The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-03-16
IN RIOTERS HANDS.
MObs and Violence in the
Streets of Indianapolis.
Strikers Block the Streets, and
Stop Gar Traffic.


Several times in the past twenty-four
hours mobs have had possession Of the
streets of this city. Men and women haYs
encouraged scenes and acts Of violence and
one woman displayed in a crowd black
and red flag, Haunting it about
her head and then hastily con-
cealing it in her dress. It was the out
come to the street-car strike which began
recently because Of the refusal by the
President of the company to advance
the wages Of employees. Several attempts
we're made to start the cars, but the
strikers interfered and the cars were
pushed back into the barns. The Mayor
took the view that he would not afford po'
lice protection until he was assured that the
company had not men enough to properly
man and run the cars. 1t received such as
surances, and the police appeared to aid the
company.
No attempt was made to run tho electric
cars. All efforts were concentrated on the
horse cars. One hundred strickers met one
car at the Grand Opera House. Here
a desperate encounter occurred with
the police, and when the car
reached Washington street, the main
thoroughfare of the. city, the mob had
swelled to one thousand. Slowly the car
made its way few squares further, where
at least six thousand people had gathered.
Prominent among it's members was bnrly
colored man who was foremost In trying to
stop the car. The officers laid hold Of him
to place him under arrest. With madden
ing yell the crowd sprang upon the off,
GERS and the colored man was wrenched
from their grasp. Police Super.
intendent Colbert headed detail for his re-
capture. They waded into the crowd, NOW
inc right and left with their clubs. A
heavy board, welded by one Of the crowd,
descended upon the Superintendent's head,
and he fell. Another crash came,
and Captain Dawson was nearly
felled to the ground by an earthen vessel,
which struck him on the head, being thrown
from a window. Such actions as tnese pre-
cluded all possibility Of further leniency.
Superintendent Colbert arose, pulled re-
yolyer from each pocket and pointed them
into the faces of the surging mass of people:
Slowly the crowd parted and the colored
man was recaptured. -.
That was no sooner accomplished than the
crowd made rush for the man who was at.
tempting to drive the car. "Hang himP
and similar expressions filled the air. The
drivers name was Madison, and in
an instant he was pulled over
the dashboard, and several men BE-
labored him over the head. The police
charged, and again the rocks began to fly.
One huge brick struck Captain Dawson In
the middle of the back, doubling him up
with pain. A strikers fist landed at tho
same time on his nose. Another missile
struck Patrolmap Settle on the head, cutting
his helmet clear through.
Pstrolman Smith Jared worst Of all. A
big stone struck him beneath his helmet ON
the back of the head, tearing open scalp and
hair. and laying bare the bone. After severe
fiehting the crowd was dispersed and
ouieted. Smith was carried away In. an
ambulance. ',
Not more than five minutes afterwafd
some one yelled. "Thers goes one on Merid-
There were two cars there guarded by 9
handful Of police. The crowd swooped
down upon them like birds OF
prev. The officers dubbed and pounded
In vain. The mems heads seemed
made of iron. In trice the mob had the
mules unhitched, and with hoarse yeils they
pushed the cars into the gutter. a large
crowd Of men and boys were in the gutter
standing on an improvised scafolding OF
boards. Into this the car was pushed, and
the structure came down with s :ss
load. Tho air filed with cries
Of fear. Luckily no one was
S6ElOuStys 4hO SsASA S~~
west on Maryland street until it sunk axle
deep in the mud. and there it stood. Both
had their windows smashed, and more than
one striker and policeman will wear Knots on
their head for the next few days.
John McHugh was the driver or another
dumped car. BE is poor man and needed
work. His plucly wife was on the car with
him to lend him encouragement by her pres
snce. When the car went back a gang boarded
itand gave McHugha beating, negro strik.
ing him with stone Constable Sorters ran to
his rescue. There were no Brotherhood men
in the crowd whom he knew to release the
man, and Sorters agreed to take him home.
To this the crowd consented, and Mchugn
and his wife were escorted home under Sor'
ters protection.
In another part of the city two womer
iumped aboard q car, rushed to the driver
threw their arms around him, and then CAV,
him terrible beating. A policeman rescued
him, but the women got away. In otne
parts of the city the mules were unhitchet
from cars and were stampeded, and the car
were derailed. Many arrests were mace
but bail was furnished In every case.
Finally all attempts to run the cars wet
Abandoned. The Mayor stands firm by hi
decision, and will again aftord all the pro
lection to the company within bis power.