Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-06-05
VIOLENCE BY WOMEN.
AN OUTBREAK AT CUMMINGS, ILr.
AGAINST ROCK ISLAND x. II.
Female Sympathizers With the strikipa
Nail Makers Make Demonstra-
ton Recalling the Progress of
the Menads to Versailles.


CHICAGO, JuRe 4.-Captain Hunt, of
the Hyde Park police force, started for
Cummings this morning, taking with
him all the available men of his force.
This movement was made because of
anticipated trouble between the Rock
Island Railroad aud the striking nail
makers Of the Calumet Iron and Steel
Company. Two freight cars containing
nails have been standing at Cummings
for week. They were consigned to
the Rock Island Road. Yesterday the
road made an attempt to move the cars,
which was frustrated by the strikers,
who induced the train men to aband on
the attempt. Superintendent Cham ber-
lain, OF the Rock Island Road, inme-
diately sought out Police Captain Hunt
and asked for protection. The Captain
replied that he could hays it and
promises to give 1t to him. Another
attempt will be made to-day to move
the cars.
There was q report this evening at
Cummings that the Rock Island Road
would move four cars loaded with the
nails made by the the new men at the
Cummings nail works. AS several of
TIE strikers had been enjoined from
interfering In any way with the work.
ings Of the mills, the removal of these
cars was prevented in q peculiar way.
Ten o'clock was the hour when the en-.
gtnes were expected up from South Chi.
caRo, and before that hour women and
children to the number of 200, wives
and children of former workmen, as
sembled with sticks in their hands
around the terminus of the railroad
tracks and opposite to the entrance of
the nail works. Female spies were sent
down the track toward South Chicago
to apprise the party of the engines ap-
proach. While they were keeping guard
contingent was dispatched TO the resi-.
dence of Tom Bethel, non. union man,
who was moving to Colehour for safety.
Mrs. Bethel was alone, e,surperintendiDg
the packing of household goods, when
she was startled by the beating of tin
pans and the widest boots and yells
imaginable. Several windows were
broken by boulders, and she was bera.
ted roundly by the women aud chill
dren until the police dispersed the
party. They returned to the depot and
at the same time one of the pickets
came running breathlessly along the
track, waving her shawl and shouting:
"To the oarsl"
This was signaling the approach of
the engine, Then there was q rush to
where the loaded cars were standing
Mothers with infants in arms and drag
|ging youngsters by the hands hurried
along. All ages were represented. The
mothers grouped their little ones along
the track some distance ahead of the
first freight car and packed them &C
cording to age on the rails, the youngest
toward the approaching engines, the
mothers and grown-up daughters tax
ing position in the rear. The engine
steamed up slowly, bnt, seeing the liv.
ing obstacle ON the track, reversed and
returned to South Chicago Then the
amazons dispersed, and on their return
jeered and abused the representatives of
the company at the gate.
AT 2 o'clock, when the engines ap-
peared again, fully 1900 women and
children were thronging the tracks and
apparently as determined as before TO
hold them. Captain Hunt, with go DO
licemen from Hyde Park, had repoi ted
In the meantime and attempted to ear
the tracks, but could do 1t only with
great difficulty. The women, feeling
sure they would not be dubbed, re
fused to move or moved very slowly
when told to do so, and closed up again
on the tracks unless absolutely held
back by the officers. The engines were
unable to get by them without killing
them. The greatest excitement pre-
vailed, and all attempts made 10 move
the cars proved futile,