Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1893-04-19
BELGIAN STRIKES.
THE MOVEMENT FOR SUI
FRaGE SPREADING.

Disturbances in Many Parts of the
Country-Four Persons Killed and
Many injured; in a Fight With Mill
tia at Mous-A Riot at Antwerp.
BRUSSELS, April 17.-The industrial
revolution agairsJ the chamber of depu-
ties is in full progress, and every day
fresh accessions to the ranks are re-
ported. A thousand of the dock labor
ers in Antwerp have joined the move
ment and much excitement prevails at
that port. The strikers at Mons have re-
sorted to the use of dynamite to enforce
their demand for universal suffrage. A
bomb which had been placed close to the
Petit Assines church, exploded with
great violence, shatteTing the stained
glass windows Of the church and doing
other damage. The explosion seems
to have acted as an incentive to the
strikers to commit further outrages.
The strikers filled the drinking places
and INDUCED in all manner of
and as the day wore on became embold-
ened to take possession of the town for
labor procession. The intentions were
known 20 the authorities, who have
many SPIES among the workmen, and
when the mob, singing the "Carmag-
mole" and the '.Marseillaise. attempted
to march through the streets they were
met by strong detachment of the civic
guards. The usual order was given for
the strikers to disperse but no atten-
ton was paid to it by the strikers.
Hooting and yelling, they attempted to
march on, when an order was given for
the civic guard
To Prepare to Fire.
The mob defed the guards to fire upon
them and threw heavy stones, bottles
and other missiles at them. The guard
fired upon the crowd, but this did not
effect their dispersal. On the contrary
it only infuriated them and a charge en-
masse was made upon the guard. A
desperate hand to hand conflict ensued.
The main body of the strikers was
broken up. but groups of struggling
men could be seen in the side streets
leading from the main thoroughfare.
The battle was long and bitterly con-
tested, but finally the civic guards were
victorious. It is known that
Four of the Miners Were Killed,
and several soldiers fatally injured.
Many of the rioters were wounded and
a number were taken to the hospital. It
is thought that the exact number of the
wounded will never be known as some
of them were carried away by their
friends to prevent their falling into the
hands of the authorities. The killing
Of the four strikers has added greatly to
the excitement in the town and there is
danger of d more serious outbreak.
Men and women from the adjacent |
mining villages are focking to Mons
and the authorities are anxiously await |
ing the events Of the night. Mons is |
the center Of the great Borinage coal |
mining district. Three-fourths of the |
miners in Belgium. are employed in
this district.
Fighting at Antwerp.
A dispatch from Antwerp says that |
large crowds have been IN the streets |
since noon. The strikers gathered re-
peatedly in large crowds in the south
ern district. AS often as the police dis
persed them they summoned hundreds |
more to their aid and reassembled.
Shortly after o'clock squadron of
police, riding with drawn swords against
the workingmen, were overwhelmed |
with showers of stones and timbers.
The police retired in confusion. When
another squadron of police, supported
by detachment Of the civic guard,
tried half an hour later to drive back
the mob they were met with volleys
from reyolvers and rifles. Many of the
soldiers were wounded and were re-
moved to the hospitals. The military
were summoned and after two charges
repulsed the strikers. Crowds are still
gathering in the northern district and
more fighting is expected.