Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-02-29
RIOTING AT HOME.
A Wild Day at the Capital of
the Hoosier State.
E0BS DEFY THE CITY AUTHORITIES

Many Heads Broken and the Police
houghiy Handled-Attempts to Run
the Street Cars Prove FutiIe-A Heavy
Force of Special Policemen Called Out,
and Notice Given That the Law Must
Prevail If 1t Is Necessary to Call on
the State-An Appeal to Chicago.
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 29-Yesterday was
a busy day for the authorities and for the
representatives of organized labor, and it
is generally believed that a decisive battle
will result from any attempt to start street
cars. Last night fully 1000 representative
citizens of indianapolis were ordered to re-
port for duty at 10 o'clock this morning.
The men thus summoned and expected to
act as special officers represent the bust
ness interests of the city and belong to the
very best class of citizens.
The Militia a Dernier Resort.
Mayor sullivan addressed the advisory
committee of the Brotherhood of Street
Car Men, saying that the strikers were
arraying themselves against the law; that
if the city was beaten in the struggle the
state would be called upon and in the en-
the law must prevail Eighty-five persons
are now under arrest, and it is deemed
best to decide these cases and punish the
offenders by sending them to the work
house. The labor organizations through
out the city are taking an unusual inter
est in the strike and are unit in support
ing the strikers.
The RiOting on Saturday.
The rioting on Saturday was very fierce
and bloody. The mayor had insisted,
before giving police protection, that the
railway company must demonstrate that
1t could run the business without the
strikers, or in other words that it had
enough new men. This the company did
Saturday, and preparations were made for
a struggle, which came off in due time
several of them, in fact The mayor sent
police to several of the stables to prevent
strikers from interfering with the running
of cars. He himself addressed the men.
telling them that he was their friend; that
he had refrained from taking this step as
long as he justifiably could. and he hoped
they would not make trouble for them
selves and him by breaking the law.
The Speech Had No Effect.
Bat he might as well have talked TO the
winds. The attempt to start the cars was
concentrated on horse cars. The first mob
demonstration was made against a car that
had got to the Grand Opera house unmo-
Tested. Here desperate encounter oc-
CURED with the police, and when it reached
Washington street the main thorOughfare
the mob had increased in numbers from
100 to 1000. Slowly it made its way a few
squares farther. where at least 5000 people
had gathered. Prominent among its mem
pers was bury negro, who was foremost
IN trying TO stop the car. The officers laid
hold of him To place him under arrest
With maddening yell the crowd sprang
upon the officers, and the negro was
wrenched from their grasp
Charge Into the HowIing Mob.
Police Superintendent Colbert headed a
detail for his recapture. They waded into
the crowd, moving right and left with
their clubs. Crashl and a big, heavy
board, welded by one of the crowd, de-
scended upon the superintendent head
Another crash, and Captain Dawson was
nearly felled to the ground by brick,
which struck him on the head, being
thrown from an upstairs window. Such
actions as these precluded all possibility
of further leniency. Superintendent Col
bert pulled revolver from each pocket,
and pointed their muzzles into the faces
OF the surging mass of people. Slowly
the crowd parted, and the negro was re-
captured.