When the troubles of the first of June arose, and the Militia were ordered out by Governor Hartranft, Gen. Pleasants, called Mr. Linden to him and said:
"I see by a report of Mr. Pinkerton's agent in Shenandoah—and we also have it from other good authority—that the strikers, including the Mollie Maguires and the members 328of the Miners' and Laborers' Union, are openly threatening the destruction of some of the company's more expensive works in Schuylkill County, among the rest West Shenandoah Colliery, which is only defended by two private watchmen. Can your men occupy and hold that breaker?"
"We can, or die in the attempt!" was the characteristic response.
"I admire your courage, Mr. Linden," said Gen. Pleasant, "but I am somewhat in doubt as to the result. However, there is no other course to pursue. Your men, headed by yourself, armed with the Winchester rifles and navy sixes, must make the trial!"
"We will leave on the next train," Linden answered.
And they did go to Shenandoah, as was reported to McKenna by Gibbons and Hurley, arriving there the day following the one on which the first attack upon Thomas was to have been made. The militia-men were daily expected, but it was questioned in the minds of some whether its members were all to be depended upon in an emergency. That there were relatives of Mollies in the ranks was well known. Capt. Linden and eighteen men took charge of West Shenandoah Colliery, with the determination to defend and keep it working, preventing the miners from being driven away, if among the possibilities to do so.
The second of June the Mollies and other strikers made great preparations for a dance at Number Three Hill. Word was sent by special messengers that all who could should assemble on the night of that day for a monster workingman's parade, which was appointed for the third. Early in the morning the crowd began pouring in. There were delegates from Connor's Patch, Loss Creek, Number Three, Raven Run, and Griscom's Patch, as well as from Shenandoah. In the evening fires blazed from all the hillsides surrounding the collieries. There was the greatest and wildest 329excitement. The labor picnic at Number Three had seven or eight hundred persons in attendance.
There was plenty of music, and drink, and dancing, but the principal work seemed to be organizing for the exercises of the next day, and the evident object of these was to frighten people, who were quietly at work, away from the mines. The presence of the roughest characters in the country, armed to the teeth—some having as many as three revolvers displayed ostentatiously in their belts—and the open talk of the crowd, was sufficient to tell Linden and his devoted band that the morrow boded no good for them. Still they stood manfully at their posts, guarding every point and keeping off the approach of and attacks from all stragglers. Capt. Heisler, with more men, came to the rescue, and the Militia were expected by every train. Telegraphic messages kept the wires busy and messengers hurriedly going and coming.
Among the miners, the Welsh, English, German, and Poles mingled, and heartily joined hands with the Irish. For once feuds were forgotten, and nationalities all made common cause. The destruction of the collieries, or entire submission to the behests of those on the strike, had been decided upon.
While the music sounded, and dancing was going on at Number Three, McKenna held a secret conference with Linden. He gave him all the information regarding the proposed action for the morrow that he had been able to gather, and assured his friend he would have fierce work to do if he did not abandon the breaker.
"We can die there, then!" said Linden. "I will never give it up! Rather than that, may every man in my command—officers and all—be murdered! Let the strikers come! Some of them will bite the dust! I can tell them, we will be found well prepared!"
"I'll do everything in my power, at all events," responded 330McKenna, "to discourage violence! Did any of the Chicago men recognize me, to-day?"
"I think not! If they did, they had sense enough not to speak of it!"
"I trust they may do the same thing to-morrow! If they come to shooting, I'm sure I'll get out of the range of those Winchesters on the double quick!"
Linden advised him to remember to do so, as he could not tell what might occur.
"They—the police—look upon you as the worst and most desperate character in the Mollie crowd!"
"I know it!" said McKenna, "but they'll learn their mistake one of these days!"
It was noticeable that, when communicating with Linden, the detective dropped his well-worn brogue, and conversed in his ordinary tone, using few Celtic terms.
The conference was brief, and with a "good night" the detectives separated, McKenna returning to the camp-fires, and Linden seeking sleep upon his bed of hay.
When he reached Number Three, McKenna learned that a portion of his brother Mollies, fearing to face the consequences of the parade—as it was called—but, as it really was, a mob, comprising all the elements of a commune and a riot—had fled to Ringtown Mountain and there organized a local guard, or reserve force. Among these stay-at-home heroes—who received loud shouts, hisses of derision, and the appellation of "craven-hearted cowards"—was Mike, alias Muff Lawler. He would have nothing to do with the celebration, sneaked away and hid himself at Ringtown. The operative, having in mind the pusillanimous manner in which the same man had retreated from Dick Flynn, at Colorado Colliery, months before, leaving him to face the infuriated fellow alone, was not much surprised that Lawler had no appetite for the next day's work, but said nothing. In fact, if the truth were told, the detective did not really blame Mike for 331his later action, and, had not duty called him to take part in the proceedings, would have adopted a similar course. But he must stay and see the affair through. It was not his time to run away.
