Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-23
MINISTER MOBBED.
A Sunday Diversion of Hood
lums at Denver.
FIERCE FIGHT WITH THE RIOTERS.

Has Sequel of Which Broken Heads
Are the F~ature-The Home of the Cler-
gyman who Wanted the Law Observed
Nearly Wrecked and He Barely Escapes
Mob Brutality by Seeking Solitude IN
Horseback
DENVER, Jan. 2S-There was a riot in
Denver last night. Not since the Chinese
riot of 1880, in which four men were killed,
has there been such excitement in the city.
For the past two months Rev. Dean Hart
has agitated the closing of the Sunday
places of amusement. He has been severe
in his criticisms and spared none. The
dean is an Englishman. He is not citi-
zen of the United States. He refuses to
become naturalized, and boasts of it. He
does not read American newspapers, and
hence the managers of the places of amuse-
ment felt indignant. AS he was about the
only minister who made the demand they
refused to close.
Theaters Defy the Law.
Influence was brought TO bear upon the
police board, with the result that the
theaters were notified that if they opened
their doors last night, arrests would follow.
Flaring advertisements appeared in the
newspapers announcing that the doors
would be open last night, and great crowds
assembled. The police appeared, and
players and musicians were arrested. The
Turner hall, Stark's Austro- Hungarian
orchestra at Tabor and Sackett's Wonder
land were compelled to refund admittance
money to their audiences, which filled the
70 40 dc
reached the street some one proposed that
Dean Hart be visited.
And of Course There Was "a Mob.
No sooner was this said than the crowd
was on the march, men and women side by
side. Armed with sticks and stones picked
III on the way and burning with fury the
crowd stopped at the residence at Twenti-
eth and Welton streets. "Into the yardl"
some one shouted. The mob moved against
the fence and it gave way like so much
paper. A murmur was followed by YELL
aud shower of stones was sent through
the windows. The porches were mounted
and in few moments riot was in pro-
gress. The clang of gongs sounded and pa
troll wagons from the first and second di-
vision stations rushed through the crowd.
Desperate Fight With the Police.
Men were knocked down by the horses
mob back ard drove the people out of the
hallway, and after a sharp but desperate
struggle forced the angry men back. Five
hundred persons were in the crowd and
they determined to make another on
slaught. Lieutenant Clay and thirty po-
licemen stood their ground. They fought
the Infatuated men with their clubs, but
were forced back TO the porch and finally
to the hallway. Then, as a last resort,
revolvers were drawn. The clang of gongs
was heard again and wagons hurried
away for reinforcements.
Broken Heads the Fashion
The sight of determined bluecoats, pre-
pared to resist to the last, subdued the
mob. They shrank back, muttering and
cursing the police Many were injured in
the head. Black eyes were numerous, ard
blood from the pounding and scratching
flowed freely When the wagon drove up
women tainted, and the excitement was in
tense. How seriously the members of the
mob were injured cannot be stated for the
police could not make an arrest and the
wounded were taken care of by friends.
Re endorsements soon arrived and the mob
was forced back.
Exit the Dean in a Hurry.
Dean Hart had been advised that the
crowd was coming and had barely time to
escape by means of a convenient back door
and with the aid of a fast horse. Had the
crowd managed to lay hands on him there
is no telling what might have happened,
and it was only when Lieutenat Clay in
formed them that the dean had escaped
that they would retire. And while these
sovereigns were amusing themselves as
narrated in the foregoing the deans
daughter was lying seriously i'll at his