Telegram-herald., 1891-12-20
EAGER TO PAY.

q Wnd seeas - the Trsassrsr's 0Oss N
elsssaa~ss : An Aray sf rnxpaysrs n .
Pk1ie-
CsscIssArL pse la-Ths scenes
about the courthouse Friday nsrning
reminded ons Of the riss Of 1854 In
the present case the mob consisted of
properly owners elanoring fos an ep
portnnity 10 pay their t4xes before the
penalty went IN force. Owing 20
changes in eoanty boards and
the delay In assessing the val
u-s and correcting mistakes the
tax dEplieate, which should have
been IN the treasurer's bands By De-
eemb ber. l, id not reach him until last
Wednesday evening. II was necessary
To haze the duplicate in order 10 know
the amount ot tsxes due from each
property owner. The Law provides
that il taxes are not paid by December
20 a penalty Of per cent attaches
The treasurer began taking taxes
Thursday. bat only few were aware
Of the fact. the announcement being
brief The news spread and Friday
morning by 7 o'clock the big hall in
front Of the treasursr's offiee was
packed with men. women and children,
aud the crowd extended far ont in the
street There were fully 1000 persons
elamoring for samistanee. and the
throng was constantly increasing.
When the doors were opened at 8
o'clock frightful crush ensued wom-
en- were crushed in the jam aud cloth
ing torn, while the air was filed with
screams and cursea The treasurer's
ofice. which is large hall with . con-
tinneus counter and glass partitions
around three sides. was soon packed TO
sufocation with the struggling mass of
humanity. The clerks started TO take
money at their windows, but had 70
quickly give up the idea
In the meantime the crowd was con-
stantly increasing, and the pressure be-
began to faint The excite ment grew
intense. Several Of the glass windows
above the counter were smashed. and
the crashing added to the excitement
until a perfect panic prevailed Faint
ing women were passed through the
broken windows and doctors sum-
moned.
CAt one time there were four insensi-
BILE women in the treasurer's private
Office and as many more out in the big
hall Mrs Bertha Wrampelies. Mrs
Elizabeth Patterson, Mrs. Mary Fox and
iiss Msry Gerard were among those
..i.e fsinted and in the confusion were
trsmpled upon and severely bruised
The safes had been opened and the
money laid out at the desks prcpara-
tory for business. A rumor started
that raid was contemplated on tho
treasury ty thicvcA The money was
hastily thrown into the vaults, while
guards with drawn revolvers were
placed at the door.
A riot call had been sent TO the Gen.
trail station and a detachment Of special
police under Lieut.. Gill had been hur-.
ried to the scene. The entire force of
watchmen and other employees about
the courthouse were called in for the
protection OF the county funds. Men.
apparently TO avoid being trampled
to death. had climbed upon the
partition. but good grounds existed
for TIE belief that they were awaiting
an opportunity to plunder. The police
arrived in two patrol wagons and
charged with their clubs through the
crowd After effecting an entrance
they drove out sufficient number to
ALLOW the closing Of the big doors.
Order was then restored among the re-
mainder. but it was necessary to use
some of them roughly.
While the panic was ct its highest
the county solicitors and commission
ers met and resolved TO extend the
time from December 30 TO January 10.
Speeches were made TO the crowd, and
the announcement Of the extension did
much to restore order. It was o'clock
p. IN. before the last of the crowd left
the treasrIrerS Office