The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-14
WOMEN IN THE STRIKE
SEX IMMUNITY AND THEY
WILEY ABUSE PEACE OFFICERS.
Little Children. Also. Are pcinS
Taught to Commit Acts of NioIeacc
Some of the Methods Employ I'd.
Chicago Tribune.

III 4 VI III Ou SODS IunS- VI
must work and women must weep" But
suppose the men won't work. Still women
must weep. though many are just now
showing that they can quit their part Of
the program and join the strike.
What a varied part has woman been play
my in the terrible scenes of the last week!
Here and there. everywhere. over the vast
network of railroads of Chicago, have gath
cred the lawless mobs. Strikers" riot
ers.' 'lawless fends'' they have been
called; but in all this the terrible words
have been aimed only at men. Can it be
that they have fallen upon the heads Of
women? Look more closely among all these
surging masses. Yes. more's the pity, look
in the front rank of all this lawlessness:
a fiutter of skirts is there: high, shrill
voices. not from the threats of men. rise
above the deeper roar of baff1ed rage.
With the keys of their houses of discon-
tent hung upon their wrists and their babies
on their arms or hanging to their skirts the
women Of the great strike follow down the
tracks in the steps of their husbands,
guided by the yells and shouts to the
scenes of action. Where great networks of
tracks cross each other at right angles near
a quiet round house a cattle train is stand
ing. The engine Kisses threateningly, but
moves not The crowd jeers and looks
proudly down the tracks to where freight
cars are lying on their sides barring the
way. Soldiers OF the United States army
with glistening bayonets sit on the pilot of
the engine. Others are on the tender and
patrolllng regularly up and dow the sides.
while at each cars end and on each side
a soldier stands to guard the coupling pins.
Police officers are stationed on the tops Of
every car. And from within the cattle low
and call in restless anxiety. Still the en-
gine Kisses threateningly, still the crowd
jeers.
WOMEN TO THE FORE.
The women climb on knobs of ground, on
cinder heaps and piles of rock. on every
vantage point, TO peer over the seething
mass of men. Gradually they push their
way into the throng. and their heads. COW
cred with blue checked aprons or draped
in black shawls, give a strange setting TO
the stern, hard faces beneath. Many girls,
with uncovered heads in all stages of frow-
siness, are soon in the front lines. Gaining
courage from the patience of the patrolling
boys in blue, these women OF the strike
shrek their maddening taunts and are wild
ly cheered by the crowd. They press near
er. Now something peers, wild-eyed and
excited, from maternal arms and the folds
of maternal skirts. Children are here; even
babes must go to swell a bowling mob.
The women go beyond the guard line and
meet the order to go back with swift, harsh
words and curses of defiance.
Then comes the shriil little pipe from the
And the mass applauds. Still the train
does not move.
The cavalry goes forward to the obstruc-
tions. but its arrival produces no effect upon
the recumbent cars, and the troopers return
amid the hoarse. triumphant cries of the
mob that follows. Farther down the track
an incoming train has slackened speed I'm
the press of the multitude. Instantly IL is
surrounded. and engineer and fireman are
dra UOad from their nlQ0aG TNritr pnnha M ~ralg
and cries from men, women and children
rend the air: A woman, white with wild
excitement, lends her handkerchief. 1t is
run up on a stick; a man climbs upon the
pilot, and. amid deafening cheers and shouts
of laughter. the flag of surrender is fast
ened to the headlight of the engine. The
crowd thickens fast and becomes more un-
wieldly. The patrol is brisker over the
tracks, and the restraining pressure of a
But. holding their babies close for shields.
the women still break past the patrol lines
children follow, and when a soldier heads
them off the crowd cry tauntingly:
Shoot a kid. will you? Shoot a kid
And one man airs his NEUROLOGICAL lore
in. crying. You're a hero, YOU are. /
think see your name engraved in the
calendar of Mars"
CHILDREN IN RIOTERS RANKS.
The children are STEPPED with the poison
Gus spirit of insurrection. Each demon
stration of it is cheered TO the echo by the
mass OF kindred souls. From down the
tracks wild shrieks and yells come nearer
and nearer. Then a stolen handcar comes
in view loaded with these little heirs of
| promise. waving flags and yelling derisive
epithets and curses. The cruel features
of their mothers and grand DANES light up
with a savage delight; and not TO be out
done by their offspring they add their vol
ley OF curses - ne boys in blue and their
hearty praise - .ie wee rioters
An aged crone with struggling locks CT
| white hobbies through the line and vents
her wrath upon the guard in a string OF
black. ugly worda- Respect for the aged
is a sentiment rooted well in the heart of
every American man. and this only IL is
that makes the deputy rest his hand in
frmness upon her shoulder as he urges
her back. In another center of excitement
the cavalry ranges across the track in ad-
vance o. a train that is hurriedly made
up and the infantry forms In the space be-
tween, driving all trespassers from the
line.
A building close beside the tracks is
shingled with excited small boys. Bayo-
cause them to tumble quickly or, slid
ing down the eavesspouts and disappear
ing in space. One ragged brown cap comes
roof is cleared and an urchin finally
perches himself hesitatingly on the edge,
ready TO slide out OF sight at the first in
down an empty car on The side track has
an irreguiar. mottled fringe about the
little legs. white little legs. Children
creep in back OF the lines and appear on
the tracks with shouts o, derision copied
line from the soldiers and policemen put
them to light. The bugle sounds. There
is a feeble shout OF bravado from beneath
drops out of sight. And the train pulls
out.
their children the fendish work Of firing