The Bessemer indicator., 1894-01-06
RIOTOUs sICILIANs.
THEY WHIP THE POLICE FORCE.
worhmea sack . Muuiclpai Custom
House and open Prison.


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Serious riots continue to be reported
from Sicily, and numerous outbreaks
occur which the local authorities find
themselves powerless to suppress.
The latest riot, according to the
dispatches frem TsApaai, occurred Mt
Casteivetrano, town of 90, 900 inhab
itants, situated about thirty miles
from Trapani 1t appears that, at
given signal, body of roadmakers
left work aud attacked the octroi sta
tion. The men were evidently pre-
pared for the outbreak, as they had
secured possession Of number Of cans
Of petroleum, which they had hidden
by the roadside, with number of re-
volvers, heavy sticks and poles to make
pixies or slaves. The roadmakers or
ganized themselves into column and,
with shouts of Down with the octroi"
and Death to the municipal authori-
ties, marched on the octroi station,
burned the sentry box and two of the
local octroi officers and set fire to the
octroi Offices, tax Office, record Office,
destroying all the archives and doing
other damage.
The whole town was soon in terri
BILE uproar, peaceable citizens flying
for their lives or locking themselves
in their residences, which they
promptly barricaded and prepared to
defend to the utmost with such means
as they had at their command. The
mob, in the meanwhile, had broken
into a number Of wine shops and, roll
ing the barrels of wine and spirits out
into the streets, they soon drank them
selves into a state of madness and
were ready for other acts Of violence.
At signal from the leaders of the
mob the column was reformed, and
shouting and yelling like madmen, and
greatly reinforced by the lawless ele-
ment of the town and its neighbor-
hood, the disorderly roadmakers led
the way to the Mandmental prison,
which they attacked with stones and
sledgehammers, in spite of the gallant
resistance made by the authorities of
the prison and the guards and keepers
of that establishment Finally the
mob forced in the doors, severely han
died the defenders of the prison and
succeeded in liberatlng all the prison
crs, who soon joined with the mob in
drinking the stolen liquors and acts of
violence. After celebrating the VIC
tory over the prison authorities, the
mob attempted to destroy the resi-
dcnces of the mayor and the banker
and the postoffice.
During all this time the town had
been practically in the hands of the
rioters, the local police force being
utterly unable to cope with the mob.
The houses of a number OF citizens
who were obnoxious to the rioters
were broken into and despoilcd of
their most valuable contents and their
occupants were compelled to fly for
their lives. The local authorities,
however, had been able to communi-
cate with Trapaui and other towns
with the result that force Of troops
and police were sent to the riot. But
though the troops and police were
able to save the bank and postoficc
from destruction, they were unable to
restore order, though the mob was
charged several times and though
number of arrests were made. Finally
the officers in command Of the troops
were obliged to send for additional ~
Inducements, which were brought
and, as soon as possible, the rioters
were dispersed.