The night passed without the occurrence of any overt act. The morning of the third had but fairly opened when new delegations commenced coming in, and Marshals Walker and Johnson begun the work of forming the line. Impromptu flags were prepared, the drums beat, and the uncouth assemblage was soon ready to march.
Fenton Cooney was deputed to take charge of the rear and form the stragglers. One Fitzpatrick, a boss at Heckler's, assisted.
Nine o'clock came, and as the crowd was about to move the Sheriff of Schuylkill County rode up, accompanied by a Superintendent of the Coal and Iron Company. The former inquired as to the cause of the assemblage.
"Only a bit of a parade," was the plausible response, and the two men, apparently satisfied, rode away.
The intention of the men was to have an imposing procession, ending at Mahanoy City, and, meantime, to force the miners, at every colliery in their way, to quit work and join, or go to their homes. They were determined to stop operations, if they had to kill the workmen. But the Sheriff was not informed of this portion of the programme.
When the mob reached West Shenandoah Colliery it mustered, despite the disaffection of a few, some seven hundred strong, all firmly resolved that mining should not proceed in the Mahanoy valley. They marched away at a brisk pace, and thought themselves invincible. But at the rskirting the works mentioned was revealed a sight for which they were all unprepared. The blackened walls of the breaker stood out boldly in relief against the blue sky; the sun shone upon twenty armed men, ranged in a compact line, surrounding 332and cutting off approach to the mouth of the slope and the engine house, with arms, bright and gleaming, forming an inclosure of human bodies. Their repeating rifles were threatening. That obstacle did not seem so easy to surmount, and the mob stood at the foot of the hill, wavered, and presently the Grand Marshal ordered a pause. Part of his force had crossed the Reading Railway track, just before it passes under the Lehigh bridge, and there they waited, undecided what course to pursue.
It was a trying moment for the police, under Linden, Heisler being unavoidably absent in the city.
"Are you going to send the men from the slope, and stop the works?" asked Walker, in a loud voice.
"Go on about your business!" answered Linden, resting one hand on his piece. "The men in the mine are under the protection of the law! They will stay where they are, and you must not molest them!"
"Forward!" commanded Walker. But his tone lacked confidence.
"'Halt!' Shouted Linden."
"Halt!" shouted Linden.
But few obeyed Walker's call—and they stepped back hastily, as though they had blundered, when, at a signal from Linden, a score of Winchester rifles promptly came to the shoulders of as many hardy and resolute men, ready for the expected order to "fire."
McKenna was the most eccentric and savage appearing Mollie Maguire in the whole seven hundred. His old, soft hat, knocked in at the sides, yellow hair flying wildly in the breeze, a long, patched, gray coat, with two revolvers in his belt, beside a big hickory club which he carried in his hand; even the men from Chicago looked upon him as a prominent target to receive the contents of their already directed weapons. By the side of the detective was a sleek bull-terrier, which he had carefully raised and just brought out, trained ready for the pit, its tongue protruding, and showing 333the white teeth appearing fully as murderous and ugly as his master.
The Mollies knew—if the rest did not—that each one of those bright gun-barrels could send sixteen deadly messengers into their ranks without relng. They also knew that Linden—"Captain Jack," as he there received christening—was at the head of the force and would fight to the last drop of blood in his body. His rifle would be aimed with those of his followers.
Walker realized the gravity of the situation in a moment, and did not repeat his order. Soon there was a whisper of consultation. McKenna suggested that "twenty times sixteen wor three hundred an' twenty, an' that was the number that must fall before them Winchesters were exhausted! An' wur it all worth even fifty lives?"
The Marshal and other leading men thought not, and, scowling fiercely back at Linden and his Spartan band, they quietly moved on, in the direction of the bridge, leaving the breaker undisturbed. The muzzles of the Winchesters and the faces of the men behind them showed that the police were not to be trifled with.
The mob had decided—and wisely too—it was not a propitious moment to compel Linden and his men to retire—that another time might as well be selected for seizing the colliery and forcing a suspension of work. Jack Delaney, Peirce Walker, Ben Johnson, Fitzpatrick, and John Gibbons, who had all been industrious in raising and organizing the rabble, it was noticed, found themselves among the foremost to recognize the force there was in Linden's metallic argument.
The awkward squad surged along toward Mahanoy City, forcing those it encountered to join the ranks.
At Hazleton a prisoner was rescued, and the law defied.
Fox's Colliery, which had begun to work, was stopped by force, and the men driven home.
The owners of Bowman's Colliery, hearing that the crowd 334was coming, sent off their miners and discontinued operations before the advance guard hove in sight.
The Sheriff made a stand, with a few men, at Jackson's Hill, but he was derided, loudly cursed; and the communists marched onward in spite of the law and its minions.
The Foundry Colliery was stopped, and its men ran away in a fright.
