The Kelayres Massacre: Politics & Murder in Pennsylvania's Anthracite Coal Country

Politics in Kelayres turned deadly on November 5, 1934. When Republican boss Big Joe Bruno sensed his grip on Pennsylvania's anthracite coal region slipping away with the night's election, he and a few family members opened fire on a peaceful Democratic parade passing Bruno's home. The carnage was shocking—five men gunned down and nearly two dozen other victims wounded but alive. Convicted and sentenced to the Schuylkill County Prison, Bruno quickly escaped, allegedly with help from the gua...