Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-18
TOOK IT BY STORM.
Trouble with New York's Unem-
ploYed Laboring Men.
DESTRUCTIVE CHARGE ON A HALL.

Plate Glass FroIr Smashed Because the
Proprietor Insisted on Pay for Its Use
Police Called out and Lively Time
Experienced. Winding Up with Num-
Der of Broken Hcads-A Demand That
Government Provide Work
NV YORK. Aug lS-The success Of the
spontaneous meeting Of the unemployed
and the parade held Wednesday was the
signal FOR a much larger gathering in this
city yesterday. A. early a. 9 o'clock in
the morning men began 70 assemble in
the vicinity OF the international Labor
Exchange, on East Tenth street. They
were mostly Russians and represented
principally the clothing trades. There were
cutters. garment makers, hat makers and
cloak makers in the crowd At 9 o'clock
the crowd, which was without leader Of
any Kind, had grown TO over !. 600 Every
minute added TO the number, and ut $50
at least 100 we're there. When 30 o'clock
arrived he -treet in front Of the exchange
was black with people The large hall
down stairs was literally packed. So
were the stairs and every one Of the little
meeting rooms up stairs
Had No Money for Beer.
Bartenders stood ready in expectation Of
doing rushing business, but not a single
drink was purchased Finally a voice.
cried ont that the place was too small:
even il a meeting was intended it would
be impossible TO hold one for want Of space
The same voice suggested Walhalla hall on
Orchard street, and instant y the cry was
taken mp. 'Walhalla Hall" .'WalhaIla
hal and as if with one impulse the
crowd formed in line, and the mach be-
gun ny Tenth street to FIRST avenue and
along Alien street % Grand. into Orchard.
WHERE WalAaIla hall stood. only a few
doors away. Word Of the coming OF the
unemployed had reached Walhalla hall
ahead Of tie crowd, and in the absence OF
Fielgmau, the proprietor. his sons and
daughters got ready to defend the
place. They first barred the doors and
then demanded through the kevhole TO
know what the crowd wanted
- Were Bound to Haye Uan.
The reply came back that they waited
to hold p meeting in the hall. but had m
money 20 pay FOR its use They were told
that they could HOt have it, Instantly
there was a crash Of breaking glass. Paw
Ing stones had been seized from the street
The moment the first pane Of glass was
smashed every one seemed to throw eau
ton 10 the winds. Pane after pane of the
plate glass went in and finally the door
was also forced. Mr.. Fliegman's daugh-
Ter, Young lady Of is years, tried to get
IN fr'nt Of rhe crowd as it swept in. but
she was thrown aside. The UNEMPLOYED
men swept chairs and tables aside in
their eagerness to hold the meeting and
they had just about settled down to bust
ness when word of the affair was sent to
the Eldridge police station.
Police Appear on the Scene.
The reserves were called out-fourteen
in number-and sent on double-quick to
the scene Of tumult. Fliegman wanted
every man in the crowd arrested, but
finally pointed out three as the rinRlead-
ers, and they were taken in by the officers
and hustled 70 the station without resist
ance by the mob. Then a move was made
10 clear the hall, but this was Abandoned
In order to clear the street in front, which
was done In a measure, and in the mean
time the crowd surged into tue hall until
it was packed, and about this time Fliep-
man concluded that it was better to let
them remain, as they might kill him and
his family if he interfered with them. The
men accordingly held a meeting, at which
all talked at once IN some language that
could not be understood
Advocated Government Relief
Finally the meeting concluded to let one
talk at a time and w. Belkowsty made n
speech which he afterwards translated
for u reporter. The burden of it was that
there ought to be no discrimination against
Russian wOrkingmen, and that thev
ought to be able to apply for work on
equal terms with Americans or those of
any other nationality. What he advo-
Gated was an appeal to the United States
government to furnish them with work.
If there wa, no work to be done the gov
eminent ought to make work for them.
Several other speeches were made de-
nouncIng the government for not giving
the poor people work. All the speeches
were received with bowls of approval that
could lie heard for blocks