Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-07

eHOTl Oh tue National tube works Il
start its great plant during the strike ha
precipitated rioting, in which full,
5000 men are taking an active part AMI
1900 are at their backs as sympathizers
The rioters are practically in possession
of the upper part Of the town, where til,
great plant is situated.
Three weeks ago the 5000 worker
employed at the works struck In sym
pathy with some boy workers in one @
the butt weld mills. The strike had lont
been contemplated, however, and this
was only the immediate cause. Sine,
the strike was declared no ATTEMPT ha,
been made by the company to start the
works until to-day.
A meeting of the striking tube workers
was held on Monday night at Whites
Opera House. A vote was taken on tho
question of returning TO work. The
Opera House was packed with strikers
and everybody that could crowd in
voted. The vote stood $40 for remain.
ing out and 20S for returning to work.
The butt welders also held meeting,
and eight signifled their intention of re-
turning to work. The company had
announced it would start its works to-
day at the old rates, making no dis
elimination, and the attempt to do this
has precipitated to-day's trouble.
This morning two furnaces, a lap
weld and butt weld furnace, were nut in
operation. About 40 of the old men re-
turned to work, but the news of the re.
turn had no sooner spread over the town
than the usually quiet little city was
completely transformed. The great
crowds that soon were rushing along
the sidewalks were all headed for the
streets on which the mills were situated.
The morning had not far advanced be-
fore the plant was surrounded by q
bowling mob.
When the whistle blew at 10 o'clock
fully 5000 men and boys had congre-
gated about the various entrances to the
mills. The machinists and the men
who took no part in the strike were
allowed to pass unmolested, but finally
three of the strikers who had returned
TO work appeared. Their appearance
was greeted with Kisses and wells. The
workmen attempted to pass through the
crowds, when the foremost man was
struck in the face. This was the signal
Tor the crowd to close in on the others.
Patrolman McCloskey and Superin-
tendent Patterson ran to their rescue
and hurried them back to the mill. By
this time the crowd was thoroughly
wrought up. When the whistle blew at
l2.45 w. IL. Sims, who had been closely
watched all morning and was suspected
OF being a deputy in the employ of the
company, came from the direction of
the mill yard and was set upon by the
crowd. After being frightfully beaten,
he succeeded in breaking through the
crowd, but was chased to the police sta
ton on Fifth avenue, where he took
refuge.
Councilman Henry Watson, who
works at the w. Devices wood mill, on
his way home from work came through
the tube works yard. A crowd of
Hungarians met Watson ON Fourth
avenue, and mistook him for a tube
works employee. Watson was immedi-
ately set upon and was badly beaten
and kicked. Policeman Whye rushed
TO his rescue with drawn revolver, and
fighting his way through the crowd
with his mace, released Watson and
explained who he was.
About dozen men who were working
in the mills came out early in the after
noon and everyone was beaten almost
TO death. A few succeeded in mixing
up in the crowd by coming out Of un-
expected entrances. Where the identity
of those was discovered they were most
brutally handled. AS soon as a man
would appear at the gates great howl
would go up from the mob, and if lie
succeeded in gaining any start on his
pursuers he was chased through the
streets of the town amid shower of
bricks and stones.
The men inside the mill yards were
completely terrorized. Many OF them
seemed anxious to make their way out,
as they feared the fury would increase
the longer they remained inside, The
mob didn't show any signs of giving up
the siege.
Early in the evening several more
tried to make their way through the
crowd, and got more severe treatment
than the victims of the afternoon. As
soon as they left the gates of the mill
yard they were seized and beaten with
clubs, cuffed and kicked. Several of
them were knocked into insensibility at
the very gates of the mill. When they
recovered sufficiently to stagger to their
feet they were cudgelled again, and
finally dragged themselves off like
wounded dogs. When they gained any
headway on their pursuers they would
rush into private houses. ..=.
About 7.30 O'Clock u crowd of strikers
forced an entrance into the mill and got
some workmen out into the yards. These
finally fortified themselves in the gus
house. After considerable parleying
they were induced to come out and
promise they would not return to work
tomorrow. .0.
They came out the rear gate and were
not molested until they reached Fourth
street. A group of Hungarians saw
them coming and, evidently not know
ing that it had been agreed that the men
should go unframed, attacked them.
Knives were drawn and the workmen
We're badly beaten and cut before they
were allowed to go. One made his way
out OF the works and succeeded in
boarding street car on Fourth avenue.
Inc car was Immediately surrounded by
u MOB OF fully 1000. All the passen-
gers jumped off the car and left the
Workmen the only occupants.
The conductor tried to reason with
the crowd, but they would not listen to
NM The trolley was pulled Off, and
When the conductor tried TO set it the
crowd would prevent him. When the
frightened workman came out on the
Platform some one struck him with a
cluo. The car was finally stopped
exactly on the B. 6 0. railroad cross
ing, and the crowd began pushing it
Tue mob certainly would have killed |
Ihe man inside il they could have
reached him, and he was only saved
through ua, the pluck of tho conductor,