The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-22
A. P. AS STONED.
Almost Riot in the Streets of Con-
cord.

Concord, November 21.-Three weeks ago
a little lodge CT TIE A. P. A. was instituted
in Conc ord by Mr.. E. 81. Dunbar, national
sergeant-at-arms, and the principal Or
ganiZer of the order. Grand Army hall was
engaged for Monday nights, and two meet
ings were held. While the new order was
not popular in the town. there was no
trouble other than distur Dances caused by
boys, until Mr.. John Ireland. member of
the council, was discharged by the Fitch
burg railroad. after a service of twenty-five
years. Rightly or wrongly, the members
held the men under him responsible, and
alleged that the whole difficulty sprang
fl ON Mr.. lreland's adherence to the princi-
pies of the A. P. A.
Feeling ran high, and the council appeal
ing to Mr.. Dunbar. Mr.. Dunbar thought
that the best thing that could be done
would be to take about one hundred men,
bers from Boston to Concord some night,
and thus encourage the struggling Concord
branch. But the A. P. A. men turned out
in such force that when they went last
there were 1000 of them, wearing the brass
eagle and silken tri-color.
Before and during the meeting the mob
UilSd AdTo " pIONohO q tOhhiObs puC oAAS ~.
P A. leaders restrained their men. But
after the meeting came the chief time OF
trouble. The column reformed, with the
Concord lodge leading. and then the band.
followed by the colors. two stands of colors,
like the badges, being simpl. "Old Glory
Further down the line came transpar-
ency marked on one side 1.-THE A. +. A. Has
Come to Stay and on the other, mo
Home Rule in America" a
This was regarded with hatred by the
crowd. stones began to fly at it, as well as
toward the rear of the proce ssion.
Men reeled and staggered, and then
marched faintingly on. Several times the
rear guard formed and forced the mob
which at once fell back and waited until
the retreat began once more.
AS the transparency went across the Com
mon, some of the mob made a rush and
seized it, bearing it away in triumph. amid
the exultant jeers of the multitude. The
A. P. A. men rallied and recaptured the
transparency. Then at dark place in the
road came such well aimed volleys OF stones
that men fell and lay like logs, TO be picked
up and dragged on by their friends. Two
drums were smashed as though they were
made of the frailest of China, instead of
tough hide and springing wood. The storm
continued.
Then the men drew their revolvers and
fred into the air. This amused the crowd,
as had the blazing of whole punches of file
crackers il the midst of the march, set off
by the youthful members of the mob.
But there were earnest. warm blooded
men in the hundreds that were marching,
and they liked not the insults of the stones
and the injuries received thereform. They
blazed heavenward with their revolvers.
ana their looks were dark and their eyes
burned. 1t was noticeable that the pistol
shots sounded in the unmistakable way that
comes from rammed-in ball on copper-bound
powder.
They came alongside particularly dark
place, from whil h the head of the line re-
ceived many well aimed stones. Suddenly
several of them drew their revolvers and
rushed through the dark to the side of the
road and fired pointblank into the gloomy
meadow. This partially cowed the mob and
the procession reached their train without
serious trouble.