The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-16
A PLUCKY MAYOR.

There was one plucky official whose
conduct stands out in bold contrast with
that OF the other Pennsylvania officials
during the late strike troubles. Let it
not be imagined that by this remark
we intend any disparagement of the
heroic bearing Of their renowned Gov
ernor, who, by slow approaches, reached
one of his principal cities after the mob,
which had held it for week against the
whole militia and police force brought
az sinst them, had abandoned their
prize and returned to the peaceful duties
of private life, satisfied with the dire re-
venge they had wreaked upon their
railroad oppressor-t gallant chief
executive of State Of four millions OF
stalwart yeomanry, making bis entrance
into his said principal manufacturing
city, guarded by regiment of United
States regulars and brigade OF militia
and park of artillery. Far be 1t from us
to seek to detract from the lustre
OF such noble display OF heroic
devotion to duty, still, we can
not. as conscientious historians.
omit to make record Of the manly and
courageous bearing of the little Mayor
of the little town of Scranton, who
trusted himself among the bowling and
furious mob, and demanding their dis
persion, received with heroic fortitude
shower Of stones and was severely
belabored over the head with CLUBS,
pick handles and other uncomfortable
instruments suited to the creation Of
unnatural chronological developments.
1t was only when their blows began to
become seriously ponderous that the
stout little Mayor gave the signal for
the advance Of an armed police which
he had previously organized and sta
toned in perdu. This was a wise pre-
caution, and q still wiser feature of the
Mayors strategy was that he had APP
pointed as commander of this police
squad an ex-Confederate officer who
happened to be living in Scranton.
The Mayors signal was quickly an
swered by rush or double-quick of his
police squad, and then when the Mayor
shouted, "Fire!" the ex-Confederate
commander not only repeated the
order, but saw that his men obeyed it
with ball cartridges, and, after one vol
ley, raised the shrill old whoop which
had so often rung through the hills and
valleys and over the plains of Old Vir-
ginia, and in few seconds the bowling
mob was scattered and driven into their
holes and huts, and the gallant Mayor
was rescued and borne safely back to
his office and a surgeon called in to sew
up the assures OF his epidermis and
poultice the bruises of his Uranium.
Scranton saved from the disgrace which
attaches pretty much to all the other
big and little towns and the remainder
of the great Keystone State, from their
lack of promptitude, vigor and man.
hood in resisting the lawless violence
and fury of frenzied mobs.
We have not the name of this Mayor
or we should associate it with that Of
the sturdy Mayor Of London, whose
heavy mace brought to the dust the
heavy figure of Watt Tyler, the leader
Of a great mob. which came near up
setting the throne of King Richard II,
of England. Walworth was his name.
His worthy imitator may be justly ad-
mitted to be ,peH north the suffrages and
confidence of the people of Scranton,
for he was not only brave enough to con-
front the mob in person. bu. he was
sagacious enough to assign to the CON-
mand of his police force an ex.
officer of that immortal army which
was entirely unused to running away
from fight which duty and honor re-
ui1ired IT, to make