The morning call., 1893-04-15
A KING IN A PANIC.
Troops Called Out to Quell the
BelgianS.
Still the Rioting Goes Bravely On, and
1t May Yet Win Universal
Suffrage.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

BRUSSELS, April 14-The authorities are
taking vigorous measures to prevent the
continuation OF disturbances growing out of
universal suffrage agitation. The Burgo-
master of Brussels has issued decree pro-
hibiting the holding of any procession or
any public assembl blage, under severe penal
ties. The socialist leader Voderts will be
made an example Of The authorities know
Voiderts is responsible for all the disturb
ance and was a ringleader in the rioting.
The Garde Civile pstrnlled the streets during
the night with the object Of suppressing any
movement toward an outbreak.
Despite the orders of the authorities the
disorderly demonstrations were renewed
to-day. Strikers paraded the streets and
twice came into conflict with the police.
The strikers threw stones and bottles at
the police and resisted orders to disperse.
Several persons were hurt. The strike is
gaining ground in the district of Mons. in
the province OF Hainaut, and more trouble
is fermenting there.
A battalion of infantry has been sent to
the town of Dour, nine miles from Mons,
where there is a disposition to violence At
Qaaregnon. four miles from Mons, the
strikers are again violent, and at Washes,
six miles from Mons, and Patursges. four
miles from Mons, the situation has already
assumed a dangerous aspect.
The strikers have been paradng the
streets, armed with picks and spades. and
have attacked and plundered number OF
houses and wrecked the works of O COL
lieTy.
As their numbers have Increased they
1avs grown more violent and aggressive.
At the latest adyices they were threaten.
t1tx - ants eb,y 49, l.
vent the news of their depredations and
outrages from being carried at once to the
authorities. The greatest anxiety prevails.
At meeting to-day of aeommttee of the
Chamber of Representatives, appointed to
prepare n revision OF the constitution, JAN
sen and Feron announced that they and
forty other members of the Left would ac-
cede to the scheme of Nyssen. based on the
principle OF plural voting.
This would give the Government which
accepts Nyssen's scheme, n requisite two
thirds majority for carrying the revision of
the constitution In the House, tins solving
the electoral problem. 1t is hoped this
may result in calming the present agitation
in favor of universal suffrage.
The police made an attempt this evening
TO disperse the enormous crowd gathered
outside the Peoples Hall. The crowd re-
sisted stubbornly. and many workingmen
were wounded. Great crowds afterward
gathered in various parts of the city, and
tradesmen became paDicstricken and closed
their shops. Mounted gendarmes made
repeated charges on the crowds. and many
persons were seriously injured. mob in
the Rue Violette extinguisbed the street
lamps, and attacked the police in the dark,
n number of shots being exchanged and
some blood shed. Several newspapers were
compelled to suspend publication because
the compositoIs had Joined the str kers
Most OF the theaters closed their doors. The
entire civic guard was ordered under arms,
and the regular troops were confined TO their
barracks in readiness for any emergency
A feeling of dread prevails everywhere.
Reports of disorders continue to come In
from the provinces. A vertable battle was
fought in Louyain to-day. The gen.
darmes became powerless to cope with the
strikers, and the authorities had to call on
the troops to preserve order.
A dispatch from Liege this evening says
that the strikes there had ended and that
all the mines were now fully manned.
A desperate encounter took place to-day
between strikers and the police at Was
muel. near Mons, and twenty-seyen strikers
were arrested