The Indianapolis journal., 1885-01-02

to sc, ,000 there was no telling to what dimen-
sons riot once started, might grow. 1t is
understood that similar precautions are to be
taken at the other aPmories. 1t was also learned
to-day that the police have been keeping secret
watch upon the movements of the Socialists for
some weeks past. and the detective department
has been specially charged with discovering the
members who belong TO the armed companies,
and their manner of drilling and the places
where their arms and ammunition are stored.
The number of the Socialists in the city is placed
at about Is 000
There are two factions the difference between
them being that one class thinks the time to set
about killing rich men and officials has already
come, while the other class thinks the time has
not yet come and is willing to wait patiently for
IT. The latter class generally has employment
at fair wages while the other is not so fortunate.
Formerly the Socialists played quite an impor
tant part In the politics of the city, but latterly
they have Withdrawn from politics as a party be-
cause, they say, they find the people want to be
either Democrats or Republicans, and will not
tolerate third party. The Bohemian and German
portions of the city largely Socialistic in SEN
timent and there are also quite a number of
American, Irish and Scandinavian socialists.
The most conspicuous of the agtators are Sam
uel Fielden, August Spies, A. w. Herr, A. r.
Parsons, @. III Sloan and j. p. Duzy,
August Spies is the editor of the Arbeiter-
Zeitung, the socalstie daily paper of Chicago.
He was asked whether the Socialists had ever
proposed to capture the First Regiment armory,
and replied: Il hardly think that any such plan
was on foot
'Would you have known of it if it had been
contemplated" was asked
Il guess so," he answered suggestively.
How many armed Socialists are there in
Chicagol"
That am not at liberty to state. Four years
ago there were over twelve hundred. This
number has increased enormously. About five
years ago the Socialists wished to parade the
streets with arms, but were prohibited They
carried the matter to the courts and it is now
before the Supreme Court. The fact that they
cannot as body carry arms does not preclude
them from having them as individuals"
Have these companies of Socialists regular
drills"
Most assuredly."
''At what place in the city2"
"Fhe detectives would give anything to know.
l am not at liberty to say, but the idea of the
Socialists going to destroy the armory by guns
is nonsensical. Why if wanted to do that l
could do it myself"
"How?'
With two or three dynamite bombs"
alsoiH '''N'O
II simply repeat that could destroy the ar
mory with bombs tonight and secretly, too.
Again, it would not take two or three hundred
men to capture the place. Why, we have men
IN our ranks who have served in four wars.
Twenty-Five of them could drive the First and
Second regiments into the lake. But we don't
want to raze the armory to the ground. We
may want the guns some time, however, and
when we want them we will get them"
What is the idea of attacking the militia2'
Because the government supplies these rich
young fellows with all the arms and ammunition
they want, while they refuse them to the poor
What is had by one should be possessed by the
other and if the authorities won't give them to
we'll take them"
DO you think you'll need them soon9p
THAT can't say. 1t may not be for three or
tour weeks, and it may be longer. l do not look
tor anything but few small riots this winter,
but next summer startling things are liable to
happen Further than this can say nothing"