Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-04-30
BILLIES AND BULLETS.
THE BLOOD RED RIBBON OF THE
COMMUNIST MEANS RIOT,
Brooklyn Sugar Workers Make It. hot for
the PoIice-Hand to Hand Tussles-
strikers act Like Savages-The Law
has Hard Battle.

in Wiiliamsburgh and Greenpoint yester-
day had three separate conflicts with the
police, in each of which the latter were
victorious, fortunately for the citizens of
Brookly and their property. The blood
ribbon of the communists, pinned to the
coat lapel of the striking Germans, Aus
TRANS and Polauders, gives the clew to
the reason why riotous proceedings were
instituted so quickly and in each case ON
so light a provocation. The communists
with which this section of Brooklyn is in
tested gored in their defiance of the legal
ly-constituted authorities and openly
boosted that they would either have their
demands complied with or else would, if
necessary destroy the property of their
former employers by the use of the torch.
So violent were the strikers, so defiant of
all authority, save that of their own lead
ers, and so fearful were the police authorl-
ties that the strikers would carry out
their threats to kill and burn, that all the
police reserves were Oh duty last night
guarding the property between First
street and the river from Second street up
to Rush street. The 1000 strikers and
their families, friends and sympathzers
lined the east side of the street during the
night, but were not permitted to cross the
car tracks.
The first of the series of riots occurred
at the foot of North Seventh street at II
o'clock yesterday morning, near the re-
tinery,of Dick & Meyer. The firm refused
to pay the advance of wages to their work
men demanded by the Central Labor
union. Some time ago the firm contracted
to furnish 4 quantity of sugar to Van
Claim Brothers of Washington avenue
Yesterday Van Claim Brothers sent a
teamster to the refinery to get a load of
81 10 .
and was advised by the police to obtain
the consent of the strikers to move the
load Consent to move the load was given
and the driver started. Just as the
horses heads were truned the mob,
which stood about II little saloon
made rush as if to overflow the
truck. Captain WOglom, who had ar
rived few minutes before this, called his
men, and though the mob outnumbered
them at least twenty to one the officers
armed only with their short clubs charged
Then ensued thealiveliest kind of a scrim-
mage, and cobbestOnes, bricks and clubs
were showered upon the policemen by the
strikers and their sympathizers. Every
one OF the seven policemen was Knocked
down, and for moment it appeared rs if
they would be overpOWed, but one by one
they regained their feet and piled their
clubs very effectively. Only one striker
was arrested. Matters soon quieted down
John ID. Enger, the president of the
Sugarworkers' Union, did what he could
to assist the police by mounting a wagon
and haranguing the crowd. The com
muniStic element would not be controlled
and their little red ribbons huttered
wherever there was mischief One of
their leaders, an Austrian, advanced to-
ward the police and was ordered back. He
refused to 90, when Officer Young pushed
him across the street. This act was the fire
brand that reused the communistic blood.
A bowling mob descended upon the un-
lucky officer and in an instant both he and
the striker were on the ground surrounded
by an angry mob. Capt. WUglom and about
30 men rushed at once to the rescue. a
charge with clubs welded by strong arms
and without mercy drove the mob back
temporarily The vacant lot with its cob
blestOnes and pieces OF bricks furnished
ammunition for the enraged throng and a
shower of these missiles descended upon
the policemen. They were well aimed,
Tor hardly an officer escaped being hit
Again the clubs were piled and at close
quarters the strikers fought. Po-
llcerltn fell under the Well-aimed
missiles and strikers went down with
broken heads. Officer Young was down
again and over him was u striker with a
huge block of stone, with which he was
preparing TO brain him. Officer Bunce' 5
Clue cracked the strikers skull in time to
save Young, One of the strikers fired two
shots from revolver and Capt. Woglom
ordered his men to defend themselves at
all hazards. In an instant the officers
drew their revolvers and then the crack,
crack, of their revolvers sounded sharply
in the ears of the communists. The police
men charged The clubs worked steadily
and III IA minute the communists took to
their heels
A striking laborer named Ebhardt, at
tempted to pass the line of police and en-
ter the refinery. Officer Delaney stopped
him aud ordered him back. Ebhardt
struck Delaney, and was clubbed in re-
turn. a dozen strikers sprang to EDhardt' 5
assistance and attacked Delaney with
sticks and stones. The strikers closed in
upon the policemen with yells of rage and
for a time il seemed as though the officers
would be killed. Officer Delaney dropped
his club and swung his revolver into the
air at arms length There was frenzied
yell from the crowd and the flashing bar
rel of the revolver came down to level
with the mems heads. "Shoot," shouted
man across the street, and striker
dropped to the ground, shot through
the arm Officer Stickney fired over the
heads of the strikers, and then fell to
with his club. a group of police charged
upon the crowd and the fight became
desperate. The strikers were, with scarce
~ an exception, men of savage instincts
and they fought like tigers with cart
rungs' bale sticks, cobbleStones and what
ever weapons they could lay hands on
big, burly fellow, with set teeth and
disheyeled hair, raised heavy ash double
tree above his head and brought it down
with crushing force and Officer Gerken
dropped under 1t like log he was re-
moved to the sugar refinery and stretched
out on table, Officer William Withers
went down before bale stick, swung by
thick-necked Hungarian. After a hard
night the police succeeded in driving the
strikers back by main strength and the
weight of their clubs and before 2 o'clocl,
the rioters had been scattered
Everything was quiet at the different
sugar houses this evening. A large force
the police guard them. The 18th regiment
had made preparations for action. A
large meeting OF strikers was held to hight
at which the men were cOunselled to re
frain from deeds of violence.