Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-03-09
BREAD RIOT IN DANTZIG.
Shops Looted by Mob of Unemployed
Men.

Men.
BERLIN, March 4.-Slnce the disturb
ances Of last week in this city the I'M
employed workmen throughout Ger
many have been in state of ferment
that would require but little to cause an
open outbreak. There is no denying
the fact that the condition of mechan-
les and unskilled laborers has reached
such a state that the hungry men are ca
pable of doing almost anything to get
food for themselves and those depend
ent upon them. With this state of af-
fairs an outbreak will not be matter Of
great surprise. Laborers of Dantzic
have petitioned the authorities for
work, if only enough to keep their
families from starving. There seems to
be no immediate prospect Of improve
ment, and the patience of the men
seems to have about reached the limit
of its endurance.
When the deputation of the unem-
ployed recently waited upon the author
tiles they received promise that some
thing would be done for them, and to-
day, in obedience to notice, 500 men
proceeded to the landing stage in the
expectation that they would be con-
veyed to the municipal sewage farms
and put to work. When they arrived
there the officials picked out 220
men to be taken to the farms
and said that they were unable to fur
nish work for the others. Those who
were refused employment were bitter
in their denunciation of the trick, as
they termed it, that had been played
upon them. Some of the men consti-
tuted themselves leaders, and made
violent speeches, calling upon the crowd
to help themselves to food if the au-
thorities would not furnish them with
the means of getting 1T.
The imprisoned words of the speak
ers and the presence OF the crowd it
self attracted q large number Of the
lower classes of the city and the i'm
promptu meeting soon degenerated in
to a mob. The excitement grew by
what it fed upon and the suggestion
that food was plenty in the shops was
seized upon with avidity. The mob left
the vicinity of the landing stage
and in compact mass rushed
through the streets, hurting impreca-
tons st the authorities and declaring
that they would steal before they would
starve. Every bakers shop they came
across thew looted and some of the
gaunt, pale-faced men could be seen de-
vouring the spoils in a manner which
showed they had not tasted food for
long time. Others placed the bread
they had seized under their
coats with the intention of carrying it
to their wives and children. Loaded
butchers carts passing along the streets
were seized upon, their drivers hustled
away and their contents hastily divided
among the crowd.
The mob was constantly gaining fresh
accessions, and the riot was assuming
formidable proportions before the po-
lice awoke to the fact that they must be
up and doing if they hoped to success
fully cope with the rioters. Detach-
ments of police were hastily sent to that
part of the city in which the rioting and
pillaging was going on. After strug-
gle with the rioters, who were
inhamod with their successes and
resisted the police, the latter
made determined charge and sue
ceeded in dispensing the mob. The po
lice are now displaying greater vigilance
but there is much excitement among
the workingmen, and it would not be in
the least surprising should further and
more serious trouble occur.
The news from Dantzic has had very
disQuieting effect here, and the affair is
eagerly discussed by the official circle
and by the workingmen. 1t is taken to
give further proof, if any were needed.
of the bad state of affairs that exists
throughout the country. A later dis
patch from Dantzic states that those
who did the rioting and pillaging were
not genuine workingmen, but dock rats
and other laborers who were never
known to do an honest days work. They
took advantage of the excitement to
give their thieving propensities full
play, and the workingmen were credit
ed by the police with their crimes.
That there is extreme suffering among
the workingmen is evident to everyone,
but they are submitting to the newt
able with as much patience as possible
and there is no reason why the respon-
sibility for the acts of the lawless dregs
of the cities should be placed on their
shoulders, as seems to be done every
time an outbreak occurs.
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