The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-14
A RIOT AT HOMESTEAD.
STRIKERS ATTACK NEGROES AND
BULLETS FLY.

Three Strikers Slightly Wounded and
Two Negroes Badly Beaten-A Mob
2,OOO Strong Eventually Dragged
Into the Row-Negroes on Shanty
Hill Threaten to Rescue Their Com
rades.
HOMESTEAD, PA, Nov. 13.-Not since
July have flying bullets been so plentiful
as this afternoon. Inside Of 20 minutes over
fifty shots were fred, and Fourth avenue
was in a wild state of panic and disorder.
Rumors are plentiful of persons being
wounded, but the only ones seriously hurt
apparently are three strikers named
McFadden, Jones and Pritchard. They
have all flesh wounds. Two negroes were
also badly beaten.
OPENING OF THE FIGHT.
The fight started on Fourth avenue about
4:3O o'clock. Two colored men, who work
in the mill, were walking toward the mill
when striker said something TO them.
They replied and the striker knocked one
of them down. With the same extraor-
binary suddenness which always char
acterlZes Homestead, so far as the
gathering of crowds is concerned, about 200
persons, including children and women
were assembled in few minutes. Both
negroes fought hard, but stones began TO
fly and the men were besting them, when
one colored man drew a revolver and
opened fire. By this time there we're fully
500 persons on the street, and bullets
whistling over their heads started panic.
THE SECOND NEGRO FELLED.
Three men knocked down the sec
ond negro, and when he arose he
had two revolvers in his hands. He
started to run, shooting wildly backward
as he did so. 1t is said boy received flesh
wound In the leg. but his name is unknown.
BY the time the colored men had reached
City Farm lane, six other colored men came
along, and they, too, were assaulted. They
all drew guns and ran down Fifth avenue
in the direction of Mcclure street, near
where their lodging house is situated.
THE AIR FULL OF BULLETS.
Some one hurled brick which hit Wash
inRton Paul on the head. He opened fire
and so did the others. In minute the air
full OF bullets, and in front of the col
ored men there was q terrified crowd rush
ing into houses for shelter or lodging up
alleys. A woman, too frightened to run,
passed one of the non.unionists
shot at her three times, one bullet passing
through her shawl, which she had thrown
over her head Two bullets went through
windows OF residences, and one buried itself
in the window sill of a second story frame
house, occupied by the Coulter family, who
were looking out at the time.
STONED AS THEY RAN.
While the negroes were running, men
lodging into alleys would hurl stones at
them. When the colored men reached their
house they ran in and barred the door, In
a minute the house was surrounded by an
infuriated crowd, who soon tore down
the fence and shattered every win
dow with stones When the depu-
ties and borough officers arrived
some persons were suggesting that
they burn the house and some began to yell
Let's lynch the niger black sheep" This
was taken up aud cries of Hang EN-"
were heard on all Sides The officers went
in to arrest the colore6 men and they found
them huddled in one room terrified and ex>
pecting to be killed. One man, however,
was not afraid and said he would be the
first to leave.
ATTACKED BY A WOMAN.
As he was taken out woman hit him
with frying pan, cutting his head The
deputies tried in vain to keep the crowd
away while they took the man to the lock-
up, but he was hit several times. Stones
were also hurled and the deputy
was struck. The officers drew their revolv-
ers and announced that if any
more stones were thrown, they would have
to open fire. A Slav threw a rock which
crashed through window already half
shattered. He was arrested, but the
authorities seemed almost powerless for by
this time over 1000 persons had gathered.
Several other colored men were beaten on
the way to the lookup.
About this time another alarming report
was circulated through the crowd. 1t was
IN effect that colored non-unionists living
on Shanty Hill, hearing OF the assault upon
their brethren in town, were about to come
down and rescue them. This was really
the case, and over fifty colored men were
ready to make an onslaught at a moments
notice, and the coal and iron police had
much difficulty In restraining them.
ANOTHER NOM UNIONIsT IN DANGER
Marion Conrad, another non-unionist,
owns house above Ann street on Fourth
avenue. During the shooting a large
crowd gathered In front of his house,
and when he appeared began to
threaten him. Conrad is sworn in
as the deputy sheriff and he stood in his
doorway, a revolver in either hand, and
said he would shoot the first man who en-
tered the gate. Several deputies then ar
rived, thus keeping the crowd back for an
hour, when it dispersed.
After all the colored men had been res
moved from the boarding house tho excite-
ment subsidized as rapidly as it had begun,
and by night no unusual crowds were on
Nj the street.
HI Peter McFadden, who first engaged the
colored meu in the fight, was shot through
the left arm and out on the head.
James Jones, his friend, who came to his
assistance, had an escape from death which
was miraculous. He had clinched with one
Ok the colored men and struck him.
AS he did so the negro showed his revolver
In his assailant's face and fired. The bullet
struck Jones on the forehead above the
eyes and glanced off, cutting bloody fur
# row over his left eye. Jones and McFad-
Don were arrested tonight by detectives.
Mrs. Jones attempted to rescue her husband
ana attacked the officers, but was with-
OF the eleven colored men
locked up, seven have cuts
on their heads where they we're
struck with missiles or clubs, John Lewis
and Baxter Ford being 30 badly beaten that
aphysician was summoned to dress their
wounds
Tonight guards are on duty at the
Iockup and non-union boarding houses 20
prevent any attack.