Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-23

them were Immediately sent by the de-
partment of labor.
A development tonight which may help
to end the strike, or At least bring a
truce. was the acceptance by the strikers
Of an offer of five city commissioners to
act as arbitrator. The strikers will pre-
sent their demands for Is per cent. in
crease in writing to the commissioners
tomorrow and the latter will lay them
before the Standard Oh plant officials.
The lull which followed the serious dis
order of yesterday in which one youth
was killed was dissipated shortly before
noon today when several hundred Of the
b00 strikers attacked the guards within
the Standard plant The guards replied
to the showers Of bricks. stones and club
with volleys from their Winchesters, and
three men had been wounded seriously
when the crowd retreated after two futile
attempts to approach the plant. John
Suren. a former soldier in the Austrian
army. was shot in the abdomen while
leading the assault and may die.
The next and more serious attack was
on the Tidewater Oil Cos. barrel works.
It lasted a half hour. Two Ct the at
lacking party. Stanley Murhefko, aged
q. and Nicolai Iwaszkiu, aged Is, were
killed by bullets and three others were
injured seriously.
Telephone for Troops
Sheriff kinkead made an unsuccessful
attempt TO have the strikers dispense by
a personal appeal. but was hooted and
jeered. He then decided that the situa-
ton was beyond his control and tele-
phoned to Gov. Fielder for troops
Later in the day guards within the
Tidewater Works fired on a crowd of $50
persons outside the works and the latter
replied with revolvers. No injuries were
reported as a result.
Some excitement was caused early to-
night when persons in the crowd near
the plants began fighting among them
selves and a man suspected of being
guard was rescued from probable injury
by the Intervention Of five motorcycle po-
licemen. The man. whose identity was
not learned. was chased into drug store
and seized by the crowd He was dragged
into the street and was being beaten
with clubs when the police arrived. With
drawn revolvers the policemen drove the
crowd back and, communicating an au-
tomobile, took the man to hospital. Elk
animation there showed his condition
was serious.
There was an outbreak Of fires
around the plants today. one Of which
was believed to have been started by
persons in the crowds throwing burn
ing oil-soaked waste over the walls
This menaced the large oil tanks and
the safety Of the guards. but was
easily extinguished as were all the
other fires. Sheriff Kinkead tonight
established three "dead'' lines along
the nearly seven miles Of fence and
mbankment which surrounds the
Standard and Tidewater plants.
Nearly 1000 Out Of Work
Although the actual number Of men
on strike is not believed to be mors
than 1900. it was stated that between
5000 and 1000 employees Of the oil
companies are temporarily out OF
work.
The Tidewater Co. issued a state
ment in which it was said there was
no strike in its plant, but the men
had been laid or until they could
have protection in entering and leav-
ing the works.
The strikers at a meeting today
heard their committee report that it
had been unable to meet the officials
Of the Standard Oil plant. They de-
cided to continue on strike.
!. Wv. Attempts
Efforts by members Of the Indus
trial Workers Of the World to address
the strikers today were not wholly
successful Frank Tannenbaum, an /.
w. W. leader, was howled down by
one crowd.