The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-29
A HAND TO HAND FIGHT.
An Encounter Between Police and
Strikers in Cleveland.
Several Workingmen and One Po-
liceman Fatally Injured,

Details Of the terrible encounter between
striking workmen-mosty Pcles and Bohe.
mians the police in Cleveland, Ohio,
are given in dispatches from that city as fol.
lows:
A riot occurred this evening between the
strikers and police, in which number Of the
strikers were severely injured and several po-
licemen badly hurt one Of them fatally. The
circumstances connected with the riot are as
follows; This morning the report spread
tnent that the rolling mill company would
start up the plate and wire mills The police
| noticed that great uneasincss prevailed among
them, and seventy policemen were sent out
to the works to anticipate any trouble
which might occur. Garsuch, the socialist,
went out to the Polish and Bohemian dis
tricts and called upon them to como 10
meeting which would be held in the after
noon at the "Pcach Orchard" the favorite
meeting place of the strikers. At ) o'clock
crowd Of at least 1000, consisting of strikers,
theft wives and children, met at the "Peacll
Orchard" and listened to Garsuch. He stated
to them that he had been informed that the
rolling mill company had started
the plate and wirc mills and
called upon them to advance to
the mills in body and break
through the Enclosures and drag the lnen from
their work. He said they should not remain
towards, but fight, and if the police or any
other body of men, stood in their way to
sweep them from their path. The speech
Soon had its effect, and tho men. determined
the cry of "Bread or blood, " they commenced
their march to the mills The women, girls,
and children who had been in at-
tendance ut the Injecting, instead OF going to
theft homes, followed the men, who In about
2U ninutes reached the mills. A high board
fence incloses the mill property, and the
strikers, about LOCO strong, gathered Mt the
southwest gate. The narrow street was
choked with men, women. and children. In
side the gate stood a force of IS police, under
charge Of Deputy Superintendent McMahon.
The crowd surged forward for few minutes;
when suddenly 200 or 3tW sprang forward
and began to tear down the gate and fence.
The women. many of them with babes III
their arms; urged the men forward. With
a crash the gate fell in, and in an instant
tile police charged the rioters. The scene
which followed cannot DO described. The
onslaught of the police was terrific. With
their heavy clubs in their hands they did ter
rible execution. The few strikers who had
followed the gate as 1t fell went down before
the blows 6f the police. Their friends
c!OSeu tHe gap anu lseu CluuS anu
knives. freely on the police. The officers
pressed forward. men going down with their
heads Mass of blood under the blows Of the
clubs. The women urged the men, and the
fight was desperate one. The women rushed
right unde r TIE blows of the police, and wnen-
ever striker fell they carried him 10 the
rear and from thence to his home.
News Of the fight spread like wildHre. The
strikers had with remarkable tact thrown d
force across their redr and although 5000 or
5000 people stood watching the fight no as:
alone: The battle waged fiercely for half an
hour when the strikers suddenly retired,
leaving six of their number in the hands of
the police, The nlen are all badly injured.
Twd Of them, Joseph Pollock and John
Wilskoskd; nre fatally injured, their
heads being smashed id. They
will die before morning. The others-Thomas
flanders. Charles Doollttle, John Kcska, Mi.
chael Kocek and john Ryan-are almost bat-
tered to pieces but it is thought that they are
not fatally injured. The women succeeded
men 1t is estimated that from forty to fifty
are badly hurt They arc hidden in the Po-
lish and Bohemian quarters The poll ce
also suffered. Officer Manzelman was
struck On tho head with club and his
skull was fractured His injuries are
considered fatal. Officer John Caldwell was
struck in the face with an iron boulder; and
his nose was smashed and his face badly cut:
Officer Frank lies was struck on the head with
d cinder and in the face with q club. He Is
badly cut and bruised. Officer Fred Wood
was struck on the kneecap by a striker who
had been knocked down by the officer But
he raised up on his elbow and struck the off,
Ger terrible blow. Officer Jake Reese had
his wrist broken. About fifteen other officers
were struck with clubs and rocks. but
they received only slight injuries. Not q
single shot was fired on either side.
AS soon as news of the fight reached the
Central station force of eighty-fve men
was Immediately dispatched to the scene OF
the trouble, and when the officers reached the
place the men who had done the fighting were
resting and everything was quiet. 1t is
learned that the strikers made the attack in
order to force the men In the plate mill to
leave their work. Captain Smithnight
wns ordered to hold his battery
in readiness to move at moments notice.
The Superintendent Of the police said that
he would not call for help until the police
were driven off. Isaac Bessels, one Of the
men who returned to work at the plate mill;
dropped dead during the fight from heart
disease superinduced by fright He was at
work in the mill at the time and thought the
strikers would break into the mill and muir.
Jor b;,,, III ,roo 6ff1, paarc of