Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-11
VANDALS FOTLED.
Battle in the Streets at Grand
Rapids, Mich.
A STRIKERS CONSPIRACY Baked

HOT IusiiIade Between Mob and the
Police. in Which Several Persons Are
Wounded, One Rioter FataIly-BoId
Attempt to Destroy the Property of a
Street Railway Company Upon Care
fully Prepared Plans - The Police
Alert, Number of Arrests Made.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. June IA
premeditated attack on the property of
the street railway company by the strik
ers, who have now been out a month, re-
suited in a fierce battle in the street at
O'Clock yesterday morning and the
wounding of several men. Detective Jo-
seph w. Smith was hit over the head
with club and seriously injured. An
other officer received bullet through his
helmet John Highstetter, one of the
mob, was fatally injured, another of the
mob was wounded in the arm, and thir-
teen of the rioters are under arrest
charged with felony. 1t was the most
exciting disturbance in the history of the
strike and it gave rise to the first pitched
battle the police of the city have ever
had.
! A Regularly Organized Affair.
The strikers held meeting Tuesday
night, which continued until nearly mid
night. Messengers were sent out to vari-
Gus other unions, including the teamsters,
| common laborers, and brewers that there
was work to be done, and naming the rail-
road bridge in the extreme northern part
of the city as the rendezvous. The strik-
ers repaired to the bridge in small squads
| by various routes so as not to attract at
/ fanriOn and rbara iOir al
many others until there We're over 200
men on the ground. AT 8 o'clock the mob
| moved on the Sweet Street station of the
cable road, intending To blow up the wheel
! pit with dynamite and destroy the track
The Police Had Information,
The police received early information of
! the impending attack, and n squad of
| thirty officers was sent TO the station and
| concealed behind fences, trees, and in the
! grass 10 await developments. Two of the
| mob who Were sent forward as scouts 10
! see II the field was clear were captured
! and sent as prisoners to town. The mob
! was but a short distance behind the scouts,
and when they appeared over the emban k
/ ment and began the attack on the tracks
! the police came out from ambush and or
dered the men TO disperse. The mob re-
! sponded with a volley of stones and after
! the first surprise, continued to advance
! The police again ordered them TO dispense
/ and this time the response was a score of
/ pistol shots.
Cold Lead for the Rioters.
/ The police then attacked the mob with
/ clubs The shooting became faster and
more alarming, and the officers fired a
volley in the air. Half of the mob scat
tered at this, but the rest made a rush
/ forward for close fighting. The police
] ~, n
and by a vigorous use of their clubs scat
! tered the last of the rioters, who left thir-
| teen OF their number behind as prisoners
| 1t is known that several of the rioters
were wounded, but they We're helped
| away by their friends Later in the day
! the police learned that John Highstetter.
a teamster. with wife and two children
and a comfortable home of his own, was
wounded severely.
| 4 Couple of Informers.
The rioters who We're captured were ar
! raigned to day on the charge of conspiracy
! to de stroy property, under the state law
| Their bail has been fixed at 81 600 each. and
! thus far only one man has given bonds Four
! IF the prisoners are old street car men and
! he others are teamsters and common la
borers. Two of the prisoners have made
| confessions. giving full details of the con
! spiracy and the names of the participants.
! and more arrests win follow. Detective
| Smith, who was seriously hurt in the riot.
was one Of the early morning squad, and
was shot in the hip. He is at his home.
! and is believed to be dangerously hurt.
| Wounded Men in Hiding.
! 1t is also known positively that another
man was shot in the arm, but he has not
| been found yet, his friends keeping him
under cover to save him from arrest 1t is
| reported that others We're hurt, but they
are keeping out of the way until the
| trouble blows over Three of the thirteen
| prisoners were hurt in the fight, but all
| viii recover. None of the others was
! wounded, but several had narrow escapes.
Six More Rioters Arrested.
Another disturbance occurred at noon
| yesterday, but it was quickly over. Six of
| the crowd were arrested. and three of the
| prisoners were found armed with revolvers
! and with more cartridges in their pockets
| Mayor Uhl and the commissioners took
! vigorous steps to prevent a recurrence of
! the trouble. Four hundred extra police