Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-05-03
THE PARADE.
How the Commonweal Army Got
on at Washington.
NO SPEAKING At THE CAPITOL.
The Police Use Their clubs, but They
Seemed satlsned In Preventing
CoHey's speech on the
Capitol Stops.

Coxey's speech on the
Capitol stops
WASHINGTON, May 2-The common
veal army was astir early yesterday
up IN Brightwood heights with prepare
items for the great procession to the
capitol. All the men carried slaves on
which futtered white flags with the
motto: peace on earth, good will to
men, but death 10 interest on bonds"
The first delegation TO join the pro-
cession was the J. S. Coxey club. 1t
consisted Of 1876 men, mostly bricklay-
ers, who met the army at Boundary
street, the old limits Of the city.
Al Thomas circle Marshal Browne
ordered slight halt for a rest, while
the men gave three cheers for peace"
The police dashed up and upon their
command the army promptly moved
on. The commonwealers turned into
Pennsylvania avenue about 1915 and
us the opening was reached a solid
front of mounted policemen was seen.
They stretched from curb TO curb,
making ingress toward the capitol Inn
possible. Coxey sprang from his car
riage and made his way back toward
the entrance TO the capitol. A howl
ing mob was on his heels but the flank
movement was appreciated.
Browne followed, bearing his banner.
The rank and file OF the army stood In
the street The squad of police sud
denly discovered that Coxey had turned
back. Quickly the officers spurred
through the crowd after Coxey and
Browne. Coxey had slipped through
the struggling mass and before any
one knew 1t was bounding up the east
front entrance to the capitol. He was
up to the tenth step before he was
recognized Then the officers closed
in above him and his further passage
was barred.
Capt Garden quietly took Coxey by
the left arm and Lieut.. Kelly took him
by the right. Again the mounted po-
lice charged; the crowd surged and II
looked as though there would be trou-
BILE. but the little knot of officers
pressed forward with Coxey In the cen
ter. They were satisfied in having
prevented the use OF the capitol for
Coxey's speech and attendant demon
stration.
When the way had been cleared
Coxcy was given unrestrained liberty.
lie turned toward his army, which
stood on u street Carl Browne was a
shining mark for the policemen on ac'
count OF his conspicuous costume, and
from the same reason the most aggres-
sve and tumultuous portion Of the
crowd followed him AS he broke
through the foliage OF the lawn half q
dozen mounted police charged after
him across the grounds, escaping by O
miracle from running down any Of the
people, who scattered right and left be
fore them.
When Browne reached the foot o.
the capitol steps there was hurried
and exciting dialogue between hin
and the police, which could not BE-
heard through the uproar. Then two
policemen threw themselves upor
Browne, grabbed his flag Of peace and
smashed the staff, seized Browne by
the shoulders and thrust him through
the crowd several hundred feet to the
sidewalk. Clubs were seen descending
upon mems shoulders In the group, bu
whether Browne was hit could not b,
seen.
As the two officers rushed hin
through the crowd he was seen trying
TO shelter his head, as though he eX
pected blows, and could be heard shout
ing: ~ am an American citizen;
: stand on my constitutional rights!
Despite his constitutional rights, thu
: dramatic marshal was dragged to tn
| police station.
) Jesse Coxey led the army back I
, camp, his Whitehead sister, the Goodies
/ of Peace, retaining her courage admin
= ably.
, Late In the afternoon Brownies baI
was fixed at $500 Mrs Emily Briggi
a n wealthy resident of this city, an
4 Mrs Anna Hahn, a prominent labc
a sympathizer undertook the bond an
:, the chief marshal was set free.
!, Coxey said he was we'll satisfied wit
- what had transpired during the day
He believed that tho fact that the con
mon people of the United States, rer
> resented by his followers, had been d
! MED the right peaceably to assemb
IL and state their grievances, woul
y be heralded throughout the lar
and would result in brinI
o ing many thousands OF Il
IS unemployed to this city lie still a
e yised peace and declared that he b
n lieved his two bills would be passed !
Y congress inside Of two or three week
q There was a large crowd about Il
/, camp during the evening, and larl
o detail of police was posted there to pr
Is vent disorder