The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-05-06

The idle multitude of strikers in
Chicago furnished fit material for the
rischievous work Of the Socialist organ
ization which is the seed of anarchy in
that large city. Last Monday some of
these foreign felons addressed crowd in
the most inAammatory language, urging
them to outrage and violence. Said one,
" Anarchy is the only way for working
men to break the chains of slavery in
which they are bound by capitalists. 1t
is the only way to decentralization. I
say, with revolver in one hand and
your knife in the other, and bombs in
your pockets. March on to revolution
and freedom Every workingman must
starve together, and stand together and
fight for their rights" The crowd at
once responded by becoming a mob,
tearing up paving stones and throwing
them at neighboring houses and assault
ing respectable persons Several thous-
and of them attacked McCormick's
Reaper Works." beating the workmen
and damaging the buildings and machin-
cry. Here they came in conflict with
force Of one hundred and fifty policemen,
pistols were used on both sides, many
wounded, and it is stated, several of the
rioters died of their wounds. In the
evening incendiary hand bills in German
and English, called workingmen to
arms for "revenge on the bloodhounds,
the police" who had killed six of your
brothers."
The next morning there were several
strikes in different Industries, andtwelve
or fifteen thousand men went out. At
three o'clock in the afternoon rioting be-
gan, with a mob assault on a squad of
policemen, and several on both sides were
| wounded by stones and bullets. For
eigners were conspicuous among the
rioters The first regiment was called
out, and partial quiet restored About
ten o'clock at night the most serious riot
ensued, at the close of a Socialist meet
ing, and then the murderous bombs were
used We extract from the latest tele-
| graphic. reports:
| CHICAGO 1887 p. M, May A report has
| just been received that six policemen have been
killed in the Hay Market where the Anarchists
| are holding IA meeting Telephone reports from
| the lumber district say that serious riOting is
| now in progress in the vicinity of Eighteenth
street and Centre avenue. No particulars are
| yet obtainable.
A man who was standing in the crowd re-
| ceved pistol ball in his thigh, and has just
| been brought to the Central police station. He
| says that during the progress OF speech by one
| of the Socialists, squad OF officers marched by,
| close to the speakers stand. Some one shouted
/" Kill the --- - -" Almost as
| soon as the words had been uttered three bombs
were thrown near The stand into the midst of the
squad OF officers. The bombs exploded instantly
and five policemen fell Others were wounded
and several o the Socialists did not escape. An
officer who has just arrived from the scene says
there is hardly any doubt but that at least five
officers were killed.
| More coherent accounts are now coming in,
| and they point 10 Il more disastrous atfray than
al first reported. About 200 officers had been
| detailed to attend the meeting, and had been in
| the vicinity since the Socialists had begun TO AS
| sembe. AT the time of the throwing of bombs
the crowd had dwindled to less than 900. The
tterances OF the speakers were still of intlam-
matory character, however, and the hearers, who
| still remained, grew riotous in their demeanor.
The neoDe determined to put an end TO the dis
| turbance and advancing 0rOered the crOwO ~
dispense. AT first the socialists fell back, one OF
the speakers still urging them to stand firm
Suddenly bombs were thrown. The police re-
sponded promptly with volley from their re-
vovers. The rioters responded with theirs,
with which the sequel showed they were well
supplied The mob appeared craZed with fran
tic desire for blood, and holding its ground
poured voley after volley into the midst of The
officers The latter fought calamity, and nj last
dispersed the mob and cleared the market place
| They are now guarding every approach to the
| place and no one is allowed there.
Immediately after the first explosion, the Off
| GERS who were left standing drew their revOlvers
| and fired round after round into the mob. Large
numbers of these fell, and as they dropped, were
| Immediately carried to the rear and into many
dark aeyways by their friends.
No estimate of the casualties can be given
but The police at the Desplaines Street Station
state that fully fifty OF them were wounded. The
| people who were hurt, and the doctors have
been telephoned to in all directions Before the
| firing had ceased The ighboring police stations
were turned into temporary hospitals. AT II
! o'clock twenty policemen lay on the floor of the
Desplaines Street Station House. all disabled
and probably half OF that number seriously. OH
ers were reported to be still lying in the open
square either dead or badly wounded.
The members of the First regiment, who had
been under arms the greater portion of the at
| ternoon, were dish anded about 5 D. M and sent
| to their homes. They had been called together
| by Colonel Knox, on his own responsibility At
the hour mentioned I. survey of the situation in
dicaed that there was nothing serious enough to
warrant keeping the men any longer under
arms.