River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-03-03
7l-7i-ll7'7lll7l7-7777
DEFlED THE LAW.
strikers Render Futile an Attempt to
Run Street Cars In indianapolis Under
Police Protection-Riotou Scenes.

Strikers Render Futile an Attempt to
Hun Street Cars In indianapolis Under
Police Observation-Disclosures Scenes.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 90. - The
crisis of the street car strike came Sat
urday and for nearly five hours the
principal thoroughfares OF the city
were In possession of bowling. boot
ing mob, and scenes of disorder were
enacted that have never had par
allel in this city. The police
were attacked with stones and clubs,
the drivers and road officers of the
company were dragged from the cars
and beaten, the cars were overturned
upon the streets and several men were
carried wounded and bleeding FROM
the scene.
The strike has now been in existence
since Sunday last, when the entire
street railway system was tied up
through a disagreement between
the men and President Frenzel,
of the company, over the mean
ing of the verdict reached two
weeks ago by a board of arbitration.
On Monday and each succeeding day
this week the company made a feeble
clined to order the police to protect
the company, and the strikers easily
prevented the running of ears. In the
meantime the business men of the city
began to complain, and all property
owners saw in the mayors action
menace to their property and business
and loud complaints were heard from
many of that class. Others, however,
sympathized with the strikers and en-
couraged them to persevere in their
battle course
Friday night the mayor decided to
give the protection that he had so long
refused, and searet orders were given
the police to be present at the COM
pany's stables at 7:30 o'clock Saturday
morning. The force of ninety men,
including the night police, were dis
tributed at the several stables and sim
ultaneous attempts were made to start
the mule cars from the barns. The plan
had been kept so secret that but few
of the strikers were in the New Jer-
sey street barn when the police ar.
rived, and eight cars were quickly
brought out, each occupied by half
dozen policemen, and started down
town. Feeble opposition was made
along the line, but this was easily over
come and the cars proceeded towards
the Louisiana street barn.
BY this time thousand men and
boys had gathered upon the street and
telephone messages had called the
strikers to the scene. These advanced
to meet the cars and a hand to hand
struggle with the police began. The of
ficers drew their clubs and struck right
and left, but the mob paid no atten-
ton to this. Big policemen were liter
ally picked up and hurled to one side,
while the mob closed in around the
cars. Capt. Dawson rallied his men
time and again, but the policemen soon
found themselves so jammed in by the
surging mass that they were power
less to do anything
The police, finding that they could
not protect the cars, turned their at
tention to the ringleaders of the mob
and soon had dozen or more under
arrest. These were taken to the sta
tion-house but were soon bailed out by
respectable citizens and in a half hour
were back in the crowd ready to lead
another attack.
The crowd made rush for a man
who was attempting to drive a car.
Hang the scabr' "Over with the
carl" and similar expressions filed the
air. The drivers name was Madison,
and in an instant he was pulled over
the dashboard, while several men be-
labored him over the head The police
nf,ar nd in, he
to fly. One huge brick struck Capt
Dawson in the middle of the
back, doubling him up with pain, while
the strikers fist land ed beside his nose
But Patrolman Bob Smith Jared worst
of all. A big stone struck him just
under his helmet on the back of his
head, ripping open the scalp and hair
and laying bare the bone.
The closing battle of the day oc-
Cured at 1890 o'clock on South Me-
ridian street as cars 81 and 81 were
going south. The police were massed
around the cars and in greater force
than on any previous occasion, but the
mob was not in the least daunted, and
rushed to the attack as if eager for the
fray.
At signal from the leaders of the
mob a hundred men surrounded the
first car and hurled it from the track.
The mules were unhitched and turned
loose and the attack turned upon the
second car, which was also ditched.
This made eight cars that were
off the tracks, and it was useless
to attempt to bring out any more. In
deed, the crowd was increasing every
moment, and messages were being
sent TO all the factories asking the en-
ployes to come out. AS it was Satur-
day and, many of the mechanics of
the city do not work Saturday af-
ternoon, the mayor realized that
greater trouble would be experienced
if the attempt were continued, and he
wisely determined to desist The POI
lice were notified to attempt to get the
cars to the barns, and when the crowd
was assured that the only purpose in
moving them was to put them in the
barns no one interfered. The cars
were therefore placed ON the track and
slowly taken to the barns, where they
were put away for the day.
There were eighty-th three arrests dur
ing the day, and of these sixty prison
ers have been bailed out The major
ity of those arrested were outsiders,
who had no interest whatever in the
strike, but were as active as the strik-
ers themselves