"I walked on the tenth of September in the front row of the procession with John Eagler, John Pustag, who is now in the Hazleton hospital wounded, with Mike Cheslak and Steve Jurek, who were killed on the spot near Lattimer, also with Andro Novotny and Georg Jensco . As we came near Lattimer we met the sheriff with seventy armed deputies. Sheriff Martin came to meet the procession and told the men that they must go no farther. Someone behind me called out 'go ahead' [English) and the sheriff thinking that these words came from me, seized me by the coat and asked me what I had to say, to which I answered that the order to march onward did not come from me. After this answer had been confirmed by my companion Andro Novotny, standing near me, the sheriff seized the latter. About three minutes after, the firing began. I threw myself on the ground and crawled back. The firing may have lasted two minutes. Each deputy fired several times, and I think that each one shot off all the cartridges in the magazine of the guns they were carrying. I saw that all the workmen immediately took flight, like me, at the first fire, while the deputies continued to fire on the fugitives."
- Michael Malady, testimony in court
- Michael Malady, testimony in court
"The sheriff came to meet us from the latter place [Lattimer], leaving the deputies standing fifteen or twenty yards behind him. I do not know whether the sheriff said anything to those standing in the first row or not, but I can testify that I heard nothing, although I was standing only four yards from the sheriff. The sheriff had only his revolver in the hand, and read nothing aloud. I only saw him tussling with some of those standing in the front row. About two minutes after the sheriff had reached the first row of the procession the firing began. Five men fell dead around me. I flung myself flat on the ground and stayed there about ten minutes. I cannot say how long the firing lasted, as I was very much excited at the time, but I think it was over two minutes. As I lay on the ground I lifted my head and could see that the deputies were firing at my fleeing companions, already about three hundred yards away. The deputies while they were firing at the fugitives called after them, 'Come back, you son ––," I lay until things around me were comparatively quiet. When I arose I saw the deputies still standing in the same place, while my companions, with the exception of those who had immediately thrown themselves on the ground, had run far away. I can testify that not one of us had a weapon in his hand. When we left Harwood in the procession we decided to take nothing, not even a stick, in order not to create the impression that we had the intention of committing acts of violence. I am ready to swear to the above statement. I am a Hungarian subject, and not naturalized."
- John Andryonski, testimony in court
- John Andryonski, testimony in court
"I was at the head of the procession and was not far from Malady whom the sheriff seized by the coat. When the sheriff let him go he caught me by the coat with one hand and with the other pointed his revolver, which he then drew, at my breast. The sheriff asked me, 'Where are you going?' and I answered, 'Let me alone' [English], at the same time throwing off his arm with which he was holding the revolver against my breast. At this movement of mine the sheriff gave the command 'Fire,' and the shooting began. George Jancso, who was near me, helped me out of the hands of the sheriff, and once free from the same I ran until I found proper shelter."
- Andro Novonty, testimony in court
- Andro Novonty, testimony in court