When a riot has assumed such a serious character that armed men have had
to be called out to subdue it, the Riot Act is generally read, and then
the soldiers or sheriff's deputies charge the mob, being careful not to
fire on them or wound them unless necessary in self-defence or in
performance of their duty.

In this instance the sheriff utterly misunderstood the rioters, and as
they crowded around him, trying to make out what it was that he was
reading to them, he lost his self-control, and imagining the men were
defying and threatening him, ordered his posse to fire.

It was a frightful affair. Ninety well-armed men firing into a crowd of
defenceless laborers. Twenty-three strikers were killed, thirty-six
seriously wounded, and about forty more injured.

As you may suppose, our whole country is mourning over this catastrophe.

It would seem difficult to find where the real blame lies. The sheriff
thought he was doing his duty, his posse but obeyed his orders, and the
poor sacrificed miners had no idea what the sheriff was reading to them,
nor any intention of offering violence.

The whole neighborhood became so excited over the affray that the
Governor of Pennsylvania immediately ordered some of the state troops to
Hazleton to prevent further trouble.

The sheriff and his posse are to be arrested and tried for killing the
strikers.