The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-04
RIOrING AT CHICAGO.

RIOTING AT CHICAGO.
Determined Assault tho Mccormick
Reaper Works-Fight with the Police.
CHICAGO. May 3-The day, while filled with
exciting episodes, bade fair to close without any
serious conflict between the strikers and the
authorities. A number Of foreign speaking An
archists, appealing to a large crowd Of idle men
from the lumber-yards this afternoon. however,
succeeded in provoking an assault upon a num-
ber Of peaeeable laboring men, and a serious
conflict with the police followed. At o'clock
this afternoon over 5000 men, lumber-shovers,
planing-mill hands and factory men. assembled
on the prairie at Robey street and the Black
road to hold 8 mass-meeting. The meeting was
addressed by Socialists, who had the matter en-
tirely in their hands. One German speaker par
ticularly infiamed his hearers. He said to the
men:
"Quit the Knights of Labor; they will never
do you any good; join the Central Labor Union,
which will help you to your rights and freedom
Anarchy is the only way for the workingmen to
bound by the capitalists. tits your only way to
freedom-freedom, I say. With revolver in one
hand and your knife in the other, and bombs in
your pockets, march on to revolution and free
and stand together. and fight together for his
rights.n
After listening to the infammatory harangue
the crowd began to throw stones at the sur
rounding buildings. Then, as if moved by one
spirit, the 5000 men started toward McCormck's
Reaper works, half mile west II was about
$3.50 o'clock when the crowd arrived there. With
yells and fierce imprecations the now frantic
men attacked the building with the powders
and stones that lined the railroad track that ex-
tends past the works. Reaching the Mccormick
gates the bowling mob met the workmen coming
from their benches, carrying their lunch-pails.
Immediately they began An attack on the Nc
Cormick employees, applying vile epithets and
stoning them without mercy. There were only
two policemen on the scene. Several revolver
shots were fired, but so far as is known no one
was shot. Many were struck with stones. The
Mccormick crowd then retreated within the
gates, but one of their number. who was so un-
fortunate as to be left behind, fell into the hands
of the assailants and was nearly beaten to death
The attacking party now entered the gates and
pelted the windows and walls of the factory,
whittier the employees had retreated. A little
later some of the imprisoned workmen at
tempted to escape by the rear, but were met and
baffled in the attempt They were compelled to
60 within the works again for safety.
Superintendendent Averill, of the Mccormick
works, Immediately telephoned for police. A
patrol wagon full Of officers responded from the
Hinman-street station. On arriving at the scene
of the riot the police charged upon the strikers,
using their clubs, and firing few shots into the
Tha oxud h,,k al
in force and moved once more toward Nc
Cormick's. The police telephoned to Lieutenant
Crook, Of the West Thirteenth street district,
and he soon appeared on the scene with wagon
load of officers Immediately after the arrival
of the wagon the mob again attacked the fac
tory, hurting stones and bricks, shouting
and conducting themselves in the widest man.
ner possible. Another detachment of
police came up almost Immediately and opened
brisk fire with their revolvers, apparently shoot
ing high and without noticeable effect. The
mob seeing that none of their number was in
jured simply jeered at the officers, but Captain
O'Donnel and squad of twenty-six men from
Twelfth street appearing on the scene gave prom
Use of moro serious business Firing then began
from the mob's side. One rioter, bolder than
the others. began shooting at an officer who was
sitting in patrol wagon. Officer Brennan
turned his attention to him, firing his revolver
at point blank range. but apparently without
hitting him. After Short sharp chase, the
rioter was captured and taken inside the factory.
Another detail of sixteen officers at this time
came down Blue Island avenue at double
quick, and the police, then numbering over fifty,
began firing in earnest. and the mob began to
scatter. They ran in all directions for two or
three blocks and then turned and threateningly
regarded the situation. The police formed a
Gordon about the works end awaited the mob's
movements. So far as appeared up to this
time, no one had been hurt by the shooting.
The police would allow nobody to approach the
works, and the mob were too much excited to
note or care whether any of their number had
been hurt.
By 4:25 at least $50 policemen had arrived on
the ground, or were coming in patrol wagons
within sight By this time the windows Of the
factory had been riddled with stones and bullets.
Two of the patrol wagons, while on the way to
the scene, stoppad to dispense noisy and demon
strative crowd at the corner of Blue Island
avenue and Lincoln street The mob attacked
them with stones. but the officers jumped from
their wagons. and by vigorous use Of their clubs
soon sent the rioters 6ying in al directions.