The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1894-05-05
1T STORMS WASHINGTON.
THE C0MM0NWEAL ARMY THRoHGS THE
CAPITAL err.
Coxey and Hrs Followers Repyised From in
Front of the Capitol

" "hShlNtlcN, ~. ~ All NhSnlDp-
ton turned out Sunday to see Coxey |
and his Commonwealers. 1t is cstimat-
ed that fully ten thousand people went
out to the Commonweal camp during
the afternoon. Congressman, diplo-
mats, Cabinet officers and plain citizens
fairly tumbled over each other to get
"A look OF the army.
Late in the day Coxey spoke. At
the gates to the park stood brawny
representative of the "cause of good
roads and non-interest bearing bonds"
who explained to the visitors as they
passed through that no admission was
charged, but that all contributions
would be thankfully received The
result was a liberal dropping of dimes
and quarters, and in some Instances
dollars i'll the Commonweal Golfers.
The collections were 800.
THE CLIMAX.
WASHINGTON, ID. C.-May day was a
bright one and Coxey and his Com
monweal of Christ" army of 600 men
marched up Capital hill to the steps of
the Capitol. The police there dis
persed them.
The leaders Browne and Coxey
pushed into the crowd in the direction
of the big white building
They walked along beside the low
stone parapets surrounding the
grounds, as if seeking an entrance,
followed by a thousand people. Jump
over the wall" suggested some one.
Coxey was quick to take the sugges-
tion and he lenpcd quickly over the
parnpet and made his way like an eel
through the dense thickness of human
ity to the steps of the capitol there to
receive his dramatic repulse IA else.
| where recorded. Browne followed,
| evidently with the intention of backing
Coxey up, but he became separated
from his chief.
The mounted policemen, n dozen or
more, who had been directed to attend
Browne through the day, hesitated
moment as the two leaders disappeared
amid the shrubbery. Then blue
coated officer whipped up his horse,
dashed across the pavement, over the
low parapet and into the grounds. His
comrades followed, and into the crowd
went this platoon, trampling flowers
and shrubs in their rush. People
scattered right and left, and the fore
most officer soon reached the chief
marshal, easily distinguished by his
leather coat and white sombrero. The
horse of the officer struck Browne, and
the shock threw him to one side. He
| lodged behind tree, and the officers
| lost sight of him for an instant.
| People in the crowd in danger of be-
ing trampled by the officers horses
seized them by the brides. The police
seemed to think that this was an at
tack on them and responded with their
batons. Browne became wedged in
| between line of mounted police and
n number of officers on foot and when
one of these tried to size him he re-
sisted. A shower of blows descended
on his shoulders. Browne fought like
n tiger, shouting out that he was an
American citizen and had constitution
al rights. He was seized by several
officers and pushed through the crowd.
All this happened on the edge of the
grass lawn adjoining the House side Of
the asphalt plaza and within plain
sight OF thel crowds on the Capitol steps
Old Christopher Columbus Jones.
leader Of the Philadelphia contingent,
attempted to- rescue Browne from the
officers, and il is said that a number of
Coxeyites assisted him. The old man. $
silk hat was jammed over his ears in n
jify and he too was placed in custody.
With a mounted officer on each side of
him, their hands grnsping his leather
collar, and followed by more officers
with Jones, the sensational leader of
the Commonweal forces was dragged
of to a cell in the police station.
Coxey gives his version of his fail
ure at the Capitol steps as follows:
81 proceeded to the centre portico.
and had just started to walk MP when
several police officers stopped me and
told me to go back. Il want to sneak
here, said. You cant, said one OF
the policemen. Il bavc n right to
speak as an American citizcn-it is nv
constitutional right, said. They re.
fused to let me proceed, and then
drew a written protest from my pocket,
handed IT TO the principal officer, tell
ing him what IL was He refused To
receive il, and then said would
read it, The officers refused to let me
read my protest. They would not let
me speak, they would not let me pro.
test; so 1 went back to nv carriage. -
About 6 o'clock at night Chief Mar.
shall Browne was released from the
fifth precinct station house on ~ bond
OF $500, furnished by Mrs Elizabeth
A. Haines, dry goods dealer in South.
east Washington.