The Bottineau pioneer., 1893-04-22
BAD DAY in BELGIUM
STRIKERS AND SOLDIERS COME
TOGETHER.
Four Strikers Killed and Many
Are Wounded In a Fight
With Soldiers at Mons
--Beginning to Look
Serious.
More Blood Shed.

Brussels, April 18.-At Mons to-day
the strikers indulged in all manner OF
threats against the government, and as
the day wore on they became emboldened
and determined to take possession OF
the town for a labor procession When
the mob attempted to march through the
streets thew were met by strong de-
tachment of the civic guard. No atten-
ton was paid to the order to disperse.
Hooting and yelling. they attempted to
march on, and notified the guards to fire
upon them. The guard fired upon the
crowd, but this did not effect their dis
persal. On the contrary, it only infuri-
ated them, and q 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 thor
oughfare. The battle was long and bit
terly contested, but finally the guard
were victorious. It is known that four
of the miners were killed. Many of the
rioters were wounded and a number
were taken to the hospital. 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 adjacent min
ing villages are f1ocking into Mons, and
the authorities are anxiously awaiting
the events of the night. Mons is the
center of the great Borinage coal min
ing district. Three -fourths of all the
miners in Belgium are employed in this
district
To-da, thousand of the dock laborers
in nfx iniY tho nil
Many of the men in loading and discharg-
ing vessels and in other work about the
wharves did not quit work, in obedience
to the order of the men engineering the
strike. This infamed the strikers, who
to-day made an attack on the workers.
The latter made weak attempt to de-
fend themselves, but they would, in all
probability, have been driven away had
it not been for the gendarmes, who took
hand in the affray. The strikers were
armed with revolvers, and used them.
The gendarmes, who also had firearms,
were quick to respond, and it is thought
that several strikers were wounded. A
number of ringleaders among the strikers
were captured. The feeling of unrest
continues to spread. There is no deny
ing the fact that the crisis is acute. Tx
cited meetings in favor of universal sui
frage are being held throughout the
country. Every where impassioned ap-
peals are made to those who live by toll
to join the great demonstration now IN
progress. In the Cj.arleroi district,
where 10000 miners are employed, work
in the mines may be said to be at
standstill, for 10000 of the miners have
quit work and are riotous. Most of these
miners are miserably poor, and they ana
their families are bol&d to suffer. The
cotton, yarn, lace, linen and woolen
mills and factories in. Grammont, IN
East Flanders, are affected by tne
atives in these industries having joined
in the strike movement. Some of the
more enthusiastic and hot-blooded
strikers at Grammont assembled in the
Cafe Hollandaise at that place and held
an impromptu meeting, at which fiery
speeches were made by some of the
leaders. The gendarmes attempted to
break up the meeting, but met with stout
resistance. The fight was transferred to
the street, and though the gendarmes
had the advantage of arms and dlsci-
pline, the strikers struggled desperately,
and were only dispersed after long con-
test, and after two of the .gendarmes
and large number of the rioters were
I seriously wounded.
In the fight between the workingmen
and civic guard in the streets of Mons,
to-day, fourteen soldiers We're wounded.
Three will not recover. They were re-
moved to the hospital where their ante
mortem statements were taken tor the
public prosecutor.
Dispatches from Antwerp this evening
show that the situation in that city has
grown more threatening since noon. The
strikers had gathered repeatedly in large
crowds throughout the northern district
before 3 o'clock. A squadron of police
riding with drawn swords against the
workingmen were overwhelmed with
showers of stones and timbers. The
police retreated in confusion. While the
reserves were being summoned the strik-
ers threw up barricades in the side
streets, women and children fastened
from the houses with firearms.
Another squadron of police supported by
a detachment of the civic guard tried
half an hour later to drive back the mob.
They were met with volleys from the re-
volvers and rifles of the men behind the
barricades. Many of the soldiers were
wounded and removed to the hospitals.
More of the guards were summoned and
after ten charges carried the barricades.
The strikers :etreated, firing. Crowds
are still gathering in the northern district
this evening, and more fighting is ex-
pected. The concert halls of the city are
empty. Several theaters are closed. The
petroleum reservoirs are guarded by
militia.