The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-18
NEW YORK'S SLABOR RIOT
Unemployed Workmen Take For
chile Possession of q Hall.
SERIOUS CONFLICTS WITH POLICE

been predicting for some time, as result
Of the large number of mon ont Of en-
ployment, occurred here yesterday. A
crowd of more than 5000 men attacked
Walhalla hall, on Orchard street, because
Rdmittance was denied them. They
smashed the plate glass windows into
atoms, forced in the door which had been
turned against them, and forclbly took
possession of the place
Several person were cut by the flying
glass. All sorts of missiles were used,
and finally the police reserves from FL
drdge street station were ordered to the
scene. and succeeded in partially dislodg-
Ing the crowd. Three of the leaders were
arrested.
Those forming the crowd were mostly
Hebrews, and represented principally the
clothing trades. There were cutters, gar
ment makers, hat makers and cloak
makers.
Word of the coming of the unemployed
had reached Walhalla hall ahead Of the
crowd and in the absence of Fliegman,
the proprietor, his sons aud daughters got
ready to defend the place They first
barred the door and then demanded
through the keyhole to know what the
crowd wanted. The reply came back that
they wanted to hold meeting in the hall,
but had no money to pay for its use. They
were told they could not have It, Instantly
there was 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 catl-
tion to the winds. Pane after pane of the
plate glass went in, and finally the door
was also fortsd. Mr. F'liegman's daugh-
ter, young girl Of ls years, tried to ret
In front Of the 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 10 business
when word of the affair was sent to the
Eldridge street police station. The ser
geant in charge at once called out the re-
serve section. The reserves, numbering
about fourteen men, with Roundsman
6(Colton at their head, started on u double
quick for the scene of the disturbance
1t was then that pandemonium broke
loose. The sons aud daughters of the pro-
prietor Of the hall Insisted that every one
OF the unemployed men be arrested at
once The roundsman saw that this was
impossible, as the hall was black with
men. The roundsman, however. asked if
they wanted the hall cleared. On getting
an affirmative reply he proceeded to do it.
One OF the ward detectives was by his side
and he at once tried to seize man who
had mounted chair and was in the act OF
speaking.
The speaker was dragged through the
crowd and with policeman on either side
was marched to the station house. One
half the crowd followed while the others
remained, determined to hold the meeting
any how.
The roundsman said he would clear the
hall at any cost, and more policemen were
sent for. Then he changed his mind for
the moment by leaving the hall to take
care of itself and directed his men to clear
the streets, which were fast getting choked
IN the vicinity. .
Then word was sent to Captain Deyery,
and the captain came in person. bringing
with him forty officers He went ut once
to the hall, where the turbulent ones were
still tdfing their grievances, everybody
speaking at once
Captain Dcvcry ordered them out. Then
scene of wild confusion followed. The
men were so euraged at the proprietor that
they began TO wreck the place Chairs
were hurled at the windows; gas fixtures
We're pulled down and glass partition in
the rear room was smashed. At least n
dozen men mounted n handsome piano in
the cc'ner and jumped on the lid until il
wes ruined The mob surged from one
snd to another seeking an egress. The po-
lice could not all force their way in n t
first Forming themselves into batter
ing ram they rushed ut the locked DOORS
The doors were torn from their hinges
and the crowd swept through the bar
room out into the street
The men lost their heads completely and
were panic stricken. Those in the rear
were kicked out by the police. The hall is
wreck. The floor Ia covered with broken
chairs and other debris. The proprietor
estimates the damage at several thousand
dollars
The police drove the crowd up to Grand
street. Adrian Tire, "a years old, of c.
Riyington street. refused to move when
Officer Mctibney ordered him to. He
picked up n bale stick and dented the
officers hat. Officer Fitzgerald came to the
rescue and was knocked down by dozen
Hebrews. They beat and kicked tie officer
Before they could do him serious harm the
ctherpolcc rushed to his assistance The
men fled west on Grand street
From out the side streets poured host
oil other Hebrews. They seemed to spring
up from the earth. The women shopping
In Grand street ran into the stores The
Hebrews fired missiles of every descrp-
tion at the police Captain Deycry was
nearly struck by flying brick. The po-
lice arrested the ringlcaders and the rest
ned in every direction,
the ,neR when put in the cell hcY!ed
and cursed. The news of the trouble hay
ing spread all over the city. vast crowds
collected about the scene OF the trouble
They were kept ont of Orchard street by a
Gordon Of police Tho reserves Of five pre-
cincts were called out. When they ar
rived on the scene the crowds were over
awed by their numbers. Several arrests
were made for disordcrly conduct.
. The prisoners were brought to the FL.
Z dridge street police station. They were
entered on the blotter as: Albert Rosen.
fel1- tailor; Joseph Gold, tailor; Abraham
Simon, tailor; Meyer Lichenslein, cutter
Harris Snyder, eXpressmHn William p
Cline, clerk; Adrian Tire, cutter; solomon
Marcus peddlcr; Herman Bolinsky, oper
ator; Leon Barsenstock, tailor; Louis Ort
field, cutter; Herman Dreyer cutter
Rosenfeld had been pointed out by Pro-
prietor Fleigman as having led the attack
on his place, and Gold and Simon wer,
named as his most active leutenants
- These three were arrested at the first out
I break The trio were arraigncd befors
! Justice Voorhees,, in the Essex Market
court, hut Manager Fliegman refused tt
make complaint.
FlicgmGn said that the men would boy
cot him ii he pressed the complaint, and he
preferred standing the damage to losing
their custom. fliegman was also afraid
that prosecution would involve serious
injury or death to himself There was
nothing else for Justice Voorhees, tc do but
discharge The prisoners. He took occasion,
however, to denounce the manager for his
cowardice.
While this scene was being enacted In
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