River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-05-06
GREAT RIOT IN CHICAGO.
The Socialists Throw Rombs Into the
Ranks OF the Police---hany Killed and
" ouuded ON Both sides.

Wounded ON Both sides.
Chicago was the scene of a deadly riot on
the night of the 4th The Socialists called
a meeting on the West Side to denounce
capitalists and encourage the striking
workmen. The place chosen was the old
hay market or Randolph street, capable
of holding from l5G0J to 10000 men.
Touching the square at one corner is Hal
stead street, the outlet TO the lumber
yards, packing houses and to the factories
such as AlcCounick's. In close proximity
to the opposite Of the hay market is Mil
waukee avenue, leading through wide
spreading district closely populated with
Germans and Poles. Surrounding the
square on every hand are 10 ceslt lodging
houses, cheap saloons and many Of the low
est dives in the city TWAS =. NJ. before
the meeting began. The speakers were
Cendiary paper called the Ar
better Zeitung, \. r. Parsons and
sam Fielding. The police were held in re
serve at a short distance to dispense the
meeting if il became violent. Spies aud
Parsons had both made blood thirsty
speeches when Fielding took the stand and
spoke still more violently than the others,
urging the killing of property owners, the
destruction of the police and the Overturn-
ing of all authority. As the crowd hogan
10 grow riOtous the police numbering 100 To
POO advanced and ordered them 10 disperse.
At first the socialists fell back, but this was
only momentary. The meeting had begun
with about 200 present but not more
than one-haif of that number remained
when the police ordered the meeting
70 dispense. As the police renewed the
order 10 dispe rse, two or rec bombs we're
=. "a. .ea "a q
exploded with great force, and in a mo
meut twenty or thirty officers lay dying or
wounded on the ground. The suddeuness
and unexpected character OF the deadly at
tack for moment Disconnected the police,
but those uniujured soon rallied and draw
ing their pistols fired iudiscriminately upon
the crowd. The mob seemed to be well
armed and returned the fire, wouuding q
good many more of the policemen. still
the desire of the larger number
was 70 get away and in a few minutes
the police held uudisputed possession
f the square. At n o'clock, twenty police
men lay Ola the floor Of the Desplaines
station, all disabled, and probably half
that number seriously so. Others were
Z repur-ed to lee still lying in the open
square, either dead or badly wounded a
telegram sent out at that hour on the
night of she <th, thus described the scene.
On a table il the station house, where
the wounded policemen are, one poor
.
y rible bullet wounds in his breast. A few
feet distant man with tattered clothes
/ aud mortal wound i'm his side is lying in
f sensible on a cot. Around the room in
/ chairs with their legs haudaged up and
resting on supports Of different kinds, are
some fifteen or twenty of the officers who
were. wounded by the bombs Not groau
or compliant is heard from any Of
them. Another officer who was found ly-
+ ing in doorway where he had been car
( RED or where he had dragged himself. has
inst been brought In frightfuuy wounded
/ There are some twenty of the Socialists IN
the cells in the basement. Nearly all OF
them are wounded ard one of them,
4 Young fellow of about -, is dead.
latter report makes the following re
capituiatiou
+ one socialist dead. two officers dead;
four other officers who may not survive
and thirty police who have wounds, many
+ If o most serious ca arauter. In addition
10 this probably aity people, nearly all
members OF the socialist crowd OF citizens
II the vicinity were shot or otherwise
+ wounded A great number of these were
quickly taken To different hospitals and TO
F private houses, so that il may be days be
F fore The fun extent Of the horrors can be
brought 10 ligut.