Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-17
ITALIAN UPRISING
In Unity Among the Wiscasset
& Quebec Laborers.
Trouble Over Pay the Cause--Con-
tractors Attacked.
Eight Arrests bj Standardization was
Serious for a Time.

secret OF quelllng an Italian uprising seems
to be by confronting the rioters with a good
sized crowd of able-bodied men 18th deter
mination written on every face. At least
that is the way the quarrelsome foreigners
were conquered at the little farmhouse of
Clark Libby in Unity plantation by Sheriff
Norton and his posse Of deputies, this after
noon.
The story of the rise and fall of Italian
sway in Kennebec county may be passed
down in history as follows: The contract
for 'grubbing" the line of the Wiscasset &
Quebec, or in other words, clearing the
land of trees, logs, etc., resdy for the grad
ing crews, was sublet to Messrs. Mills &
Perkins, who have had in their employ a
large crew of Italians. Tuesday the work
was completed as far as Burnbam, with the
exception of burning some piles OF logs and
brush on certain parts of the road.
According to the statement of Mr.. Mills
the workmen have been from time to time
taking up their wages, until there has al
ready been paid them few cents over
SS6l, and there is probably less than one
third of that amount due the crew now.
Yet the men when they had finished the
work demanded their pay at once. This the
contractors were unable to wait to give them
AS they were obliged for the paymaster of the
works to come up the line of the road with
his little satchel filled with crisp new bills
and shining coin, and besides there were
other matters concerning the contract which
had to be attended to before the contractors
could draw their own pay.
But no. The Italians were going to have
their cash on Wednesday night or fight for
it. They swarmed around Mr.. Libb,'s
house, where the contractors were boarding,
md as the sun rolled dow into the west and
The shades of evening came on, then their
hot blood commenced to boil aud lawless-
ness for a time held sway.
A few of the men had firearms many
were equipped with the Italians favorite
weapon, the stealthy knife, while the others
who were no better provided, armed them
selves with heavy clubs and made one grand
charge on the contractors and their associ-
stes, including the Italian foreman. They
took refuge in the house while the rioters,
G5 at least in number, were dancing the
an-can, brandishing their weapons and
filing the quiet evening air with their
Chreats outside.
In the house one of Mr.. Libby's children
was lying in bed sick, and things for a time
looked dubious. A messenger was sent to
Benton Falls, and Deputy Sheriff Withee,
with a warrant, started for the scene. He
found the crowd too large to undertake 10
Try to arrest any of the number alone, but
told them to go away from the house and
stop the trouble, trying to explain the situa-
lion. To this the rioters replied, 1--WE will
have our nun or we will kill" Through
IN interpreter, Mr.. Withee told the rioters
that he should return IN the morning with
large number of men, to Which he was re-
piled, "You come, we fight"
This morning Mr.. Withee telephoned
Sheriff Norton the particulars and that
fficer came to this city on the forenoon
md, with posse of his deputies, started by
cam for Unity plantation, distance of
,bout Is miles. The company WAS made
up of Sheriff Norton, Deputies Ira M
rrue, IIsllowell; Geo. Ames Chelsea; A
t.. McFaddeD, Watervile; Horace Hill
ireth, Gardiner; +. Conners, Randolph;
II. +. Morse. Augusta; +. w. Maddox,
IIallowell; John Withee, Benton Falls and
he JOURNAL reporter.
When the scene of the trouble was reach
I'll, all was changed from the wild excite
nent of the previous evening. A few
.traggling Italians were seen along the road
TOR short distance and when the farm
ouse was reached some 40 or 80 of the
men were laying on the grass beside the
the road snd about the house. Mr.. Mills
nd Mr.. Perkins, the Italian bosses and the
pthers who had been in the house the night
le fore were standing with the others in the
ard and perfect quietness reigued. A
srge crowd of citizens of the neighbor
ood, Fairfield and Wsteryille hsd gather
ed of their own accord to see the fun and
lend hand if needed. But they were not.
The warrant called for the men by their
numbers by which they were known to the
contractors, and as the numbers were called
off the Italian foreman pointed out the men
they represented and in each case the men
came lazilv forward at the beckon of the
officers Eight of the men thus came for
ward, but the other seven for whom the
.arrsnt was issued had decided during the
morning hours that they didn't care to fight
and had strolled off to the woods and could
not be found.
The eight arrested were searched and
knives found on three of them, after which
hey were loaded into the barge and taken
to this city and placed in the lookup and
will be given hearing Friday morning, at
which time it is possible that some or all of
the other seven will be added to the list as
two officers were left to look out for them.