Ameryka. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1893-1902, 1893-09-02
AMRRYKA's EXPOSE.
DETROIT POLICE RIOT.

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many thousands of families through
out this country, that are in crying
need of the very necessaries of life
required to keep soul and body to-
gether. The brave and sturdy fathers
and sons have but strong hearts and
willing hands to tide them over these
turbulent times. But now they yield
nought but pain and anguish for
cruel aud sorrow-givipg idleness is
their lot.
This condition of affairs exists in
our sister city of Detroit. The Eve''-
ina Ne,os of that city, On the 25th of
last month, contained these blood
curdling headlines:
Clubs Used
By the Police in Quelling
A Riot.
Polish Laborers Make Demand
for Work
And Try to Drive Other Men
From Their Jobs.
The Mob Dispersed and Five OF
the Rioters Arrested.
We are told that,
A crowd of Polish laborers clamoring
for work again filled the corridor approach
ing the offices of the public works depart
ment in the city hall this morning. They
made no disturbance, not even loud talk,
md within an hour all had disappeared
The board had no work for any OF them
But at 10 o'clock a crowd of the unem-
ploved attempted to force the laborers en-
nloved on the Grand River avenue paving
contract to quit work so they could 60 to
work themselves. A squad OF policemen
under Sergt Noble came over from police
Headquarters 10 protect the men who were
working. The mob made demonstration
with their shoves, and Sergt. Noble drew
his revolver and drove them back to the
sidewalk.
We are also informed that the
crowd outnumbered the police III
to l.
1t is not the purpose of AMERYKA
to speak of the provocations that led
to this outbreak on the part OF a lot
of hungry, idle heads of homes' who
would rather die than to see wives
and children starve in the midst OF
plenty; nor anything in justification
of such demonstrations. But judging
from the reports and from the fact:
as they are, we must arraign the De-
troit police as partner in the crime
committed. The crowd had not gath
cred as a mob, but as seekers to-
work. The police came and drew
their clubs and revolvers, and thu
dispersed the crowl. The police hat
no business to draw their revolver
at the stage of proceedings the.
did, unless they desired a publi
fight and consequent bloodshed. Ha'
the large crowd-outnumbering tn
police 10 to 1-been as eager for
fray as the squad of police befor
them, all the police in Detroit coul
not have dispersed it. The truth
whatever trouble the affair culmina
ted in, was wrought by the poor dis
cipline AMI indiscretion of the pc
licemen put in charge. We hav
heard considerable of the disintegrs
ton of the Detroit police force, an
certainly this last affair must resolv
every doubt and against it.
To the Chief of Police of that cit
we commend the heroic action of o,
lamented Gen. J.B. Steedman: Tho'
sands of men had been on strik
They were hungry, but in earnest
their holding out. One fateful morr
ing, it had been reported, violent
was to have been resorted to. II
gallant General, humane man hin
self, talked to them and reasorne
with them, and in ten minute
changed the wild cries of blood in
whisperings Of humanity. Had T
volvers been drawn the extent Of tt
result is hard to describe.
School vacation ended.