New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-13
WITH BULLETS AND STONES.
A RIOT AT THE CLARK THREAD MILLS.
POLICE IN KEARNY CHARGE WITH CI1JBs AND
REvoLvERs UPON A MISSILE HuRIlNG
CROWD OF THOUSANDS - MUCH

the extensive mills of the Clark Thread Com
pany at Kearny, y. j.. last night. and other
damage to the amount of thousands of dollars was
done. The police were compelled 10 fire on a
mob of several thousand people, who had assem-
bled at all the entrances of the mills. The police
endeavored to protect the employees from being
injured and for several hours the quiet little
town opposite Newark was under reign of terror
Fortunately one was killed, but many were
injured by clubs and stones and three people
were carried through the dark lanes to their
homes The blame not generally attached TO
the striking spinners, the latter at a meeting
held yesterday morning passed resolutions that
not one of their number should leave their homes
or 90 anywhere near the mills last night
The trouble was caused by the people of Kearny.
Harrison and Newark who sympathze with the
strikers in their struggle with the ClarkS ana
from to 6 o'clock they had crossed the bridges
over the PasSac 10 see the nOn-unOn men trans
ferred in boats from the Newark Mills TO those
in Kearny. where they eat. drink and sleep Ill
the boarding -houss, barracks" which were
built for them by the firm and which are In
closed within the mill yard
When the whistle sounded at o'clock the crowd
on the Kearny side Of the river reached from thc
main entrance of the mill as far as the Gay
ST. bridge, on the south, distance ol scNcr@
hundred yards. \ Gordon OF special pollcemeh
and deputy sheriffs. armed with CLUBS ana re-
vOvers and numbering fifty in all, stretched across
the roadway on both sides, which is about 100
feet wide, and made paSsageway Inc hoh-
union spnners we're taken across in two boats
There was not word said until both loads
were landed. the vast crowd maintaining silence
Sheriff McPhilps, of Jersey City, who had been
sent for with thirty men, all deputies was on
the ground but did not take any part III Tie
affair. man, whom the crowd thought was
he. arranged the spinners in Indian file and
oaye the word TO move. AS he did wild
yell arose of;
"Scab. coward, Walmsley!"
This signal threw the crowd into fever heat
of excitement. and the men who were passing
through the files OF police began 10 get scared
and ran. In an instant young woman with
pale face. standing in the crowd, raised her
hand from undcr her shawl and flung stone
at the overseer Just passing. Hardly had 1t
struck the man than shower of stones hailed
down upon the officers and men from all dircc-
tions and riot followed. The alarmed non
union men ran into the gateway as fast as they
could, and the police, with raised clubs struck
the mob right and left. scattering them III all
directions They fred their revolvers III the
air. and the women screamed and fell on every
side.
In few seconds the rcmainder of the men
nassed along. the last being Superintendent
Wamsley, between the man supposed TO he Shcr-
if NcPhlips and Chief Detective Gregory lie
is the man who is charged with being the cause
Of all the labor trouble the Clarks have ever
had He wore a light cape-overcoat. and was
pale. His escort linked arms with him on both
sides They hurried him through the gates, and
all the police and sherirs followed Wher the
doors were locked the crowd surgcd against the
railin4s and the of the mob could be heard
blocks away and across the river. Men and
women passing from their work on the opposite
side of the river crossed and Joined in the riot,
and in another hour the place was impossible.
4 small boy threw a stone at one OF the WIN
dows after the gates were closed, and he was at
once taken into custody by Kearny policeman.
another shower of bricks followed this exercise
of authority but of the officers left the mill
When, however a large stone was thrown, which
no, only broke the glass but smashed the sash into
fragments, the big gateway opened and the entire
Ioce of men charged the crowd One Of them
fred directly OH the mob, and boy named james
Richmond, Of labOrer living at No. 2O3 Nortl!
Second-st, Harrison, fell TO the ground
with agOniZing shrek. He was lifted over the
heads of the crowd and carried 10 his home. where
Dr. Rothe, the deputy county physician, extracted
bullet 32-calibrp. from his left heel The mon
became furious and battled with the police until
the latter drove them back some distance. The
police could not get any chance 10 arrest any one
and contented themselves with keeping the crowd
at bay. The Office widows were broken. and the
place around was badly wrecked.
line was formed across the river road, ana
some men in the yard placed "a large hose on. The
wall and played il on the crowd until lunCYeds
were drencheG through. This somewhat qulctej
the crowd which maintained IT'S position uhJH
10 sooner had dusk settled on the factory than
the demolition cf windows began again There
are several thousand windows in the factory.
which covers about thirty acres. and all thc lover
floor windows had been broken before dark. "
o'clock there was not window in the Whor
factory, and no attempt was made 10 pro'cct
them There are few police IN the city. and al
though there are about 400 police and constitutes
in Newark, which is connected by bridge Only
90 wards in cnoth. The chief Of tie latter city
could not send any of his men into the adjoining
county
Justice Tumbull, of Kearny, was on the spot
commanding his men. and he prevented several
collisions by appealing TO the crowd most of
whom know him The striking spinners Kept -
their resolution. and it, Is said not one OF thchl
was seen near the place. The anger of the crowd
was intensified by the report that Adam Gr'cl,
one of the ovcrscers of the mill, had succeeded ~
importing twentY-siX spinncrS during the oaN.
This would give the ClarlIs ninetN-thIee Spl"@ncd1 @
at work. in place Of the 03 men on strike, ana
they would he able TO run all their mills ana
spndlcs. ,,. l,,eod
After the imported men had been safely housen
in their boarding house and had their supper iheS
were encouraged by officers OF the mills puI II
was reported by one of the special poncrmefn .hn IN
;HndprtnTY NON wanted 10 leave They were badly
scared and Vi did not want to undergo the same ex
perience again Until nearly midngni; ,e i,ovo erow
surrounded the mill singing ana snon.dn tror,
thousand men women and chlulrh 0'''s ~
Newark 10 witness the scene. 1onor ,btott
The Clarks telegraphcd to HoTer"ur yer protectio,
lest night at Jersey City, askli,d5 t from his
and reply was received linmrui''N
secrtory that he was ont Of town .. roreo,
Forty special policemen were sworn =" a. a. 90 70
City by Sheriff McPhilips las, n'en' 81 the he Clark
Kearny to-day and preserve oroer "'
Thread Mills