The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-30
RTQTTNG STRKERS.
Matters Now Growing Very Sc
rious in Chicago.
SwITcHMEN's sYMPATHIzERs
Mako an Attack which is Fruitful of
Results--A Superintendent
Beaten-Arrcst OF a Leader
and an Indignant Mob.

CmcAso, March 99.-The first encoan.
ter between the sympathizers of the
striking switchmen and men who have
displaced them took place at $3.50 this
afternoon, when a freight engine and its
crew attempted to transfer some freight
cars TO the Northwestern tracks. A
crowd Of switchmen Of other roads were
about the place and began to ieer at the
new men on the 80" engine. When
the train reached Kensie street and
Western avenue, it ran off a switch that
had been turned and number OF cars
were ditched.
The mob then set upon the crew Of
the engine and train and the engineer
and fireman took to their heels, getting
numerous cuffs as they escaped. The
new switchmen followed suit, and were
pursued and roughly used by the crowd,
which was made up OF the toughest kind
of citizens. The Pinkcrton men, Of
whom there were six or eight on the
train, attempted to protect the trainmen,
but the mob set upon them in twink.
ling. They were powerless, and alter
making u few efforts to defend them
selves, took to flight to escape the drub-
bing they were receiving at the hands
OF the furious mob. Several OF the Pin
kerton men were hurt and one of them
Is thought to have sustained serious in
Jury. On the same train was Division
Superintendent John Besler, Of the Bur-
lington. When the trouble commenced
he hurried to the front and some one in
the crowd recognized him. The disclos-
ure of his identity was the
SIGNAL FOR THE MOD
to fall on him and beat him. The attack
came from all sides, and it was asonly after
having been badly used up that Ire es-
capped and ran to switch house, where
he locked himself in and escaped further
punishment. The riot created great ex-
Citement and the Pinkerton men and
officers aocked to the scene. The mob
quickly dispersed, however, and only
one man was arrested. His name Is
William Quirk, and he is locked up at
the West Madison Street Police Station.
Police were ordered to the scene Of
the disturbance from nearly all the sta
tions. Quirk, who was arrested, was a
Chicago, st. Paul & Milwaukee SWITCH
man. His arrest precipitated strike Of
III switchmen, twenty-eight engineers
and twenty-eight firemen on the Chi
cago, st. Paul 4 Milwaukee road. When
it was known that Quirk had been ar
rested crowd followed him to the West
Madison street station and endeayored
to get him released. Numerous offers OF
bail were made. Eight thousand dollars
surety for his appearance was offered,
but he was locked up. When the crowd
realized that their comrade had to re-
main in the police station the Milwau-
kee & st. Paul men, in their rage, de-
cided to strike, and Immediately deserted
their engines. The whole yartoforce OF
switchmcn, engineers and tiremen, 227
in all, quit work, leaving twenty-eight
engines standing on the tracks. 1t is
rumored that the brakemen OF the same
road will go out tonight. The strikers
say the Milwaukee & st, Paul road has
been --G-5.
PARTICULARLY FRIENDLY
to the Burlington, and they have been
ready and willing to quit for sometime.
Division Superintendent Besler, who
took refuge from the mob in the switch
house, had both his eyes blacked and
was very badly bruised up. The fire.
men and engineer fthe train which was
attacked were also badly pounded. A
meeting OF 500 engineers, firemen and
switchmen was held at Fourteenth and
Jefferson streets this afternoon. There
were representatives from all the roads
present, and 1T was resolved thatsa gen
eral boycott be declared against the
Burlington freight on all the roads. The
sentiment expressed was that the Bur-
lington road had gone too far. There
was no reason why the engineers' de-
mands should not be complied with.
They were reasonable and the time had
come to enforce them.
The strike Of the st. Paul men came to
an end as quickly as it had begun. At
$3.50 p. M, two officials OF the st. Paul
Company succeeded in having Quirk
released on bail. He went imme-
diately 10 where the strikers were
in session, and was warmly greet
ed with enthusiasm. His presence
put the men in good humor, and
1t was speedily resolved that
resumption of work was the proper
course to pursue. By 9p. IN. the men
were again at their posts and everything
on the st. Paul was running along
smoothly.