The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
RIOTING AT CHICAGO.
An Exciting Chase with Locomotives, Fol-
lowed by a Collision with Officers.


lowed by Collision with Officers.
CHICAGO, June 26.-In the Superior Court,
this morning, Judge Shepard issued an njunc-
tion against seventy Of the Lake Shore striking
switchmen on affidavit signed by P. P.
Wright, general perintendent. In his affida-
Wit, Mr.. Wright charges that on April II, 1856,
the defendants made request in writing which
they presented to the company, asking for the
discharge Of eight men. The company refused
to grant the request, on the. ground that. with
one exception, the eight men had been in the
employ of the company from ten to eighteen
years. The only complaint made by
the defendants against the objection
able men was that they had remained
in the employ of the. company during
the strike of 1871. The affidavit goes on to say
that the company cannot discharge the eight
men: they cannot take them out of the employ
of the road as switchmen and yardmasters with
out sending them out of the State; they are all
men who have families to support and the COM
pany cannot put them in any other line of en-
ployment in which they can make SO much
money. It is then charged that the strikers are
interfering with the business of the company in
its capacity of common carriers; that the com
pany is ready to pay the strikers what money is
due them: that they have right on the premi-
ses of the company except to collect what is due
them, and that they can get the amount through
the cashier in Chicago The court is asked to
restrain the strikers from interfering with
trains, pulling out coupling pins, or trying to in
duce the men now at work, to quit the employ
of the road
The Lake Shore officials, this forenoon antici
pating trouble, served written notice on the sher
if of Cook county of the condition of affairs ex-
listing along the line of the road, and notifying
him that he and his sureties would be held re-
sponsible for any damages which might be in
ficted by the strikers. Up to o'clock this af
ternoon the railroad officials Eai made no de-
mand on the Governor for protection, but are
expected hourly to do so.
The railw.y company was engaged, this morn
ing, in endeayoring to clear the tracks south of
the wrecked trains. which remained there over
night Nearly all the tracks from Forty third
to Fifty-ffth street were blocked this morning
with partially overturned cars. All traffic on
both the Lake Shore and Rock Island roads was
delayed in consequence of the blockade. By 10
o'clock the tracks had been pretty thoroughly
cleared During the night the round house and
other property of the Lake Shore road were
guarded by Pinkertons police and members of
the town of Lake police force: 1t was the gen.
eral expectation that the company would make
another determined effort to move train to-
day, although, in the opinion of the officers of
the town of Lake police, the train, even il taken
to the town limits at Englewood would probably
stick there. as the strikers have committee at
that point, and the town police cannot afford
protection beyond the corner of State and Sixty
third streets. At this point there are at least
thirty tracks abreast, which are connected by
switches and constitute the principal yards of
the Lake Shore company Even if train
should get through Englewood, trouble is ex-
pected in passing through the South Chicago
yards. where the mass of the people are said to
be in sympathy with the strikers.
A Lake Shore engine, in charge of regular
crew, left the round-house shortly after u
o'clock. Two cabooses were attached to it. On
each caboose were about fifteen town of Lake
police and twenty Pinkerton men. The train
proceeded at rate no faster than walk,
until it arrived at Englewood, when the
officers mounted the COW -catchers of both
engine and the cabooses and the train started
off at the rate of twenty miles an hour. A
large crowd of the strikers had rushed ahead of
the train while it was proceeding at slow rate,
and at a dead run set out for Englewood. AS
the trains speed was accelerated the crowd was
soon passed, and storm of stones and cinders
were thrown at the men on the outside Of the en-
eines ard cabooses. cry of rage went up from
the throats of the mob as the engines dashed by.
Soon Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Paul engine
and one belonging to the Nickel plate road,
passed the crowd of strikers. The engines were
their way to the Englewood yards to do some
switching for the roads to which they belonged,
but as they passed the crowd they were boarded
by hundred furious men, who, without
ceremony, took undisputed possession The
engines were at first supposed to have been
taken from the Lake Shore round house. Then
began one of the most exciting races Faster
and faster flew the Lake Shore train, aad faster
and nearer came its pursuer Thirty, forty, and
then fully fifty miles an hour were covered by
the pursued, and still the pursuers crept up.
Matt Pinkerton jumped to his feet on the rear
platform of the last caboose, and revolver
flashed in his hand. Back, back, back" ne
cried, but was only answered. by cries of derision
from the dense crowd which completely covered
the pursuing engine AS it drew nearer the faces
of the strikers could be seen through the dense
volumes of smoke left behind the engines of the
Lake Shore train as they tore along. The pur-
suing engine arrived within few feet of the
caboose, when the town Of Lake police jumped
inside and closed and locked the door behind
them, leaving Matt Pinkerton and three Of his
men, with newspaper reporters, on the rear
platform. A huge lump of coal sailed through
the air, followed by three or four coupling pins,
and Pinkerton man fell headlong from the