St. Paul daily globe., 1894-02-21
BOSTON'S HUNGRY CROWD
FIVE THOUSAND or THE RAGGED AND
UNEMPLOYED


UNEMPLOYED
GATHER ON THE OLD COMMON.
They Petition the Legislature for
Work, and the Governor Ad.
dresses Them-Fearing Riot
at the Capitol BuiIding,n Large
Detachment of Police Is Called
to the Scene.
Boston, Feb. 2O.-The unemployed
troubles in this city eliminated in a
demonstration Oil the commons this
afternoon, which for time threatened
to end in a riot. Five thousand men,
hungry, ragged and ugly, crowded into
the state house and adjoining grounds
and vociferOusly demanded immediate
| aid in their distress. The governor ad-
| dressed the mob from the steps of the
state house, and was quietly received,
and even applauded, although he made
no satisfactory answers to their re-
/ quests. An attempt was then made by
the leaders of the demonstration to get
petition before the legislature, which
was then in session. But the rules pre-
cluded this and then things began to
look serious. The rotunda was packed
with crowd of men who were waiting
to hear the result Of their leaders ef-
forts to present their grievances to the
assembled Solons. and when NJ. l. Swift,
| an ayowed anarchist, and the spOkes-
man of the mob, appeared in one of the
balconies and told them that the legis-
| lature had refused to accept their peti-
tions. they broke into yells of derision
and Kisses of contempt. Swift leaned
over the balcony railing and launched
| forth into
| AN IMPASSIONED TRADE
against the legislators who, he said.
were too busy creating corporations to
listen to the voices Of the starving men.
His voice shook with emotion as he
denounced the treatment the men had
i ireceiyed, and his ominous threats to
clean out the state house were received
with hoarse shouts of appreciation. The
bfass-buttoned officials and doorkeepers
seemed paralyzed with fear. and Gov.
| Greenhalge, who but a few moments
before was mingling with the mob,
wisely retired to the legislative cham
:ber. The few policemen who had been
detailed to take care of the crowd were
| powerless, and soon the police wagons
from the nearest stations were flying
through the streets leading to Beacon
| hill loaded with blue coats, and soon
there were 100 policemen on the scene.
An officer was quick to apprehend an
accident, and, placing his hand on
Swift's shoulder, warned him. of the
| danger. Swift stopped speaking. and
+ the furious crowd below lnistook the
| action for an arrest. and rent the air
Ewith curses and eXecrations upon the
police. They swayed back and forth :,
and itseemed as if violence was to be
| used. but the speaker q uickiy assured
his followers of the real state of affairs
and the excitement subsided.
THE AGITAToRs
had to be satisfied with talk with some
individual members, and that quieted
them considerably. Meanwhile the
house of representatives had remained
in session, and, upon the advice of some
of the long-headed members, considered
the petition from the mob. 1t was de-
clded to appoint a committee of seven
to meet representatives of the unem-
ployed to consider ways and means for
their relief. Speaker Meyer, of the
house. sent a message TO the crowds
apprising them of this decision, and it
appeaSed them greatly. a special de-
- ol,t,, fxxf ,alt
entrance of the state house. They ell
tered and began forcing the mob slowly
toward the big front doors. Clubs were
drawn aud the diSgruntled crowd gave
| way.
Then there was an uproar, and many
teof the desperate members urged an at
tack upon the legislature, but those
more sensible prevailed. and the crowd
slowly retreated. The police forced
them steadily back, but just outside the
gate the disappointed workmen refused
to move further. Finally the captains
of the various
POLICE DIVISIONS
held hurried consultation and decided
to drive them still further back. The
crowd slowly retreated across Beacon
street and finally halted IN the Common.
No attempt was made 10 take another
stand and the men slowly disbanded.
The incidents preceding the outbreak
| in the rOtunda were rather ominouS.
The crowd assembled on the Common
early in the afternoon to the number of
5000, which soon swelled to 5000. A
couple Of hours were occupied by
half dozen speakers, all of them local
labor leaders, and then the crowd ad.
journed to the state house. A commit
tee was appointed to see Gov. Green
halge and present to him petition ask
Ing him to formulate and put in opera
tion some plan to alleviate their suffer
ing. They also asked for state farm and
factories where the unemployed might
work, and-to appoint permanent COM
mission to attend to the wants of the
permanent class of unemployed. His
excellency read the petition, aid then
went out and addressed the assembled
crow d. He expressed sympathy for
them aud told them just what he could
and could not do for them. His talk
gave them no satisfaction and some
Missed, but the majority applauded his
remarks.
THE PETITION
TO the legislature. after reciting their
troubles. asked the state to commence
operations upon the proposed Cape Cod
CANAL to establish the commission men
toned, and to provide for state farms
and factories. When informed of the
legislatures action, Leader Swift, of
the unemployed, withdrew from the
state house and announced the result to
the unemployed. No comments were
made and the crowd quietly dispersed.
Rumors that there was a riot and a
pitched battle between the police and
the unemployed at the state house filled
the air, and thousands of people hurried
10 the scene. Most of the curious were
too late, however, the crowd being
/ driven from the state house before they
arrived. The demonstration was COM
.plete surprise. 1t was not expected
That the unemployed would gather in
such numbers. and from the few that
were LOOKED for 70 call upon the gov