Evening journal., 1894-01-17

the Town, the Anarchists Fortify Them
selves Among the Rocks.
ROME, Jan. 17.-A thousand workmen /
employed in the marble quarries at Massa
struck work and threatened to invade the
town. AS it was known that anarchist /
agitators had been at work for some time
past among the quarrymen, who are a des-
perate class of men and thoroughly famil- |
lar with the use Of explosives, the strike |
caused the greatest alarm at Massa, and |
there is no doubt that serious disorder /
would have resulted had it not been for the |
presence of the troops. who fixed bayonets |
and charged upon the disorderly portions |
of the mob forcing them to retreat to the |
woods
Several of these bands who were thus |
compelled to seek refuge outside of the |
city were thoroughly armed, and it was re-
ported that they had made preparations to
give the soldiers a warm reception should !
they be pursued to the hills.
This display of force, however, did not
prevent other mobs from stoning the bar
racks Of the troops and of the gendarmes,
from hooting the soldiers and from hurl.
ing rotten eggsand fruit at them. Finally
the soldiers became so enraged that their
officers were compelled to calm them to
the extent Of giving orders that volleys
should be fired in the air. This had the
necessary effect, for at the first volley the
riotous quarrymen and their friends van.
ished, and the troops started in pursuit OF
the armed bands who had been previously
! driven out of the city.
Threaten to Blow Up the Town.
This pursuit was rendered all the more
| necessary as the riotous Quarrymen and
their friends had repeatedly threatened to
return with a supply of dynamite with
! which to blow up the police and military
barracks, the municipal buildings and the
residences of all those who supported the
government and the local authorities.
In addition the rioters threatened to blow
up the Fassola bridge, which, with all the
railroad stations and the railroad tracks in
the neighborhood Of the disturbance, was
strictly guarded by police and soldiers, who
had orders to shoot to kill upon the slight
est evidence OF an attempt to cause adyna-
mite explosion.
At Massa as well as at Carrara there was
period Of terror for the inhabitants from
nightfall until daylight, and the vigilance
of the authorities was not relaxed for mo
ment.
All the inhabitants who had valuables
/
aged to obtain conveyances and fed from
the disturbed district with all their porta-
bic belongings.
The government is taking every possible
step to suppress the disorder, but the some
what conciliatory action of the authorities
seems to encourage rather than dishearten
the rioters.
The anarchists are said to have taken up
| strong positions behind rocks and other
points of vantage in the hills and to have
made a desperate resistance TO the troops
but it is reported that they were finally de-
feated and fled, leaving number Of dead
and wounded upon the field.
Pitched Battle Fought.
The most sensational news is being wired
| here from Carrara. The greatest excite
ment is said to prevail among the inhabit-
ants, who are terrified by the sounds Of
long and fierce firing in the hills near To.
rama, where band of from GOO to 900 an
archists are reported to be fighting pitch
ed battle with force of infantry and
gendarmes sent to hunt them down.
AS result of the repeated disorder at
Massa, Carrara and in the neighborhood
of these two cities, it is judged that the
loss Of life must have been great, as the in
fantry, according to reports, has been fir
ing volley after volley at the anarchists.
Later dispatches say that the number Of
killed during the fight between the mill
tary and the armed baud Of anarchists
which sought refuge in the hills near Mas
sa is not so great as the people Of Massa at
first reported The official advices state
that only eight of the anarchists were kill
ed and that only from 40 to so were wound
ed. These figures, however, it should be
stated, are the figures given out by the
government authorities, and the people of
Massa claim that at least 80 of the quarry
men were shot during the engagement
During the fighting the garrison barred
the highways in order to prevent the entry
of the anarchists into the town.
1t now transpires that sn armed band of
anarchists gathered early in the morning
at Torana and awoke the inhabitants by
sounding the tocsin. When the alarmed
inhabitants rushed from their houses, fear
ing terrible coniiagration or something
of that description, the anarchists overran
the village mentioned and compelled the
people to deliver up all the arms and am
, munition which they had in their posses
= sion.
5 The anarchists then secured all the wine
, and spirits procurable and prepared to
I march upon Carrara.
The government officials announce that
r they control the situation and that they
have a sufficient force at their command to
suppress any rising which the anarchists
may be able to organize.