The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-14
FIERCE HOMESTEAD RIOT
Strikers and Negro NoD-UDinnists En-
gage in Bloody Street Battle.
Men, Women and Children Mixed Up in the
Fight Which Resulted in Half Score BE.
ing Wounded Before the Mob Dispersed.
speo,al to the rndianapoli. Journ.l.

Special to the Indianapolis Journsl
HOMESTEAD, Pa. Nov. 13.-The period of
comparative quietness which has prevailed
in Homestead since the militia left died
out to-day. and the pent-up feelings of the
strikers broke out afresh ina riot In which
at least fifty shots were fired bnt no person
was killed. though a score were hit by flying
bullets A party of seven colored non union
men were On their way to their boarding
house about 4:45 o'clock this afternoon,
when q man, supposed to be q striker. at
tackled two of the negroes. Charles Carroll
and Fred Lewis. Lewis was knocked down.
This was signal for large crowd to
gather at the scene of trouble. Lewis's
companion came TO his rescue. and terri
bleriot took place between the colored men
on one side. and the crowd, supposed to be
all strikers, on the other.
The two sides fought desperately and
fired their revoIvers and slashed each other
with knives 0t close quarters for several
minutes, when the negroes made dash
through the crowd for their boarding
house. They were followed by the hooting.
bloodthirsty crowd, which by this time
Guiding many women and children. The
crowd fired and threw stones at the fleeing
negroes, and they in turn returned the fire
on the crowd, and how so many escaped in
slant death is q wonder.
When the colored men reached their
house they ran in and barred the door. In
q minute the house was surrounded by an
Infatuated crowd, who soon tore down the
fence and shattered every window with
stones. When the deputies arrived some
persons were suggesting that they leave
the house and some began to yell: Lets
lynch the niger black sheep"
This was taken up. and the cries OF
Hang them were heard on all sides. The
officers went in to arrest the colored men
and found them huddled in one room. terri-
fled and expecting to be killed. One man,
however. was not afraid and said he would
be the first to leave. AS he was taken out
a woman hit him with frying pan, cut
ting his head. The deputiet. tried in VAIN
the man to the lookup, but he was hit sew
eral times. Stones were also hurled and
Deputy Montgomery was struck. The otii-
GERS then drew their revOlvers AMI an
nounced that if any more stones were
thrown they would have to open fire. A
Slav threw o rocklwhich crashed through
window. He was arrested. but the
authorities seemed powerless. for by this
time over two thousand persons were gath
cred. Several other colored men were
About this time another alarming report
was circulated through the crowd. 1t was
10 the effect that the colored nOn-unionists
living on 'Shapty" hill, hearing of the as
saulr upon their colOred brethren, were
about TO come down to rescue them. Over
hfty OF the eolored men were ready TO make
an onslaught ut n moments notice and the
coal and iron police had much difficulty in
restraining them. Marion Conrad, another
DOn-urlOnlst, owns house above Ann
street. ION Fourth avenue. During the
shooting q large crowd gathered in front
of his house. and when no appeared, began
to threaten him. Conrad is sworn In as n
deputy sheriff, and he stood in his door
with revolver in either hand and said he
would shoot the first man who entered the
gate. Several deputies then arrived, thus
keeping the crowd back for an hour. when
it dispersed. After all the colored men ad
been removed from the clearinghouse the
excitement subsidized rapidly.
Peter McFaden. who first engaged the
coiored men in the fight. was shot through
the left arm and cut OF the head. James
Jones. bis friend, who came to his assist
ance in the attack. had narrow escape
from death. He had clinched with one of
the colored men and struck him. AS he did
so the negro showed his revolver In his as
sailant's face and fired. The ball struck
Jones on the forehead above the eyes and
glanced off, cutting bloody furrow over
the left eye. Jones and McFadden were
arrested tonight. Mrs. Jones attempted &c
shield her husband and attacked the
officers. but was withheld.
OF the eleven colOred men locked M
seven have cuts on their heads where they
were struck with missiles or clubs. John
+ Lewis and Baxter Ford were so badly
beaten that physician was summoned To
dress their wounds. Tonight guards are
on duty at the lookup and non-up ion
boarding houses to prevent any attack.