The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-15
THE BATTLE GETS FIERCER
The Last Day Of TaIpaying Before Reg
iStTatiOl Closes.


Another Day Of scrambles at the Court
House-The Police Get the Worst Of
1t Next to the Heelers-How Some of
the Heelers Got Into Line-Court
House omciaIs win Be Glad When
1t is Over With.
A big crowd gathered to witness the
rush at the court house yesterday morn
ing II has become quite the thing now
10 gather at the court house just before
O'Clock TO witness the efforts Of the par
tisans to Guido each other in getting posi-
tons in line
What a remarkable people the rest Of
the people of the state must
think the people of Savannah
are" remarked a philosophic citi-
zen as he gazed upon the struggle. when
they read of what desperate efforts we
make to pay our taxes. That we risk
breaking our necks and almost murder
each other in our efforts to be first in
paying our taxes. They no doubt regard
1t as one OF the wonders of the century.
The dime museum managers will be send
sing here for specimens to exhibit"
An educated Norwegian, who is visiting
the city, remarked to an acquaintance the
other day that he thought Norway would
be a republic some day, and hearing that
preparations were being made for an cleo
ton here, he thought he would go down
by the court house for the purpose OF
seeing how such things were managed
in this country, as such information might
be useful TO him some day. 1t might
be interesting to know his verdict.
Yesterdays rush was. If anything,
Hercer than those Of the preceding days.
For one thing. it was participated in by
larger number Of people. Both sides
realized that as the collectors Office would
be open all day, it would require a larger
number Of men to hold the places in line.
The Duncan crowd arrived early and took
their positions on Drayton street, oppos-
tte the door. The Myers people arrived
later and took up positions on the Hanks.
The police kept both crowds of the side
walk Some time before 9 O'Clock the police
lined I'D on each side of the Drayton street
door. The Duncan men made premature
rush into the alcove before the door was
opened and were driven back by the police.
This gave their opponents a chance TO
press in from the tanks, and when the
door was thrown open few minutes later
the crowd in front of the door was a mixed
one, with the Duncan men in the majority.
Janitor Donovan jumped back out of the
way as he opened the door to avoid the
rush. This movement on his part was
unnecessary, however. As the door was
opened the crowd from behind surged
forward with such force that the bodies
of those already in the alcove were COM
pressed together so tightly that they could
not move. The two policemen on the
inside Of the door seized the nearest man
by the shoulders and dragged him in by
main force They had to repeat this OPP
GRAFTON several times to relieve the crush.
The jam was so great that men from
the rear climbed over the shoulders of
those in front. Three shrewd young My
ers workers, who had foreseen the result,
had climbed the telephone pole in front
of the door, and when the crush came
they dropped off the pole onto
the heads and shoulders of
those in front. Two of them Sc
cured good places in the line. The third
lNan, who was little fellow, was caught
by the leg from below by a Duncan worker
and held. He kicked and struggled, but
without avail. James Ballantine. other
wise known as "spitire." Maurice Butti
mer, and James Mcbride were the first
TO enter the door, and rushed down the
corridor in a bunch, securing positions in
the OfQer named. me duncan men ndQ
very much the best of IL along the front
of the line. having about four out of five
of the first thirty or forty men in line.
After this point the line was more evenly
divided, with the odds in favor of the
Myers men. There was a good deal of
scrapping among the workers as the line
was being formed, the disposition being
to push and crowd as much as possible
The police finally restored order, but
1t required continuous line of thirty or
more policemen down the corridor TO do
IL. Between 200 and 800 men took positions
in line, half of whom never got to the
collectors Office, after having been in
line for nine nours. They held their places
with a logged persistence, and moved
along slowly towards the goal. Nearly
every man seemed to be either chewing
or smoking, and the result was that be-
fore the night the marble flooring pre-
scented an appearance which would have
been disgrace to cowpen. The workers
were wen cared for by the leaders A
Plentiful supply of beer and sandwiches
coffee cigars, and cigarettes, and even
whisky, was furnished Lieut. Reilly nut
a stop to the distribution of the latter.
however. There was continual Jaw
ing and chatting of each 9TH
er among the workers, both in
line and out of it and occasionally
scrapping, but nothing serious. The DO
lice were very forbearing in fact too
in which some of the workers We're al
lowed to address the officers was more
than men in their position should be
called upon to bear. A few arrests would
have had a good effect. The workers on
both sides have presumed upon their
knowledge of the political inclinations
of some of the officers. A worker evident
~ expected Partially from an officer OF
the same inclination as himself, while he
felt at liberty TO abuse an officer of OPP
posite political opinion because he could
charge that the officers interference was
due to his politics. The police are tired
worn out and disguised with the whole
business. They have been called upon tc
do duty continuously almost for the last
several days. Most of those on at the
court house yesterday had done duty fol
twenty-four hours continuously, and some
of them for forty-eight. Lieut.. Reilly
looks worn out with his continuous
stretch of unpleasant duty.
The court house officials are contempla.