The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-18
Several Battles Fought Yesterday. in Which
Police. Soldiers and Rioters We're Engaged
and Men on Both Sides Killed.
Forty.Five Thousand Militiamen Called
0nt to Quell the Insurrection.
lsland Of zante Shaken Again by Earthquakes
Nearly ALI the Buildings Wrecked and
Many Persons Killed and Injured.
RIOTERS SHOT DOWN.


The Civic Guard Forced to Fire on the Dy-
namiters and Socialists of Mons.
BRUssELs. April 1.-THE industrial rev.
olution against the Chamber of Deputies is
in full progress. To-day thousand dock
laborers in Antwerp joined the movement
and much excitement prevails there The
strikers have cut off communication with
the vessels lying at the quays by throwing
their ganaways into the river. They IN
dulgsd in other riotous demonstrations and
became so threatening that the military
had to be called out to preserve order.
The feeling of unrest continues to spread.
There is no denying the fact that the crisis
is acute. Excited meetin es in favor of uni
versal suffrage are being held throughout
the country. Everywher impassloned ap-
peals are made to those who live by toll to
join the great demonstration now in prog
ress.
The government has issued decree call
ing out the militia for the defense of the
State. This means the mobilization of some
5000 troops against the workingmen.
The Governor of the province of Bra bant,
in which this city is situated. has instruct
ed all mayors of cities and towns within
his administrative district that they must
prohibit all public demon strations for uni
versal suffrage.
Extraordinary military measures Will be
adopted to preserve order In this city.
Strong reinforcements of soldiers are ar
irving with every train this evening All
officers have received city map on which
rs marked q neutral zone, from which the
crowds are to be excluded. In this are th 9
Palais National. where Parliament meets.
all the ministerial bureaus and the royal
palace. 1t is reported that the Premier has
proposed to the King that Parliament be
dissolved and n general election be held.
Jahson. the Radical leader in the Chamber,
Is said to have demanded an audience with
the King. The anxiety as to the events of
tomorrow Is intense. The news from
Mons and Antwerp has stricken the more
prosperous classes with panic. There is
general tendency to urge the Deputies to
decide speedily the question of suffrage
and not to be too sparlng Of concessions to
the popular demand.
BLOODY RIOTS AT ANTWERP AND MONS.
The strikers at Mons have resorted to the
use of dynamite to enforce their demands
for universal suffrage. bomb, which had
been placed close to q church. exploded
this morning with great violence shatter-
other damage. The explosion seems 10
have acted as an incentive to the strikers
to commit further outrages. The strikers
filled the drinking places and INDUCED in
all manner of threats against the govern
ment. and as the day wore on became en-
boldened and determined to take possession
of the town for labor procession. The
intentions were known to the authorities,
who have many spies among the workmen,
and when the mob. singing the Gar
ar
tempted TO march through the streets,
they were met by q strong detachment of
the civic guards. The usual order was
given for the strikers to disperse. but no at
tention was paid to il by the strIkers.
Hooting and yelling, they attempted to
march on, when order was given for the
civic guard to prepare to fire. The mob
defed the guards 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 Infatuated them and charge en-
masse was made upon the guard. A des-
perate hand -tO-haDd 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 end
bitterly contested. but finally the civic
guards were victorious. 1t is known that
four OF the miners were killed. Many of
the rioters were wounded and q
number were taken to the hospital. It IS
thought that the exact number of wounded
will never be known. as some of them were
carried sway by their friends to prevent
their falling into the hands of the author
titles. The killing of the four strikers has
added greatly to the excitement in the
town. and there Is danger of more serious
outbreak. Men and women from the ad-
iacent mining villages are flocking into
Mons, and the authorities are anxlously
awaiting the events of the night. Mons is
the center OF the great Borinsge cOal-min-
IN Of
in Belgium are employed in this district.
Later dispatches say that In the fight
between the workiDRmen and civic
guards in the streets of Mons to-
Three will not recover. They were removed
TO the hospital where their ante-mortem
statements were taken for the public prose-
cutor.
Dispatches from Antwerp this evening
show that the situation in that city has
grown more threatening hourly since noon.
A squadron of police riding with drawn
swords against the workingmen were over
whelmed with showers of stones and tim.
bers. The police retired in confusion.
While the reserves were being summoned
the strikers threw up barricades in the
eide streets. women and children FASTENED
from the houses with FIRE arms. When an
other squadron of police, supported by O
detachment of the civic guard. tried an
hour later to drive back the mo they were
met with volleys from the revolvers and
rifles of the men behind the barricades.
Many of the soldiers were wounded and
were removed TO the hospital More mill
tary were summoned. and after two
charges carried the barrIcade. The etrik-
ers rstrested firing. Crowds are still gath
eripg in the northern district this evening,
and more lighting is expected. The con-
cert halls of the city are empty. Several
theaters are closed. The petroleum reser-
voirs are guarded by militia.
Many of the men employed at Antwerp
in loading and discharging vessels and in
other work about the wharves did not Quit
work in obedience to the order of the men
engineering the strike. This inflamed the
strikers. who to-day made an attack on the
workers. The latter made weak attempt
TO defend themselves. but they would In all
probability have been driven away had it
not been for the gendarmes who took q
hand in the affray. The strikers were
armed with revolvers. and used them. The
gendsrmes. who also had firearms were
qnick to respond. and 10 Ia thought that
several strikers were wounded. number
of ringleaders among the strikers were
captured.
In the Charleroi district where thirty
thousand miners are employed. work in the
mines may be said to be at q standstill. for
twenty thousand Of the miners have quit
work and are rioting. Most of the miners
are miserably poor. and they and their
families are bound to suffer. The cotton,
yarn lace. linen and woolen mills and fac
tories in Grammont. in East Flanders. are