The record-union., 1894-07-09
RIoTING AT HAMMOND.
Conflict Between a Mob and Com
pany of United States Troops.


pany of United States Troops.
CHICAGO. July S.-The rioting at Ham
mond, Ind, eliminated this afternoon in
conflict between the mob and company
of the Fifteenth Infantry, U. S. A., in
which William Fleischman was killed,
Victor Vacter wounded, and William
Campbell shot through both legs. A
number of other people were slightly in
jured, but were carried away by their
friends and secreted, and it will be impos-
sible TO learn the exact number wounded.
The trouble began last night. as told in
these dispatches. The rioters kept their
work up all night, burning cars and dis
abling engines. This morning they
burned Pullman car. Most of this
work was done inside the Illinois State
line, and as soon as the Illinois militia
arrived on the scene the mob jeered the
troops.
About o'clock this morning a great
crowd gathered at the Monon depot. Sew
eral freight cars were overturned, and the
Michigan Central tracks blocked. The
Sheriff and deputies were powerless to
restrain the mob, and as there was no
hope of the Indiana militia arriving here
before late this evening, an appeal was
made to the Federal authorities in Chi
cago.
Company B of the Fifteenth Infantry
was sent out at once. Their presence
quieted things for while, and tie block
ade on the tracks was finally raised at
o'clock in the afternoon, and several pas
senger trains pulled through. This
seemed to anger the mob, and with an in
crease of umbers its passions grew to
frenzy. The regulars were greeted with
oaths and shouts OF deriSion, and volleys
of sticks and stones We're showered upon
them. The men stood their ground, how
ever, and kept the mob for several hours
from approaching the buildings. By 3
o'clock fully 5000 rioters were assembled.
They had been aroused by their leaders
to frenzy that made an encounter with
the soldiers certain. Several times they
rushed upon the company of troops, but
were met by fixed bayonetS aud driven
back. At last, however, the entire body
of strikers made determined rush for
the depot.
Make ready! Fret" was the COM
mand. and the thirty-five Springfelds
rang out in response. second volley
quickly followed the surging crowd. The
first volley staggered them, and the sec
ond stopped them as etfectllallv as if they
had run against stone wall. Several
men were seen to fall. but they were taken
away by their comrades, and the extent
of their injuries could not be learned.
Fleischman fell in the front rank of the
strikers. He was taken to a hospital.
where he died in a short time.
In the rush that followed scores of
women and children were trampled un-
der foot, and half dozen women tainted
on the tracks. The soldiers then took up
position on the tracks at Russell street
crossing.
The news of the killing spread with re-
markable rapidity. and ten minutes after
-. 4
with threatening mob. Major Harts left
his company for a few minutes to assist
the firelnen and doctors in placing Vac
tor in the patrol wagon, and was immedi-
ately surrounded by crowd. Kill
him p, "shoot him ~ were the cries Of
several excited men. as the men surged
around the Major. Major Harts, how
ever, did not pay any attention to them
and was not inolested.
The excitement by this time was in
tense. Men ran from house to house,
borrowing shotguns, rifles and other fire.
arms. s"ro arms,n was the cry heard on
every side, and fully 5000 people re-
sponded. Matters looked so threatening
that call was sent to Chicago for REIN
foicements, and two more companies
were sent out on a special train. These
additional troops were stationed at the
scene of the trouble, and effectually
cowed the rioters for the time being.
Major Hartz arrested four of the leaders
of the mob, and took them to Chicago
with small detail of troops. While the
train was pulling out of the city crowd
gathered and styned it, but quickly dis
persed on the approach OF a company OF
infantry.
At a late hour tonight all is quiet, al
though seven groups of rioters have made
threatening demonstrations at different
points aDout the city during the evening.
The officers commanding the United