The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-02
But There Cexey, Browne ana
Jones We're jagged
For Unlawtully Entering the
Capitol Grounds.
Christopher Columbus and Fakir
Browne in Jail.
A Scene of Turmoil which Ende with.
out Bioodshed - CommonwnAlera
Seeking to Unite With Coxey
as Soon as They Can.
BY the Associated Press.


WASHINGTON, May 1.-The march OF
Coxey's Commonwesl army, which
started from Msssillon, Ohio, on Easter
Sunday, ended today by the Interrupt
ton OF the police. Fortunately there
were no casualties, and tonight General
Coxey is addressing his buresoue army
in camp, while Marshal Carl Browne
sleeps in police station cell. and Chrh.-
TOPPER Columbus Jones. the leader of
the Philadelphia commune, and ths
comedian of the movement, endeavofs
to appropriate share OF the martyrdom
in an adjoining cell.
The performance enacted within thr
shadow OF the capitol today is withous a
counterpart in the memory of Washing.
tonians. The broad smooth plaza OF
several acres facing the east front of the
capitol was packed by crowd OF men
and women numbering 10000. The
capitol steps and the porticos under the
Grecian pillars were filled with people
OF both sexes, we'll dressed. and most of
the members OF congress were in the
throng. An early adjournment had
boCn thhou ny bH6 50uhl0 Ou OI
the death of Senator Stockbridge, but
the house, not wishing to seem to be
terrorized by the demonstration, went
through the semblance of session with
q handful of members. More than 200
officers, and detectives from several
cities were sprinkled through the crowd,
for the concentration of lawless local
characters gave just grounds for APP
prehensions of trouble apart from the
reHence of the Coxeyites.
1t was shortly after IL q. m. when the
army halted in the public square south
of the grounds. Its five mile march
down from Brightwood through the
principal streets of tho city had been
Witnessed by thousands. There were
500 men in line, Mrs. Annie L. Diges,
the Populistic agitator of Kansas, in
barouche Coxey's 17-year-old dau Oh ter
in white on acieam-colored steed, repre-
senting abe goddess of peace; Carl
Browne on great gray stallion; Gen.
Jacob Coxey. his wife. the infant,
Legal Tender" Coxey, together in an
other carriage; Virginia la Vallette,
said to be an actress, on horseback,
draped in an American flag as the Phil
adelphia commune's goddess of peace;
the unemployed carrying white flags of
peace on slaves, and the nondescript
banners setting forth the doctrines OF
good roads and enmity to plutocrats
sprinkled through the caravan.
Marshal Browne halted the procession
in the street, walked back to Coxey's
carriage, the general kissed his wife, and
the two moving spirits of the affair
forced their way over the plaza to the
capitol steps, their men acting under
orders and standing in their tracks.
After Coxey and Browne passed, a
yelling crowd of several hundred men,
most of them following Browne, con-
spicuous because of his unique cos
tune, trampled and tore its way
through the costly shrubbery, while the
squad of mounted police which had
headed the parade, dazed for moment
by the unexpected move, charged reck
lessly into the mob's midst.
Coxey was confronted by the police
as he took his hat to speak on the CAPT.
toll steps. His constitutional rights be-
ing refused, he thrust upon them q
printed protest, which proved to be q
wellworded epitome OF Populist doc
trines.
Meanwhile Carl Browne was being
dragged by the collar of his coat through
the crowd to the nearest station, after
he had made fight to retain mis- ban
ner. Two police captains, a lieutenant
and a sergsRnt thrust the mild-mannered
Coxey without violence back across sew.
eral feet OF humanity to his carriage.
Mounted police we're forcing their horses
among the people, several OF them crack
ing their clubs over the heads OF the
nearest persons. Women were shrek
ing in terror men were yelling fercely !;
some were being knocked down and
trampled upon.
For five minutes there was riot in that
section OF the mob in front of the east
steps, which occupied about an acre of
the asphalt. Then the two agitating
spirits having been removed and half a
dozen particularly belligerent men bav-
ing been taken in by the police, the dis
turbance was quelled without serious
injuries to a single person.
Somehow the army was started off
toward its new camp between double
lines of police, followed by q mob of
thousands cheering like demons for
Coxey and Browne. Within an hour
the capitol grounds had almost regained
their normal quiet, with only few num-
dred people strelling around.
General Ooxey accepted the situation
philosophically. His army was put to
work clearing up the new camping
ground for occupancy, while Coxey
drove over to the Offices of the district
commissioner with an eye to business.
He made application of them for tho
necessary license to charge admission to
his camp.
The commissioners desired to consider
the proposition. SO acting upon their
suggestion, Mr.. Coxey went to the clerk,
and by paying So secured license for
one day only.
II have no complaint" said Coxey.
'to make as far as the police are con-
cerned They treated me with great
| consideration, for they had to carry out
| the law, even ii it was an unjust one.
My speech making, however, 1T the cap.
| itol ia over, and l shall not again at