Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-17
BENT ON VIOLENCE
Train Wrecking Attempted Near
Hammond, Ind.
TROOPS HURRIED TO The SCENE
An Effort to Blow Up a California
Train.
NEWS OF THE STRIK ERS

CHICAGO. July ia mob Of five hun
dred men. armed with picks and crowbars,
tried to tear up the Michigan Central tracks
five miles east Of Hammond. Ind, shortly
before midnight last night. The news reach
ed the Indiana town from Tolleston, where
the conductor Of an eastbound passenger,
which left Hammond at 90 telegraphed
for assistance He said that when his
train came around a curve 1t was signaled
to stop. The engineer was suspicious and
only slowed up. On either side of the track
stood crowds of men and some of them, he
said, were at work on the fish plates when
the train came In sight. When the mob
saw that Its signal was disregarded, sew
eral of Its members drew pistols and be-
gan firing at the train men. The shots
caused the engineer to open the throttle
and the train sped away at q forty-mile
clip, followed by shower Of bullets and
stones.
Gen. Robbins, who is in command Of the
Indiana militiamen at Hammond, was
awakened as soon as the news was re-
ceived. and In twenty minutes the camp
was under arms. AS the mob evidently had
designs on the Michigan Central flyer, which
leaves Chicago at AS o'clock, Gen. Rob-
bins decided to send two companies on 1t
to the scene of trouble.
The train reached Hammond at :35 an
and one hundred soldiers piled on board
under the command of Col. o. p. Lee. The
men had orders to shoot without waiting
for any command to fire.
As the mob destroyed the telegraph wires
within ten minutes after the conductor had
sent his story from Tolleston, two line
men and an operator went with the train
At 2:30 am. Gen. Robbins had a special
train in waiting to convey the rest Of his
command to the scene If their services were
needed.
At am. word was received that the
train had reached Tolleston. Nothing was
seen on the trip Of the mob.
The Strike Not Visible.
The railway strike was not in evidence to-
day except at the headquarters of the A.
R. U. There the few committeeman, who,
of course. were on hand. declared that the
strike is on red hot" but the various rail-
roads showed no signs of trouble All regu-
lar through trains were running and on
time. the packing houses at the stock yards
We're all at work. and business was appar-
emily rapidly assuming it's normal condition
President Debs, however, Is still positive
that there is strike, and, while admitting
that Chicago unions appeared to be weak
ening. he declared that they would eventual
ly become united and win the fight
Debs Appears In Court.
The information which District Attorney
Milchrist prepared against the leaders Of
the American Railway Union was filed with
the clerk Of the United States circuit court
at IL o'clock today.
1t makes Debs, Rogers, Keliher and
Howard defendants. and asks that they be
held for contempt of court. Mr. Michrist
at once took the information before Judge
Seaman.
President Debs OF the American Railway
Union appeared in the United States cir
cult court, accompanied by Attorneys w w
Irwin and w. II. Shoemaker of St Paul
and s. S. Gregory of this city. The strike
leader was accompanied also by his brother
Theodore Debs. The head of the railway
union said he mad come into court not be !.
cause he was summoned, as he had not
been sent for, but on the advice Of his law
yers.
The Railway Times, the official organ of
the A. r. u, which has been publishing
daily bulletins since the strike began, an
nounced today that hereafter it will issue
on alternate days.
The stock yards receipts today amounte ted
to 10000 hogs $500 cattle and 1900 sheep.
number of striking butchers returned to
Swifts slaughter house.
A writ of attachment for Debs Howard
Rogers and Kelsir has been issued by
Judge Seaman, and the hearing set for 9
O'Clock this afternoon.
sixty engineers, working under the
Stock Yards Switching Association have
been accepted at their old places and most
of them are again at work.
The places of the yard men have been
filled by raw recruits.