Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-26
COXEY'S CHILLY MARCH
The Army of Peace Goes Into
Camp In a Snowstorm.
MANY TRAMPs ARE IN THE RANKS
Less Than One Hundred Leave the Tusca
rawas Camp For Washington, but Coxey
Is HopefuI-Rumor That the Command.
er-in-chief Intends to Travel by Rail.

Less Than One Hundred Leave the Tusca
rawas Camp For Washington, but Coxey
| Is HOpefuI-Rumor That the Command
| er-in-chief Intends to Travel by Rail.
| CANTON, o.. March 26-In the face of a
| sharp, cold wind that brought shivers tC
the frames of we'll clad people Coxey's
army marched eight miles on the road tC
Washington. There were few less than
100 of them. Not to exceed 4 dozen had
overcoats or gloves. They had slept on pal,
lets of strsw in the airy and cheerless cir
Gus tent, and they were greeted by the dis
| agreeable discovery that no detailed ar,
rangements had been made for feeding
| them.
Several hundred persons watched theil
| departure from Massillon. About 5000
persons assem- bled at the temporary camp
at Reedurban, and a host greeted the cru
saders at Canton. Last night they rested
at Camp Lexington, in the eastern part of
Canton. a heavy snOwstorm set in before
the details of the camp had been complet-
ed, and the trampers are huddled around
roaring campfires.
About two-thirds of the men enlisted
made the trip. Coxey has buried his dis
appointment at the nonappearance of the
myriads he expected and is exultant over
the handful who reported for business.
Hobos In the Camp.
The Massillon camp on the Tuscarawas
presented an odd sight early in the morn
ing. No tirewds permitted in the big tent,
but there was a heap of blazing logs out
side. Every few moments the flaps of the
tent were parted by soldier of the com
monweal, who visited the fire to drive
away the chills. Soon he would hurry
back to burrow in the straw for another
nap, and others would take his place. The
hobos in the party became known just be-
fore breakfast They had soap. Some of
them washed at the river brink. and others
carried water in pans and heated it over
the fire. They burned straw and frolicked
about like troop of boys
\ bugle call to breakfast brought them
together at the tent with ru Sh. The bill
of fare comprised bread, coffee and raw
meat. The latter was affixed to the end of
pointed sticks and roasted over the fire
One group of five ran away in body after
breakfast and boarded II passing freight
train. Thirty of the commonwealers spent
the night as dodgers at the MaSsillon police
station. They comprised two -ntire groups
who could not be found when they were
needed for picket duty. They were on hand
for breakfast.
When Marshal Louis Smith. otherwise
the Il Unknown. summoned the men to
camp together, they were found to num-
Der II groups. They were organized into
a commune. Smith drilled them on the
meadows for half an hour. He has added
several formalities of military discipline
to the rules of the commonweal. One of
them is the plan of having them march in
files of two, and a more surprising innova-
ton is the adoption of military Salutes
A man who shouted, Here, BROWNIE at
the California reformer half way across
the field was given raking over by
Smith
The Chicago Commune.
Among other things he said that the
proper caper was to ask for Chief Marshal
Carl Browne and salute when his atten-
ton is secured. Thus the despised mill
tary system is being introduced, even
though companies are called communes
and regiments communities The II groups
are called the Chicago commune. Two
hours before the time for departure the
tents were pulled down and preparations
made for the trip. Outsiders were directed
to leave the field and await the common
veal on the main streets of the town.
Camp wagons and saddle horses were
brought in from COxiana, and the soldiers
had busy time of it. 4 diversion was
caused by a bulletin from CoXiana an
nouncing that a steamer loaded with re
cruits had just passed that point from Can
ton. The steamer made the trip of nine
miles in 2ls hours, but only few men