The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-24
A RAILROAD RIOT.
An Attempt to Lay a Track Frustrated
with Bloody Violence.
A MAYOR HEADS THE MOB.
Two Sides to the Story OF the
Legal Rights Involved.
[DY rELEoRApa TO THE HERALD |

ST. LOUIS, No., July %, 1878.
decidedly sanguinary riot was barely avoided IN
East 81. Louis this mornins and serious trouble Is
still imminent. The difficulty grew on, OF attempt
on III. part OF the Illinois and ST. Lous Railroad
Company whose line extends from ST. Louis 10
Beiievile, to lay track iiom the terminus OF tn,
turnpike road TO the Mississippi River bridge and
thus rfect-a junction which would enable toe rail
road company to the bridge and prns their pas
sensers 10 the Union Depot, THIS side of
the river. AT O'Clock this mornibg 200
coorcd aborers, under the protection OF thirty armed
men iurnshei b. the Stiles Detective Agency,
went from ST. Louis and Immediately began
laying the track. Tho distance to he iaid J. 26O
feet The workmen wore superintended by Charles
Sharman, superintendent OF the road. Violent oppo-
sition WAS anticipated from Mayor Bowman, who
u short time ago obtained an Injunction against the
laying OF the track and who claims that the IN
junction practically declared by The courts
perpetual. The coofed men proceeded at once TO
work IN gangs. and carried each section along from
tho c4rs and Land them their respective paccs aud
the road over bl ock was laid without difficulty TO
Main street.
THE MAYOR NOTIFIED.
AS the construction train bearing the material and
men approached watch man, who had been stationed
by tho Mayor at tho terminus, espied them and I'm
mediatey Oh ut rupid rate in the Of the
market house. By tho time the track vas laid TO
Main street several deputy marshAls werc on the
scene and the Mayors private secretary Sexton
Two more SECTIONS LAID just beyond Main street
on Railroad street, whom Mayor Bowman aud his son
Frank were seen rapidly approaching In u buggy
Bowman drove along Main street, and turning round
on Railroad street drew up his buggy Jus: in
front OF The last section that had been laid.
Then in loud he manded Tho men
to dcsst from iavpg the tracks any further telling
them that be was Mayor OF tho city aud ina, the
courts had granted perpetual injunction against it,
This Supcrinte ndent Sharmaa denied and told tho
Mayor that unless he withdrew nam force would be
used. To this the Mayor emphaticaliy answered
LET any man dare touch this buggy at the peril OF
hts his'' and graspng the whip at the thin end pre-
pared 10 use It as club. BY this time quite crowd
Of East ST. Louisans we're tho ground and great
commotion ensued. Shouting, Yelling and violent
gesti.uations wero In order.
woRpY WAR.
The Mayors party deded tho others to proceed.
Mr. Sharman called up Captain Brickcr and thirty
men TO iorcbiy remove the Mayors buggy One
attempt was made, but the Mayors marshas came TO
| the rescue. All was now excitement Joe Alborn,
deputy, and another man ran wildly through the
crowd with their loaded revoivers drawn, nourIshing
then IN mid AIR ind threatening ~ kill any one who
should dare to tprocesd wilh the work. The
out of ssht, ana they oscyod Tue ex.
ctement was intenso and the crowd had
|
Bn,ker we're somewhat daunted by Mayor Bowman,
who stood III his buggy ordering tho laborers
THO eoorcd men, howaver, continued to bring along
! tho section, when they were percmptorily ORD erred
| TO "drop IT," superintendent Snarman ordered them
TO proceed, but tho coiorcd men were intim dated,
dropped their burden und reated toward tue car
Jubant shouts rent the air the part East ST.
roar .kenovc The tracks" surn en- II an burn urn
'em - .fear them up" were yelled vociierousiy
eagerly seized tho last section and with shout of
triumph Threw II over out OF he centre OF
tines rect. Another yen burst from thenSand The
women joined IN the shouts second section
thrown over Superintendent Sharman and his
brother, W. j. sharman tried 10 Interfere arrest
the destruction, but in VAN.