Soon word was brought that three hundred men, from the vicinity of Hazleton, had already entered Mahanoy City, caused a disturbance, and some of their number been arrested by the police and placed in the lock up.
At last Mahanoy City was gained, and its streets found swarming with demoralized citizens. The mob had accumulated strength until it numbered over two thousand men, and everything was swept, like chaff in a west wind, before it. All business was suspended.
The first cry of the communists was, "To the rescue of the Hazleton boys!" and the Chief Burgess, Eckman by name was hunted up and politely invited to release the men he had in custody. He carefully examined the faces of the persons surrounding him and consented. The prisoners soon formed part of the line of the parade. The principal streets were marched through. Disorder and lawlessness prevailed, but as there was no one to oppose the rioters, little, if any, personal violence ensued. The striking miners had everything their own way. The collieries were all blocked, and the men sent home unharmed.
One colliery sounded its shrill whistle, adding to the prevailing confusion and alarm, the engineer having deserted the works, carrying the cord attached to the mechanism with him. A crowd rushed to the spot. Gibbons climbed upon the boiler, which it was feared might explode, opened the valve, the steam escaped, and the danger was over.
McKenna, the drum corps, and those who could pay, had dinner at Clark's Emerald House. Those who had no 335money procured food, wherever possible, from the citizens. While he was eating, the detective heard firing on the street. Followed close by Doyle, Thompson, and McCormick, he rushed out to see what was the trouble. It seems that the mob, when about to attack Little Drift Colliery, had been met by a deputy sheriff, backed by a few city policemen. The officer had read the riot act and ordered the disturbers of the public peace to disperse, but without other effect than to cause them to go on faster toward the colliery. One, Tim Jolley, being excited, fired a shot into the mob, hitting nobody. Then a rush was made on the Sheriff, and shooting became general from and in all directions. Jolley was quickly knocked down, and his pockets searched. Some one carried off his watch and chain, another his money, and yet others secured his hat and outer clothing. Friday O'Donnell, according to his own story, did some rapid shooting at about that time, but was not aware whether he hit any one. Jim McAllister received a cut in the head, while engaged in throwing rocks at the officers. He had no weapon. McGinnis had a pistol wound in the head, but it was not a fatal one.
Finally, the officers having retreated without severe injury, the disorderly procession moved for the return march to Shenandoah, and the parade and the riot ended at the same time. Strange to say, not a person was killed in the entire day's transactions.
The Militia arrived that night, and thenceforward there were to be no more serious riots in the county—at least not as long as the soldiers remained. But violence and assassination did not cease. On the contrary, bad blood had been stirred. It would not settle until innocent men were murdered. A few arrests were made of the leading rioters, but no particular punishment was ever meted out to them. The Mollies swore alibis, without regard to truth or conscience.
About the sixth of June Tom Hurley, who had a brother 336a member of the Girardville company of Militia, tried to accomplish, all by himself, the butchery of Capt Heisler. James Hurley was on duty with Heisler at West Shenandoah Colliery, and, late at night, Tom Hurley came up and spoke to them. In Heisler's temporary absence the brothers arranged that James should contrive to leave Heisler alone a few moments, when Tom could easily pick him off from an ambush. Heisler returned to his post and Tom bid the two "good night," saying he must go home. Walking but a short distance, however, he plunged into the underbrush, took a detour, and crawled stealthily up again within pistol range of Heisler and James Hurley. Finally he heard the latter say:
"Captain, it's coming chilly! I'll just go to the office and get my overcoat!"
"No!" answered the Captain. "That will never do! We are put here on guard, and here must stay!"
Heisler acted as if he suspected Tom, at least Jim had to remain where he was. Heisler's life, for a time, was safe.
In about half an hour, during which Tom Hurley, with pistol leveled full upon the Captain, remained watching in his place of concealment, Jim Hurley exclaimed:
"Faith, I've come out here with no arms on me at all! I've left me revolver! I'll go and get it!"
"No!" again answered Heisler. "You can take the rifle! The navy six is enough for me!"
Cursing the stupidity of the man who refused to be left alone, so that he might kill him, Tom Hurley, after stopping where he was until nearly overcome by sleep, cautiously arose from the ground, and, without making a sound to indicate his presence, stooped low and moved skulkingly away. He told McKenna of his adventure, the next day, and Linden was soon in possession of the fact. When subsequently consulted about his conduct on the occasion Capt. Heisler said he had heard considerable about Tom 337Hurley, and believed that the brothers might attempt some trap upon him. Still, when he refused to be left alone, he had not the least suspicion that in so doing he twice thwarted the would-be assassins.
Jim Hurley was no more placed on guard at Shenandoah Colliery.
The resumption was not again interfered with, and by the sixteenth of June became quite general in the coal regions. Even the Mollies went to work, having stood out as long as they deemed it possible, and finding that, without their aid, the company were able to continue their mining operations.
Mr. Linden, at about this time, met some adventures, which must be described.
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