St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-21
RIOT OF The UNEMPLOYED.
THE GERMAN AFFAIR CAUSED BY P0-
LICE BRUTALfTY,
HEvcusrAG TO 1NvEsTIGATE

Socialists Denounce the Unpro.
voked Ferocity of the 20
ESHce and the Manner in When
They Chased and dubbed Peo-
ple-Anarchists Say the Affair
Will Bring Them Results.
GCopyright, 1894 by the Associated fress'
BERLIN, Jan. 2O.-The comparatively
insignificant riot near Frledrichsheln
on Thursday morning has been magnl-
fled. lowing to the brutality of the police.
into an important affair. when VIII
probably be brought up in the relchs-
tag and lead to very bitter debate
The socialists, and even the better
class of workmen, are greatly eXcltea
at the apparently cruel manner III when
the meeting at Llpps brewery was ois-
persed by the police, who, moreover, are
accused of pertidy in the ruae said TO
have been employed i'll order to convert
what was originally a legal into an
illegal meeting.
According to the law, people intend
ing to hold public meeting must notify
the police of such intention at least
twentv-four hours previous to the time
fixed upon for the assembly or the
persons called together. If this Is carried
out and the police conclude oallow the
meeting to be held, the organizer OF the
meeting receives a written acknowledge
ment of this faci from the police. Tnls
acknowledgment or receipt must De
shown to the police officer detailed 10
watch the meeting, otherwise the
meeting is not allowed TO be held.
In the present case Rodrian. an an
archist metal worker, sent the proper
notification to the police, saying that
meeting of
UNEMPLOYED WORKMEN
was 10 be held at the place Indicated,
and received in return the official mott
fication that the police had decided that
the meeting could be held. But, while
Ell route to the meeting. Rodrian was ar
rested by policeman, with the receipt
in his possession, aud was taken to the
notice depot before he could communi-
cate with his friends. AS a result, the
receipt could not be presented to the
police officer detailed to watch the pro-
ceedIngs at the meeting, and that othcer
had no course left, it is said, but TO or
der the meeting to dISperSe, on the
ground that it was illegal, as no receipt
Of the notification that it was TO be helo
had been presented to him.
On the other hand, the socialists and
others contend that the arrest of Rod
rian was a deliberate plot, planned Ill
order to prevent the meeting, which, 1t
is claimed, the police feared might re-
suit in riots similar to those which
stirred Berlin in the most alarming
state in February. 1892. 1t is also as
serted that the police had received IN
formation to the effect that serious an
Rrchist disturbances were to be appre-
hended if the meeting was held, and
that this melted the authorities to take
unusual precautions to prevent any
chance of disorder. Finally, it is as
serted by the socialists and others that
the arrogant behavior Of the police was
the direct cause of the trouble.
The wOrkmPp who were present i'll
order to attend the unemployed demon
stration say that on receiving the order
to dispense the people left the hall
quietly, but the number of people pres
ent necessitated slow movement. which
the over-Zealous officers interpreted as
meaning dIsobedIence to the orders of
with resorted TO force, and within few
minutes several stubborn conflicts be-
tween the workmen and police were
proceeding.
When the officers ordered a general
attack the police, mounted and on foot,
especially the former. Immediately cut
INTO the multitude, slashing right and
left with the fiat of their sabers, while
the detectives, who were also present
In strong force, used their rubber clubs
vigorously.
The crowd, though naturally highly
angered by this apparently unjustifed
attack, made no organized resistance,
but simply fed from the scene OF the
disturbance as fast as possible, followed
by the police, who seemed to have
furiouslY dubbed the innocent specta-
tors of the neighborhood as well as at.
lacking the workmen with equal
ferocity. This clubbing and pursuit OF
the people in the vicinity appears to
have been kept up for an unreasonable
time, the police actually pursuing Deo-
pie into their houses and beating them,
apparently unrestrained by their off.
GERS for at least half an hour, during
which time the people of the neighbor-
hood hastily closed and barrlcaded
their shops and houses and sought
refuge i'll the cellars from the
BRUTALITY OF THE POLICE.
If the stories of workmen present are
to be believed, nothing has before been
seen III this city to equal the unpro-
voked ferocity of the police and the
furious manner in which they chased
and dubbed people about the neighbor.
hood
They are said to have dragged terri.
fed Workmen from beneath beds auo
fl1,-t Of n
to have heartIeSSlY shoWered blows
upon them until the unfortunate rul-
employed men sank helplessly at theil
feet. Men and women, old and young
all seemed to have suffered from TIT
fury of the police officials. In any case
the whole affair was over in half al
hour, and the unemployed workingmel
were completely scattered and th
whole quarter became tranquil, eXcep
SO far as the presence of the polio
was concerned.
The socialist labor organs have nc
been slow to take advantage Of thi
brutality upon the part of the police
and they are now making a consider
able amount of capital out of it. The OF
gans referred to loudly demand mos
strict inquiry into the So-caled 'polic
sayagery." and urge upon the workme
not to allow themselves to be provoke
by the police. whom the socialist new:
papers accuse of desiring to fermer
disorder in order to cow the workme
Still more by ruthless repression.
1t is announced today that the social
Isl deputies introduced the question int
the reichStag regarding the distress
the unemployed. and intend to b1in
about full discussion of the conduC
OF the police at the recent public meet
ings. during which, it is said, facts wi
be presented which will tend to sho
that the police have undoubtedly bee
engaged in systematic effort 10 eau:
disturbance among the workmen
order that they might have the oppo
tunIty of teaching them lesson"
In addition, five important publ
meetings of woIkmcn and others hay
been called and each will be addresse
by socialist deputy, who will repo
on the result of the meeting, and Il