New-York tribune., 1894-01-03
BLOOD AND FIRE IN SICILY.
PIOTS AGAINSTTHE TAX LAWS
NINE PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES AND MANY
ARE WOUNDED

uHE AGITATION MAKING RAPID PROGRESS
UuILpINSs IN SEVERAL TOWNS IN FLAMES
--MoBs DISPENSED By TROOPS AFTEH
STUBBORN REsIsTANoE-ANXlErY
OF THE MISIsTRY--A TAX
COLLECTION SHOT
pome IAN a-pispatches received from Sicily
,,dav shov that the anti-taX movement has
.,oao oraat progress in the Province of Trapani.
several davs ago the discomfort in Campo
ba,lo q town Of 5000 inhabitants, near Trapani
ritv had become threatening that the Town
Conncr assed a resolution abolishing the wheat
-; A a protest against this action the
,,,r,ers refused TO reduce the price of flour, and
.ha bakers announced an increase In the price
OF bread.
N-nen these measures became known yesterday
morning. about 1o00 men and fifty or more
women If the working class gathered from the
tor. and the surrounding country, and began
marching through the streets. The police. who
tried to dispersc them. were put 10 flight Inc
rioters set fire to all he public buildings eX-
zen, the Town Hall From these buildings the
fire spreaN to the private houses near BY
while A large district was in flames the MOB
left the owners and officials alone to fight the
rre marched to the prison and took II oy
storm All the prisoners were liberated. Inc
soldiers VINO had been confined in their par
racks the registration bureau. were driven out
bv the fire. When brought sur to save wnat
was left Of the town from destruction, the troops
forced back the mob back slowly at the point
of the bayonet, and at no time received orders 10
Nrr Nearly third Of the town is now In
ruins Many families which were burned out
walked the streets all last night. The whole
town looks as if it had suffered from a lombard
,n.nt Among the buildings destroyed were
axsrv mill and every milers house in the
place. 49,
\. Salen,i. a town Of 5000 nha bitants In the
same district as Campobello. fires were started
nv anti-tax rioters shortly before dark yester-
day and half dozen buildings were burning
nv o o'clock. Fires were also set by rioters IN
several smaller towns. and in the early evening
the whole district seemed ablaze. The troops
although provoked by the rioters repeatedly III
ealeni did not fire. Several rioters wer, ar
rested after a struggle A private was shot Ill
the cheek and captain in the stomac:
A. oiatranorzia. a town Of II 0O0 inhabitants
near Caltanisetta. an anti-tax mob set hre 10
three public buildings and tried to get at the
rest of thorl but was prevented by the tToopj
who had been called out to protect them. Inc
,iotors made such determined attacks on the
military in their efforts to reach the buildings
that at last the order to fire was given. rive
people were killed and many wounaeo . by py the the
,irst volley The second volley, hred over the the
heads OI the rioters was foiloWeu quiVMs W 'N
dissolution OF the mob. ,,,
TIE Town Council in Marneo near fa!eTii,o, no.
abolished the wheat octroi on Saturday, out u ,ne
T1;Ilcrs and bakers like those in Campooelio,
refused to reduce their prices. The people rose
Yesterday and tried 10 destroy the town p puliu-
inrs but were driven off by tEe troops d.teI
saSeraI s.,ibbor,, fghts in which three rioters
were killed and several more "ounoeu: 1roop3
continued to guard the houses OF the nliieis anu
bakers and the public buildings throughout 'he
night e,.,,so hora
taken steps to quiet the pcpuiace .! HwetilS 'n,in
the wheat tax The announcement OF thls poncy
yesterday morning was received Win Joy
throughout the city, and the Governor was re-
ceived with tremendous enthusiasm when ne
entered the theatre las evening.
The dispatches from Trapani giving detalls OF
the riots in Campobeio arrived auI.ns "a T%D e,
met council this morning. They were read mrs.
by Premier Crspi. who at once communicates
them 10 his colleagues. All the ministers pro
nounce1 the situation liz Sicily to be graver thah
~ any, prevlous period Of ;he anti-tax agitation
several Ministers expressed the opinion that
the communal councils whose bad administra-
tion had caused the disorder ought TO be ois-
so,,,cd nv the Government. The appeal OF the
military commander Of the island TO the patriot
ism Of the people is considered oy Ine dS'ts ~. hs
as well as among the people at large 10 pe
proof Of the desperate condition or Slcilan
affairs. $780,. o,. T.,
Auence nith the people of their districts have
starrcS fer the island to help in the work Of
nacircation Premier Crispi until this evening
exDected 20 90 but the alarming reports re-
ceived with the las: dispatches have caused MN I'm
10 change his plans. He will not Visit Sicily
for the present as he deems his presence in
Rome 10 be indispensable. mass-meeting or
all classes IN Palermo last evening appointed
denutation 10 report formally to the Government
r,bot reforms were most needed in Sicily, "as
the Government was but ill-informed by the
officials representing 1t on the island. 80.
Sgnor Tazio has written for the Lego oel
labor
ascrihes the deplorable state Of affairs on the
island N TWO causes-the labor unions ana
brgandage The latter. he says. Is greatly
fostered b. the fact that there are large dls-
tricts without roads. me iapoIe,s a'e 90 tbair
social duties and Of the law. The riches or the
island are absorbed by the large proprietors ana
bankers The penal statistics OF Sicily are the
worst in Italy. The extreme or LABOR ylailh!
has been reached in the cases OF tne Ii'iie oHS
under twelve years of age, who carry sulphur
out of the pits climbing steep, narrc" gang
WAYS more than 200 feet high. So long as 'he
peasants are in debt the boys remain slaves thelr
masters being able even to XIII them wi'nUu' 1u,a
risk Brigandage IS the direct result OF all thls'
the people having reached the limit OF endur-
ance One hundred and thirty unions exist III
Sicily with a total membership OF 30oooo. Inc
unions are strongest In Palermo. Each. union
possesses a password and methods or corinluLI-
cation enabling II TO dispatch messages. and It's
own police, who inform the members OF all INC
do!ngs Of the Government police. System
OF mutual insurance and sick relief also EXISTS.
London, Jan. "A dispatch from Rome 10 the
Central News says: The peasants In village
in the province OF Trapani seized a tax collector
this morning and arraigreG him before mock
tribunal They convicted him Of oppression ana
ordered that he be shot. the community applauu-
ing. Tho sentence executed. Troops nave
been sent 20 the village"