Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-04-02
Strong Feeling Against the Militia
by the Rioters.
The Streets Still Barricaded-The News
paper Comments.
Reform in the City Elections as the
Result of the Trouble.


peared anywhere within sight of the barri-
cades, the soldiers ordered the people to move
on. and in every instance the order was
promptly obeyed. Tie city is patrolled to-
night by members of the grand army in ad-
dition to the police force. Several arrests of
drunken men were made, and the police
closed the saloons at midnight
A smouldering fire broke out in the re-
corder's office during the night, but was soon
extinguished. Since the last reports four
additional deaths have occurred at the hos
Pital. The number of wounded reported is
l2O, and probably half as many more wound
ed are not reported. A committee of ten
have decided to raise by subscription 500,
900 to be used to paw 1000 extra police. This
sum will be a loan to the city until the sum
expended may be raised by proper appro-
priation and returned. This will enable the
militia to withdraw.
The Municipal Reform Association COM
posed of citizens of all parties, have issued a
manifesto to the voters of the city stating
they believe the occurrences of the past few
days demand the severance of party politics
and municipal governments, and also stating
they will place in nomination for the various
offices to be filled at the approaching munich
pal election, men of irreproachable integrity
and undoubted qualifications for the posi-
tiouos WIN nave COHStHlel u accept Tie IDiil-
nations merely from the considerations of
public duty. The association has deter
mined to call mass meeting at Music Hall
soon to ratify their ticket.
There is no change in the situation. The
proposed relief of the militia by a civil force
cannot be put into operation speedily if at all,
as the selection of men and their equipment
must take time. The militia still keep the
streets barricaded as strongly as ever, not
even allowing the Mount Auburn line of
street cars, whose track runs distance of
two squares within the lines, to pass through.
As to the state of public feeling it cannot be
said that the original impulse that actuated
the men who took part in the demonstration
on Saturday, night, has been removed or
lessened by the presence of the militia. On
the contrary the events of Friday and
Saturday nights have given rise to a new
feeling, that of Indignation against the mill
tia. Only the hopelessnes of conflict with
this powerful armed force prevents an attack
upon it. Newspapers, usually conservative
in tone, speak with great freedom today on
the situation as it now is.
The Volksblatt (German) says: The call
ing out of the militia on Friday night can
only be characterized as a great mistake, for
the militia know and can do nothing else, it
appears, but shoot. If reliance had been
placed on the police force, order might and
probably would have been restored without
loss of life.
The Free Press (German) says: The in
dignation of the people is on the increase on
account of the rough handling and wholly
unprovoked shooting upon peaceful citizens
and upon women and children, and the in
crease of the indignation is becoming more
and more fearful. 1t may be dreaded upon
too reasonable grounds that the shedding of
blood is not ended, but will soon begin afresh.
The article continues blaming Sheriff Haw
kins, Mayor Stephens and Governor Hoadly.
The Commercial Gazette, in an edition of
to-dav upon the situation, speaks in the
strongest possible condemnation of Sheriff
Hawkins for calling on the militia. The re-
suit it declares to be the saving of a Jail full
of murderers. 1t adds that the reign of law
and order has been restored in Cincinnati,
that law which makes murder the safest
trade and which has made an impotent ad-
ministratiop of law against crimes of atrocty.
Capt. Folger, who commanded the detach-
ment of militia which fred the first shots,
ha. published card denying the statement
that he ordered the men to fire. Sheriff
Hawkins gave the order in the words. 'sgive
it to them boys, fire." and in the excitement
| could not stop them, so l cried, 'for
Christ's sake fire high" Ny men would have
never fired if it had not.been that four of them
we're wounded from shots from the crowd
and they fred on the sherif's order. l have
been in war and would rather face the en-
emy than such a crowd, with whom have
fellow feeling and should not rashly give
an order such as has been said | gave.
The following is the substance of the edi-
torial in today's Commercial Gazette, which
is an accurate and powerful presentment of
the situation. and has attracted much atten-
ton:
The time has come for taking an account
for salvage for the three days of destruction
and terror. First, we have saved Jail full
of murderers. and have killed 45 innocent
men and wounded l45 more, all to save our
Jail full of murderers. We have converted
lust and popular impulse against the pros
tation of law against crime into war between
unorganized people, incensed to acts OF blind
vengence against the authorities, who killed
them to protect the murderers. Is any citi-
zen content with this salvage except the
iailfulI of mnrderers, criminal classes and
trade of criminal lawyers? Is there decent
citizens who feels these slain citizens should
be UNANIMOUSLY buried as malefactors while
the Jail full of murderers are to be held in
nocept till after the exhaustion OF all means
to put witnesses out of the way and nix the
iuries and of every trick of the law they shall
have been convicted, however importunate
their action.
The feeling of the mass that stood before
the lsil Friday night was that which pre-
vaded the whole people. The action was
mistaken, but its feeling was no crime for it
was public sentiment. Not before has there
been such an array of people and justice on
one side and police force and military sup
mort OF the other To fire into such people
for the protection of murderers was fear
ful thing to command, against the popular
mass having no more impulse than justice
against murderers. Who would not exchange
the present situation for one in which the
mea Who attacked the Jail had taken out and
hanged every man-slayer. A the case nov
stands justice and Law and order are no. re
responsible for the uprising Of the criminal
turned this into an opportunity for pillsge
and arson. The soldiers simply obeyed