Advancing toward them, the sheriff ordered them to go back to their homes, telling them that they were creating a disturbance and were acting in defiance of the law.
Most of the strikers were foreigners, and, failing to understand what the sheriff said, the foremost men crowded round him, trying to prove to him that they were only parading, and had a perfect right to march through the streets if they only remained peaceful and orderly.
Unfortunately the sheriff could not make out what they meant, and supposed they were defying him.
He therefore proceeded to read them the Riot Act.
This is an act which in the name of the commonwealth orders the persons assembled to disperse and go to their homes.
If the rioters fail to obey they are liable to imprisonment and punishment according to the laws of the State, and the sheriff or person authorized to read the Riot Act is bound to arrest all persons who linger around after the act has been read to them.
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.