Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-29
TIVE I4ROR TROUBLES.
yo.fsaySGrders y gainst Street Meet.
fpgs-Cohen q Co. in the Police


TIE STAR of Saturday contained all the
material facts and incidents connected
with the labor riots up to the time the paper
went to press. Nothing since has occurred to
cause excitement except the arrest, By the
police Saturday night, Of Isaac Cohen, the
leader OF the street meetings Major Morgan
sent for Cohen Saturday and told him that he
would have to discontinue his meetings and
that the one announced to take place tonight
would have to be abandoned unless it could
be made to appear that it was the desire OF
respectable and responsible citizens that 1t
took place Cohen said he could get the en-
doris mPnt of thousands OF the hest citizens Of
he District, and said there should be no
further trouble. He promised to have no more
haTangues at the street corners, nor 10 Stir up
the pa. SiOnS OF the cOlOred people.
THE ARREST OF COHEN,
Just about dark Saturday Cohen put in an
appearance at the corner of 18th Street and
pennsylvania avenue, which was enough TO
start the ball in motion, as there was an un-
usual number OF l0ungerS about Market
space. He commenced to haTangue the
crowd, explaining, as he subsequently stated,
how it was that he could hold no meeting. AS
soon as he commenced the street was at once
blocked up with the dense crowd pressing
around so that travel was irpeded. Sergeant
Boteler, who had previously had his instruc-
lions, with a squad of patrOmen, put him
under Immediate arrest and took him to police
headquarters, crowd OF several thousand
following. 1t was Thought that there would
be trouble, as the friends OF Cohen, mostly
cOlored men, seemed much excited; but the
reserves were at headquarters and the mount
ed men at Prices livery stables, on 9Th street,
and upon their coming out the crowd quietly
dispersed and Cohen was locked up.
COHEN DEFIANT.
He talked quite defiantly at headquarters,
denying that his party had any part or lot Tin in
that the police were in fault; that there uld
have been no outbreak had not the police pre-
c1pitated it by firing into the crowd. He said
he intended to pursue his course without
regard to any interference from the police or
anybody else: that his object was to organize
the wOrkingmen, and being a free American
citizen he had a right to do as he pleased. In
conversation he said he was a machiniSt by
trade, that he had been in this country but
short time, and had lived mostly in the south
ern cities since he 1mmigrated here, and had
been in business for himself, but his business
more recently had been to induce labOring
men to organize Tor the purpose OF securing
their rights. His manner generally was bold
and defiant, and in arguing his case he showed
much ignorance of the state OF things in rela-
ton 10 capital and labor as at present asso-
ciatPd. Later in the evening he was Sent 10
the 18th precinct statiOn-h0USe.
WHO Is COHEN?
Cohen Is about thirtyseVen years Old, q
native OF Germany. He first made his APP
pCarance here as a reformed drunkard and
restaurant nan and used to appear az the
meetings lnaugurated by the DaShawayS in
the different churches about the city, and
subsequently as an agitatOr IN the labor
movement, but has generally been ignored by
the trades unions and respectable working
men of the District He was employed for
while in cleaning up the models after the fire
at the Patent office, and at nights would
harangue the crowd at street corners in COM
pany with other outdoor orators on temper
ance and labor reform. He also took prOmi.
nent part in the mass meetings held in front
of the Capitol to influence Congress in behalf
OF appropriations to set idle men at work, &c.
His audiences have generally been mixed
but the real wOrkingmen have taken no active
part in them, the majority of his followers
having been ignorant colOred and white men
others DO SO. At these meetings Cohen has
been In the habit three or four times during
the evening to pass around his hat. and the
aggregate pennies would generally foot up to
from three TO five dollars per night These
collections were made OH different preteXtS,
but OF course were to be applied to the inter-
est of the contributor. Tits stated that Satur-
day night Cohen went through the market to
take collection for his mass meeting to-
night, and that he was quite successful. He
also had collectors out with subscription pa.
perS 10 collect funds for the labor relief aSSO-
citation. One of these men (cOlOred) yester-
day morning went to Police Headquarters to
make returns to him, and it having been as
certained what he wanted the police advised
him to keep the money and appropriate it
to his own needs. Cohen speaks in broken
German and English, and it is not easy to I'M
untldy and generally repulSiv4, and it seems
strange that intelligent men will stop TO listen
to him. much less to give him any aid or com
fOlt
OTHER ARRESTS.
Hubert Paris, a white man, was arrested,
and two cOlored men. one named Henry
Young, and the other George Duvall. were
locked UP as diSOrderly characters aud dis
turberS of the peace. Yesterday morning
John Ill. Graham, the white man who made
himself conspicuous at the scene of disorder
corner OF lIth and streets, Saturday morn
ing, called n headquarters to look after his
leader, Cohen, and Lieut. Vernon recognizing
him locked him up, intending to prefer
charge OF Ydgrancy against him.
COHEN AND GRAHAM DENOUNCE EACH OTHER
AS FRAUDS.
In conversation with Cohen last night at the
seventh precinct station he told reporter
that Graham was a fraud; that he was all gas
and talk, and that he had no backbone. Ora
ham, after being arrested, in allusion to Cohen
said he was a fraud, and hadn't kept his
the collections, and that he had had time of
It in getting money enough from him to pay
Tor his meals and lodgings, and that Cohen
kept the lions share, and smoked the best
cigars, &c.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MARINES.
The District Commissioners Saturday even
ing gave orders that the men connected with
the Fire Department hold themselves in read
sary 10 call upon them. The marines also
were in readiness to respond if wanted.
ARCHITECT HILL ON "sTARyATIoN CON-
TRACTS"
Mr.. James G. Hill, supervising architect of
the Treasury, publishes a card in which he
says: Il have observed in some of the news.
paper items, with reference to the recent dis
tUrbance at the work of eXcavating for the
proposed building for the Bureau of Engray-
ing and Printing, illusions to starvation con
tracts and suggestions that the contract for
excavation Ne annulled and the work done By
Tue day IL IS Sulncient TO say that the law aIi-
tI0rlZlng he construction of this building pro-
ydeS that he work shall be done by contract
and no officer OF the Treasury department has
Power IN ally way to fix the prices to be paid
Tor labor. The Revised Statutes require that
contracts Tor supplies or services shall be made
BY advertising Il sufficient time previously for
proposals. The law alSoTequiTeS that plans and
fIll estimates be prepared, and that the cost OF
each building shall not exceed the amount deS-
lEnated By Congress Tor the specific purpose
The Appropriation for the building for the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing was made
upon detailed estimates and for the specific
sum estimated. Aside from the employment
OF few persons to perform personal service
that could not be advertised for, the course
taken for procuring labor and material has
been the only one that can be permitted un-
der existing law. Advertisements were in
serted in the newspapers in response to which
large number OF bids for excavating were
received ranging from twelve and three
quarters to forty cents per cubic yard. By
reason OF change in the contemplated depth
OF the excavation, the lowest bidder declined
70 enter into contract at the rate specified in
DIS Did, as did also several others of the next
lowest bidders. Mr.. Hussey being willing to
execute a contract to do the work at the rate
specified in his bid, viz: fifteen and e-half
cents per cubic ward. the award WaS mad Ia tn