It will be borne in mind that the great strike was still in progress; work was nearly at an end; some of the stores in the mines were closing up business and others refusing credit to miners, causing considerable suffering among those who, during flush times, had improvidently spent their money, keeping none for this sort of emergency. It was no source of surprise, then, that the mere announcement, founded upon rumor, that Col. Cake had been seen at Loss Creek, where he was to sign papers, agreeing, on the part of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, to the basis in vogue preceding the strike, should create wild excitement over the country. In Shenandoah, nearly all the Mollies entered upon a prolonged debauch on the strength of the story. Frank McAndrew, the President, was entirely overcome by liquor, and meeting the young Welshman, Gomer James, engaged in a fight with him and his companions, during which knives and pistols were freely used, but no persons seriously wounded. McHugh and Travers were of McAndrew’s party, and Gomer James and his confederates finally withdrew from the field. McKenna, from his keeping the house, through the doctor’s commands, was not a participant in, or present during the time of this little disturbance. He heard of it the next day, when McHugh went to see him. That person was terribly in earnest, swearing big oaths without number that the time must soon come when Gomer James should be made to suffer for his acts. He thought it bad policy to insist upon immediate revenge, but stated, when work was fairly commenced and everything would not be charged upon the society, he and the rest could never be satisfied until two men were obtained to make way with the murderer of Cosgrove. McHugh ended by remarking that “it was a shame and a disgrace to all members of the order that Gomer’s taking off had been so long delayed!” The starting, a few days subsequently, of several large collieries, made the emissary think that, if others were as anxious as McHugh, Gomer James would have to look out for himself. As James had been previously warned, through the instrumentality of Mr. Franklin, he did not deem it necessary to do more in this instance than make due report of McHugh’s words. This he did at once, and Mr. Franklin again had the information conveyed to James that he stood in imminent danger of losing his life. Father McFadden was now visited by a committee of Mollies, asking permission to take part in the general celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, for which extended preparations were being made, but he refused, cursing the Mollies and their committee with the heaviest maledictions. He charged them with being murderers and assassins, and commanded them to leave the order. They would do nothing of the kind.