BLOOD.
| The superintendent, Snarman, was soon involved
| in amciec. Blows we're exchanged, ana he received
| several on his iacs, which was cut below The eye,
ciusing the blood 10 no~. His brother,
| in gong TO tho rescue, received AN abrasion on
ms right side which bied ireeiy, owing a olos
from one OF the falling sections boss carpenter,
Charley In tho excitement which IoIlowed also
recelvaL several blows on the face aud was badly
beaten HIS face had the Appearance OF Jelly each
| The 200 workmen suddenly became panic stricken
aud quickly dispersed In ali directious.
| SUCCESS
| The mob led by Mayor Bowman and few OF
his police began tearing up tie track, aud
DID not stop un' every foot haa been
Then shout OF ''Burn em burn 'em - arose, and
III un instant the crowd began 10 ga her the
| IN piles Cans oil coal Oh were procured ana poured
| over the ties which then set nre. and coon
| Two hugo bonhrcs were burning With great rapiduy
them rapidly tosr,hcr ana IN short time all Of them
placed toe flaming piles. la short time The
material was compulsory destroyed.
| STATE AID ASKED FOR THE RAILROAD MIN.
In tho meantime superintendent Shafmau, bruised
bleeding, had fed the 10 tho
! Metropolitan Ponce headquaiters, where the op-
| pcpents OF Mayor Bowman were quarttred. Here
he applied Tor force 10 go OUT ON the track To pro-
tect his property. But tho Metropoii,ans could not
be iI0uccd 10 lace the inlUrIaieu crowd oil I'VE
six hundred gathered on tue TRACK Finding that
he could procure no assistance from tho Metro
| politaDs sIarrian telesrapncd to tue Snern
icAovilie Tor sani, anu lniormed INN that moo
was destroying ana burning Their properly,
| and requesting mat tnc Governor DC APP
pned 10 Tor troops How Tho. dineu,iy
Will emu rs doupfu. Mr.. SAariusn anu hes
brother dctcripln,d 10 lay the track, and intend
camping on INC gfouio frey claim tbat they have
perfect legal riga TO do 20, aud iuieni carry out
their undsi tking. NO reLporso has yet
| ccIved from the Sher u. the guard tnirly
mon no wont over to protect the ~ot kn,.p maau NJ,
doc!ded opposition excited moi, Iearing a
massacre, prccipiiatciy He'd
rm MAYOR sipE rnE STORY.
| Your corrcspoua ciiIed Mayor bowman this
afternoon aud asked nin Ior his version oil history
OF the conflict Oeiwcon tho RAJ ROAD company
ago the company attempted 10 lay The track but that
an iuJan.ton Was applied Tor before Juagc uowau at
Alton. The case War argued there ny both suies aud
the injunction granted. lbc railroad COMPANY then
moved Tor a change u venue aod the matter WIS
argsod before Judge B,gcr, VINO granted a perpctunl
Injunction against the ralsay. The mater thea
carried by the company TO the Supreme Court
Two months ago, wnIIc Mayor Bowman was
at Mount vernon attending to some legal
| suit tue Wider Council Passed ordinance
allowing the company To lay tuo tracks TO effect a
Junction WIN the bridge The same Afternoon the
company aissmpci ~ carry out Their plan. but we're
prevented. they attempted again in tue night. but
failed. Up 10 tho present Time they nave
ncwcd the mtcmpt, and tho Aayor is emphatic IA nis
opiLiVn that they have no tisht 10 do Tue Wider
Council he coatcnds, Is not legal, ana IN any case
two members, Sir. Wider himself and Mr. Bon
meuue, are MT legally Counci mcn: besides, tho
Thing has been carried TO tue supreme Court by tho
railroad COMPANY, ana they SHOULD await decision
lie further tad that over year resolution was
passed by the C0ubci taat the rirond should DC
permitted 10 lay tracks the streets, aud the Mayor
was orGcrcI prevent any OBS ructous from bong
placed IN tnrtn and nc only doing duty 10 tho
city amt preventing tue carrying OF tue rrilwa y
company dostgn Iho Mayor further said that the
ctizcrs OF East ~. Louis did want thor city cut
up 10 every direction by ratirOnd uocts. rAcy
wish them 10 be all bunchcd oxrther, aud VI was
certainly IN the gy's interest TO have the Illinois
anu ST. LDuis lay tisir foad they wished
! ANOTHER ATTEMPT BE AADF.
/ hmm tha IA