hickory Ridge
colliery this morning on a PENNSYLVANIA
railroad miners train. because the train
guarded by police. Some of the men
feared the presence of the police might
cause a crowd TO hold up the train The
workmen instead rode a trolley car to
Maysville Park, from which place they
walked a mountain TO the mines
which they reached without encounterinp
any miners pickets. The train will likely
be annulled until the coal suspension
ends.
Rain Aids Keeping Peace.
MOUNT CARMEL. Pa, May S-State
police rode to all collieries in this terri
tory this morning. affording protection to
bosses. pumpmen. engineers and fremen
on their way TO work. Miners pickets
scattered over the district scowled at the
troopers, but made no demonstration 4
heavy rain kept people generally under
cover.
Sheriff Gloss and Capt. Robinson of the
state police are well satisfied with the
apnarenflY neaceful sifua ton