New Britain herald., 1922-11-10

strike. As the boys and men left this mill at 10 o'clock at night. 1t was necessary for them to have escorts as far as their homes, no one boy or man going home alone. And, contrary to the law though 1t was. practically every one was armed.
 Regular War Scenes
 Men, though not miners but mem- bers of the United Mine Workers of America or employed at places where U. M. w. of A. men usually worked, who did not cease theirtlabors dur ing this period, would be met on their way home by crowds of strik- CTS blowing tin horns, beating drums, yelling, hooting and throwing stones. Fists waved recklessly and many a man who started for home ended up in a hospital. Fractured skulls were ordinary occurrences and men in working clothes with drawn revolvers in their hands, followed at safe distance by crowds yelling, "scab" and hurling stones, were not uncom- mon sights
 Natives Were Scared.
 No solitary policemen and in the smaller mining towns, no local police force ever dared to interfere and local newspapers as matter of busi- ness policy and personal safety gen. orally shut their eyes to these scenes
 But the advent of state troopers changed the color of this state of affairs, and now in most oases even a professional strikebreaker can work. if not unmolested, at least without endangering his life.
 Fearless Reputation
 The state troopers, when the force first was organized, were veterans of the Spanish American war. men of the l very best physical health and the i highest type of moral character, ab- solutely fearless and unmarried. They l were goverened by a rule of iron, stricter even than the U s. Army reg ulations. but had almost unlimited po- | lice powers in the state.
 So thoroughly did these men im- | press the lawless element with their | courage that the very name "state po- lice," came to be feared in the noun tains. Mountain paths which never were safe ibecame as safe as public | And the region | abounds with wonderful stories of the daring deeds of these fearless men.
 The Marion Heights Incident
 Marion Heights, little town on the | side of mountain, was described in ] book written about Is as ''The Black Hand Center of United States" Yet Marion Heights was barely half the 'ize of Plainville. It was located in Northumberland county. which county lad a record of many unpunished murders. An Italian government agent rossed the water to attend his sis- er's wedding in this town one sum- ner. He was known as secret serv- ce man. A few days after the wed- ling his headless body was found by ,oys on the mountain.
 The Introduction
 One day a gang of out of town 'ainters arrived in town and went to york on row of new houses under obstruction. The painters went about heir business and apparently paid no ttention to anyone. The first night i ollowing the semi-monthly pay day t the mines the painters in couples. trolled, simultaneously, into the vari- us saloons in the town, and, at the oint of heavy army AS, lined up the rowds of drunken miners and search l them for concealed weapons. Re olvers, stillettos, black jacks and ome made weapons galore came to ght. When Marion Heights woke up , the fact that it had just received s first introduction to the new, state office force, it's entire citizenry had cen disarmed and the painters had scarded their overalls and ruled the alley.
 Sergeant Wisman on the Job
 A force of more than 200 strikers tackled colliery at Minersville. The leriff and his deputies were power