Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1891 — AWED BY THE SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

AWED BY THE SOLDIERS

BUT THERE IS STILL DANGER OF SERIOUS TROUBLE. strikers Only Walting for the Militia to Dep<rt for Another Outbreak—Private Kellar Warns His Colonel that an Uprising Is Imminent. The situation in the Pennsylvania :oke regions remains practically unchanged. The feeling prevails that as long as the militia remains there will be 10 more lawlessness. The soldiers can aot stay always, however, and it is feared that unless the strike is settled before they are called home the depredations will be renewed just as soon as their sacks are turned. The feeling among ;he strikers is intensely bitter, but they ire careful to commit no overt act and content themselves with scowling at the militia and murmuring in unintelligible tongues. For thirty consecutive hours a stream if thousands of people viewed the bodies if the men who were shot at Morewood. They were stretched out side by side on a, long platform, around which the crowd surged in its eagerness to get a glimpse of the dead men. They are all young men with the exception of Cressango Binero, the Italian, and Valentine Zindle. The faces of the dead were cleanly shaved, and on the breast of each was placed a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church, while around the wrists of a few were entwined the beads upon which they had been accustomed to repeat their prayers. The scene in the morgue was one that is not often witnessed. Of the thousands who viewed the remains scarcely a man came in whose countenance was not drawn and scowling as ha gazed on the work of the rifles, and hundreds of women vented their anger and anguish in terms that could not be mistaken. They were miners, cokers and their wives. The latter are more revengeful, if anything, than their liege lords, and are considered more-dangerous antagonists. It is well known among the citizens that the lives of Captain Loar and his deputies would be in jeopardy should the militia be withdrawn. The foreigners are excited to a degree bordering on frenzy, and, although they are keeping all demonstrations within the pale of the law, there is no doubt that they are determined to wreak vengeance eventually upon the people who are responsible for the death of their countrymen. At Scottdale, where the dead were to be interred, great apprehension was felt that another riot would ensue at the funeral, but nothing of the kind occurred. Strong forces of militia patrolled the streets, attended the services, and accompanied the procession. The coke company at Mount Pleasant is not making any effort at present to get men to fill the places of the strikers. They are keeping the mines in good condition. Although the men have been out of work for a month, they still seem to have considerable money, and from outward appearances are not suffering for anything. They all seem to be keeping sober. In fact, not one of them has been seen on the street in an intoxicated condition. From the bankers it is learned that the foreign element, which constitutes 75 or 80 per cent, of the workers of the region now striking, has more or less funds.

There is no longer any doubt that the strike will be continued indefinitely and with a bitterness never before experienced in a strike. It is not bevond probability that if the strikers find they are debarred from reaching non-union men at the coke works, secret methods of inducing them to stop will be made. An intelligent Hun, in speaking of their future, said: “We will hold a meeting, and then we will decide what to do. There is only one thing certain, and that is that the company can not get any foreigners to come here to take our places, as we have notified all the Italians and Huns in the country of our trouble.”

A Scottdale special says: A bloody battle between the troops and the strikars is expected soon Private Kellar was detailed to act as interpreter to General Wiley. General Wiley directed him to mingle with the strikers and learn their intentions. He reported: “There is going to be trouble very soon. The strikers are all indignant because the soldiers have been sent here, but they do not seem to fear them. In one house I saw five guns and a number of revolvers, and in the other house I saw three guns and several revolvers. Five out of every ten of them have served in the armies of the old country, and they know what soldiers are. They say that the soldiers who have been brought here are simply workingmen like themselves, and will not interfere with them. I picked up one of their papers to-day, and in one portion I found an article which stated that there was not a regular among the soldiers who had been brought to lhe regions, and that they need not be afraid of the militia men. who were Qpvic.es, and did not know any more about warfare than the strikers themselves I heard them ridiculing the Tenth Regiment. All of these Hungarians have money and they are in a dangerous mood over the killing of the men at Morewood, which they all claim was entirely unjustifiable.” Kellar’s warning was heard and heeded. When daylight fell again upon the faces of the benighted thousands who inhabit this region, the sentinels of the State had men posted at every point where an outbreak, was feared. The troops are supplied with ball cartridges, and the officers in command of the various guards have explicit orders to fire, if need be, on any mob which shall attempt to molest them, or any of the property which they are guarding.