The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-01-15
MOB VIOLENCE.
BLOODY RIOT BY STRIKERS AT
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA,
, AND ITS ORIGIN.
Company Officials Assaulted,
Clubbed and Danger
Ously Wounded.
Captain Nicar and a Boy Sue
coed in Holding the
Mob at Bay.
Armed Guards Employed by
the Sheriff to Disperse
the MalcOntentS.
LABOR TROUBLES.

Strike at South Bend, Indiana, Resort 10
Violence.
INDIANAPOLIS, January 13-This
| morning Governor Gray received q
telegram from Geo. Rockstrap, sheriff
of St. Joseph county, saying: "We
are having riot in South Bend, this
morning. Shooting and clubbing are
going on, and human life Is in dan
ger. Will you please send military
company, as we are utterly powerless
Governor Gray thought. that as Rock
strap was new man, he might haaFTFss-
become unduly anxious, AID declined
TO act Until he had received further
information. GOV. Gray thinks the
local authorities able to cope with the
situation, as he is at present advised
of it.
Cause of the Trouble.
SOUTH BEND, Ind, January 13.-
7 yesterday, employees at Oliver
Chilled plow works struck for
higher wages and compelled
ali men to quiz. At an early hour
this morniug two hundred congregat-
ed in front of the gate and would not
allow any to enter. Those who tried
to enter were beaten about the head
and body. Officer Kelly, while trying
TO maintain quiet, was shot through
the scalp and badly pounded. Captain
Ed Nicar attempted to go into the Of
fee. They attacked him with clubs
and he was badly hurt about the head.
He entered and locked the door and
was held q prisoner in the Office, his
only communication being by tele-
phone to the city. The Veteran
Guards, of the G. A. R., mustered out
their men to the rescue of Capt. Nicar,
who is member of the guards. Sher-
if Rockstrap empowered them to act
as state militia to preserve the peace
and to disperse the strikers. On hear
ing this some of the strikers left.
Another Account.
SOUTH BEND, Indiana, January 1S
Between 4 and 5 o'clock, this even
about 200 grinders, and other opera
tives in the chilled plow works struck,
and arming themselves with iron rods
ard clubs, marched to other depart
ments OF the factory and forced other
employees to quit work. When the
men refused to quit, they were at
tackled and brutaIly beaten. They
cut the belts and finally went to the
engine company and forced engineer
Roberts to shut down,
Previous to this demonstration, the
superintendent OF the,works told these
grinders, who were principally Poles,
with few Hungarians, if they had
any grievances 10 place them in wri-
ting, and appoint commission to pre-
sent them, and they would be consid-
cred. They refused to do this. The
mouIders, who were dissatisfied, agreed
to do this, last evening. When they
quit work this morning before day
light, several hundred of the Poles
gathered on the streets, at and near
the gates. When the Ierintendant
came they refused to allow him to go
in, and also prevented any of the
workmen. They also stationed guards
at the doors of the Office to prevent
any Of the office force entering. The
first of these to arrive was Capt, Ed
wiz Nicar, who forced his way up the
steps, and while crowdiDg through
them to the door, he was struck with
a club from behind, and as he turned
to defend himself, other blows, with
clubs, were showered upon his head,
cutting deep gashes. He was also cut
on the wrist, The first reports were
that he had been killed, but
while severely bruised he was
only dangerously wounded. |
He succeeded in getting into the
office, Kelles and Maj. WaIdsworth
defending him, and themselves being
severely hurt. Once in, he and one
office boy, named Burner, held the
mob at bay until the Veteran Guards
came to their rescue. having been
ordered out by the sheriff.
Meantime, the mob succeeded in
beating the gate open. David Card,
the gate-keeper, was probably fatally
injured. August Yorquist, a young
Swede, who refused to strike, was
made to run the gauntlet between
two rows of Poles. who beat him in
sensible with clubs. A man (name
unknown) had his shoulder broken.
John Dunbroski. watchman, was bad,
ly beaten. A dozen others were se-
verely hurt. These men being dis
posed of, the mob had the works at
tueir mercy, and until the Veteran
Guards arrived, put in their time de- |
stroying property to the extent of
several thousand dollars. At present |
all is quiet, but there is danger of an
outbreak at any time. The guards |
are patrolling the place.