Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-06

Some Of the bluecoats repeated their conduct
of four years ago. They would open their
blankets, catch small colored boys, and toss
them backward and forward over awning posts,
throwing some of them as high as twelve or If
teen feet in the air. There was one crowd who
indulged in such conduct, and who had to be
followed from place to place by an officer, who
attemp ed to keep them straight. They would
separate when there was but one officer around.
and while he VIC 1ld be watching one crowd the
other crowd would catch boy and give him q
blanket tossing.
TIE rrALI N PEANUT Vendors
had a ''picnic," for many Of them sold out their
stock in five minutes. crowd Of soldiers
would surroula - stand or cart and each would
purchase '.fye-cent quart" The small boys
watched the peanut soldiers closely until
they would shower the nuts on the crowd.
Then the boys would make Q scramble about
the feet OF the passers-by and gather up the
spoils. The peanuts were also thrown in store
doors, and occasionally the crowd would sur
round some person and give him an unpleasant
time for a few minutes.
A party of soldiers made an attack on beer
wagon on 18th street. but they got sadly disap-
pointed. There was nothing but ''soft-stuff'
on the wagon. Bottle after bottle was taken
out but they were soda and ginger bottles. The
color of the latter all right, but the taste
was wrong and the bottles were rolled down
the street.
THE SHAM FIRK-CRAcKER.
While many of the soldiers INDUCED in riot
Gus conduct some enjoyed innocent amuse-
ments. The most amusing Of all their pranks
was the soldier with the sham fre-cracker.
The supposed explosive was an ordinary piece
of pine wood made to resemble Q large fire.
cracker. 1t was covered with red material of
some kind and in one end was Q hole where
fuse could be put. The ordinary fre-cracker
the fuse placed in the hole and then throw it in
. crowd A stampede naturally followed
There was . bootblack at the 9Th street corner
attending to a job. A soldier came by and
threw one Of the sham hre-crackers near him.
Then the badly frightened negro attempted to
get out Of its way, and in doing so knocked his
customer heels over head. He made another
break toward the passing crowd and took
tumble into the street.
STREET BLocKApEp.
number of Pennsylvsnis troops congre-
gated on between It'll and 9Th streets yester-
day and blockaded the street Drivers and
Pc destrians alike were jeered at and tantalized
by the militiamen. who refused to allow any
one TO pass. The police patrol with load Of
officers went to the scene and succeeded in
clearing passage way, but a. soon a. they left
the street was again blocked Gen. Hastings
was called on and. acting under his orders. Col
Crawford cleared the street with his company.
About 6 O'Clock in the afternoon policemen
Hamilton and Kenney placed member Of the
eth Massachusetts, regiment under arrest near
It'll and streets, and his comrades demanded
his release. For . time riot was threatened,
but the arrival Of Lieut.. Amiss With the first
precinct reserves and several officers Of the
militia put an end 10 the disturbance and the
soldier was taken TO the station.
TIE BALLOON NAN HAakp BADLY
ut the hands OF the frolicsome soldiers. "Harri.
son and Morton balloons, ten cents EACH" vas
their cry. II vas early in the morning when
they started ont, but their business did not re-
quire all of them to remain out long. because
the soldiers carried sharp knives and cut the
strings. At the corner OF 7th street a soldier
cut one Of the strings and sent nearly ffty bal.
looms into the air.
PENNSYLVANIA soLDfKns AND fnI PoLIcR
Yesterday afternoon the police reserve from
the frst precinct we're called TO the corner of
7th and d streets 10 quell disturbance. Iwas
the same old story-the Pennsylvanis soldiers
upset . wagon, and we're taking possession Of 9
horse and buggy belonging TO q citisen Who
had left the team in charge Of . colorsd boy.
Everybody vas making complaints against
them. and for . few minutes riot was threat
ened The police dispersed the crowd, but
made no arrests. All the afternoon the police
were kept busy looking after the Pennsylva-
mans. Thomas Lotus, one Of the Pennsyl-
vsnia soldisrs, vas looked up for carrying .
pistol John =. King. another Of their num-