The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-28
RI0TING IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Masked Cable-Road Strikers Attack
Cars on Suffer and Geary Streets.
Gripmen and Policemen DiSlOdged and the
Cars Sent on Flying Excursions Down
Heavy Grades-A Number Of Arrests.

SAN FRANCISCO Cal, Dec. 27.-Eary this
morning a number of strikers on the Geary-
street cable road gathered at the corner of
Geary and Franklin streets, with the deter
mnation to stop cars being rum and the first
car coming into the city was attacked by them
and the conductor and gripman driven from the
car, which went flying on, they following,
smashing the windows. Police officers man
aged to stop the car and were assaulted with
stones. An officer drew his revolver and fired
several shots into the crowd Two persons are
said to have been injured, but not seriously.
Their names are not known.
AT the same hour that this was taking place
on Geary street. a number of men attacked An
incoming car on the Sutterstreet line The
conductor and gripman received similar treat
ment One arrest has been made-George w.
Kelly-who was recognized former con-
ductor on the Sutter-street road.
The men who made the attack were masked,
so recognition was rendered impossible The
train which was attacked on tho Geary-street
road was the second one from Central avenue,
and was in charge of Conductor Wright There
were two policeman and one passenger aboard.
No indications of trouble were noticed until the
train was crossing Franklin street, when num-
Der of masked men dashed out and let fly a
shower of stones which went crashing through
the windows, striking both policemen, the con-
ductor and the gripman. They then boarded
the train, and after a severe struggle got pos
session of it. The conductor did his best to
make things lively for his assailants. and in the
struggle pulled off the mask of one of his attack
ers and recognized him as George ". Kelly, who
went out the strike. The car and
dummy were uncoupled, and the lat
ter was started down the grade, but
one of the policeman chased It, jumped
aboard and stopped it. The car was stopped by
the other policemen. AS sooD as the policemen
had secured the dummy and car, they started in
pursuit of the attacking party. The latter
quickly fed, and although the policemen fired
after them, they all succeeded in escaping ex
cept Kelly. None of them. is now known.
were struck by the shots, it being only the in
tention of the policemen to stop them The
gripman was severely beaten, but his injuries
are not serious. Kelly, who was arrested, is
charged with riot. assault to murder and felony.
He is a man about forty years Of age He says
he was on his way to his mothers, on Cough
street, when an officer called to him to stop and
arrested him.
David Thomas. charged with being one of the
leaders of the strikers, has been arrested; also.
three others, named Fred Nusbaum, George
Small and William Morrison. all Suffer street
strikers on suspicion of being concerned in TO-
days riot
The attack made on the Suffer street line was
even moro serious than that on Geary street.
In this case, as in the other the attackers we're
all masked The first intimation that Martin
Bowman, gripman on train No 10. had of
trouble was seeing q lot of boards piled up
across the track He Immediately stopped the
dummy and got off to clear the rails. This was
the moment chosen by the naskers for their
attack. They knocked the gripman down and
beat him so severely that he had to be carried TO
hospital where it was found that, although
badly, he was not dangerously hurt. The con-
ductor was frightened and ran, pursued by sew
taken. The dummy and car were then
uncouped and sent flying down the
grade in different directions. There were
three passengers on the train, but when the at
tack commenced they fed for their lives. The
dummy which was started down grade seemed
to fly through the air, but as il was secured by
the grip it kept the rails 1t continued its rapid
pace until it reached the companys building. at
Suffer and Polk street. Just beyond the build
ing is bumper, with which the grip collided.
1t was broken off short but the momentum was
SO great that the dummy continued to run
until it reached the upgrade beyond
Polk street. The car, which was sent flying in
the opposite direction. ran till 1t smashed into
train which had left the end of the road subse
quent to it. The crash was great that the
dummy of the incoming train was badly
smashed while the wild car was completely
wrecked. Trains on both routes were stopped
running at dark, so no further trouble will oc-
cur to night Superintendent McCord. of the
would make no difference in the running of cars.