The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-21
Another Account of the Riot.

To the Associated Press.
SOUTH BEND. Ind, Jan. 13.-Yesterday the
employees of the Oliver Chilled Plow Works
struck for higher wages, and compelled all
the men to quit at an early hour. This
morning 200 congregated in front of the
gate, and would not allow any one to enter.
Those who tried to enter were beaten about
the head and body. Officer Kelly, while try
ing to quiet the mob. was shot through the
scalp and badly pounded. Captain Ed
Nicar attempted to 60 into the Office. They
attacked him with clubs. He was
badly hurt about the head. He entered and
locked the door and held a prisoner in
the Office, his only communication being by
telephone to the city veterans and the
guards of the g. A. r. mustered out about
seventy men to rescue. Captain Nicar is q
member of the Guards. Sheriff Rockstrap
empowered them to act as State MALTA to
preserve the peace and to disperse the strlk-
left. The following is list of the wounded:
Captain Ed. Nicar, Dave Hoffman, Mr..
Cord, Officer Kelly and Jacob Barnhardt,
the foreman in the paint shop. An i'm.
mense crowd was thronging the streets and
followed the Veteran Guards to the factory,
and great e. citement prevails.
The cause of the trouble is this: Previous
to the annual meeting of the branch mana
gers, the divers found that, owing to the
depression in trade, their goods were &C.
cumulating. At this meeting it was decided
they must restrict the production. They
first tried running on half time at the old
rate wages. This was done for about four.
teen days, but proved unsatisfactory to the
men; the Oievers then proposed g reduction
of 12k per cent on the average throughout
the entire factory, and to run full time.
The Poles would not agree to this and went
out, and were out about three weeks. They
then agreed to accept the reduction, and
went to work December s, except the
ringleaders in the previous strike, whom
the divers refused to take. These ring
leaders melted this riot. and had the men
who were at work to make such an unrea.
sonable demand that they knew the divers
could not accept 1t. This demand was not
only the restoration of old wages (previous
TO the 1218 per cent. cut) but considerable
advance before this cut The men were
earning an average of from 1.50 to 81 day.
The strike was made without knowing
whether the divers would or would net &C.
cede to their demands, the strikers refusing
to send a committee to them to consider
their grievances.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. Jan. 13.-At midnight
all is quiet among the strikers. There are
guarded by detachment of troops, as the
rioters threaten to rescue them. The Sheriff,
for additional protection, has autographed
for the Elkhart Veteran Guards, and they
arrived here at o o'clock and are quartered
at the Courthouse, except one detachment,
which is on duty with the home troops
at the Oliver Works. The Poles
claim that the victory Is theirs,
to-day, that they are satisfied with the situ-
alton. and in the morning propose making
another demonstration. II they do, bloody
work will follow, for it is determined that
no more property shall be destroyed, or
workingmen who are willing to work in
n-1 81 A. Ia
cause of the trouble is, they want more
wages.