The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-05
Stormy All-Night Session of the Committee in
Control, and Hard Work to Restrain Them
from Adopting Violent Measures.
A Disastrous Land Slide Causes Loss of
Life and Property in Mexico.
Shah Of Persia Dumped in the Mud by Rail-
road Acknowledged Alliance Between
France and Russia-Mexican Floods.
Striker Killed by the Police-Temper Of the
Men Very Hard to Control.

Striker Killed by the Police-Temper Of the
Men Very Hard to Control
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON, Sept. 4.-The first blood shed in
the great strike was spilled to-day when
the police fired upon crowd of strikers
who were obstructing the loading of a YES
sci and fatally wounded one man.
The strike committee met early this after
noon, and are still in session at q late hour
tonight. They discussed some new pro-
posals advanced by the wharfngers, but
ing was the preparation of a manifesto,
which it is expected will be issued in the
morning. denouncing the action of the po-
lice in firing upon the strikers
to-day. The committee is having con-
siderable difficulty in agreeing upon the
wording of the manifesto. some of the most
violent urging instructions to the strikers
to arm themselves in defense of their lives.
1t is reported that Burns, the conservative
leader of the strikers. is having great
trouble to keep his committee in bounds,
and that proposition to arm the strikers
out of the funds contributed by charitable
votes. But violent as is the temper of the
committee, it is marvel of moderation
when compared with that of the men. The
news of the fight with the police at the
dock of the Peninsular & Oriental COM
pany, and the killing of one of the strikers
of the police, spread like wildfire. and
caused the greatest excitement. Threats
of vengeance are heard on all sides, and it
is doubtful If even the great influence of
their leader, John Burns, will avail to pre-
vent further violence.
The coal trimmer who was shot is still
alive, but the doctors say he cannot last
through the night. The men speak of the
shooting as "unprovoked murder" though
eye-witnesses of the fight are positive in
volvers Ouly when the strikers. who out
numbered them ten to one. charged upon
them with stones and clubs. Even after
the first fire the men stood their ground,
apparently uncertain whether to continue
the attack or to turn and flee. 1t was fortu-
nate for the police that at this critical
moment the men lacked leader for they
certainly were not wanting in courage. to
face the deadly revolvers pointed toward
them. With a leader to give the word
they would undoubtedly have made short
work of the handful of policemen who op-
posed them.
The shippers arc determined. that after
ia slssoll tfouDie5 arc seeded they VIII
carry on the sweating system, under
which both they and the laborers suffer.
They will insist upon loading and discharg-
ing their own vessels. will hire the men to
do the work, and will allow neither the
dock companies nor their toremen to make
profit out of the dock laborers
The strikers committee is still in session
at this hour - A. NJ They have just de-
cided to allow the men now out to resume
work on any wharf where six pence is paid
for ordinary work, eight pence for over
is equally divided between the journeymen
and the foremen. These are the terms for
which the strike was ip augurated, but, not
withstanding the fact that at several
of the wharves the strikers might have
gone to work at these terms at any time
during the past ten days. the committee re-
fused to allow any man to resume work
until the dock companies had been brought
to terms. The consent now given is, there
fore. accepted as sign of weakening and
an early collapse is again confidently pre-
dicted.