The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-25
Pie FOR SUPPER.
Industrial Army Has Had At
Least One Square Meal.
OIneyviIle Recruits Refused So Two
More Detachments Were Formed.
The NEWS BUREAU,
OLrrYvILLK, ROOM I, LIBRARY Bull,

The Coxeyites struck Olneyville with
dull thud at 4:30 O'Clock yesterday after
noon.
Led byssFarmer George" and a committee
they marched through the square and up
to Textile Union Hall where, figuratively
speaking, they stacked arms. Literally
tL9y sat down to rest while their leaders,
by the aid OF several police, impressed on
hecrowd that "You boys mustn't come in
till the army boys IL rested" There was
lots of curiosity to see them, though, and
the square was packed. The ubiquitous
commissary, General Mckenzie, who APP
peared in the front file with yellow leg
gins and red kid gloves, is an emissary OF
the Boston Post and the New
York Sun, 1t is said by fell
low correspondent, who detected
story from him going over the wires
while he was standing in a telegraph
Office. From his official capacity McKen-
zie is able to "scoop" his fellow Journal
lists, who are therefore "agin him."
A good supper Of coffee, bread, canned
beef, sausages and pies had been provided
and the wandering Willies pitched into
the viands with vengeance, and after
supper 1t was proposed TO hold meeting,
but the hall was quickly crowded and
proved to small, so an overflow meeting
was held on Mer:no Flats.
The weather was not all that could
be desired, but nearly 1000 men
up the railroad track and over
the rough fields to the elevation from
which the leaders Of the commonwealers
were to address the crowd. The
army was represented by the faultlessly
attired Mckenzie, the "soldiers" being
too weary to care whether school kept or
not and they were reclining on the soft
boards of the floor at Germania Hall.
Swift, OF the Equity Union, was the
principal speaker, and his address was
general arraignment OF capital which
he claimed was making 1t impos-
sible for man to live. Rev. Herbert N.
Casson OF the labor church at Lynn, George
III. Boomer and Edward Tynert also spoke,
while the crowd stood in the rain, around
the fiaring torches, and listened.
So many men applied TO be admitted as
recruits that the leaders decided that
il would be impossible for
part fearing they could not provide for
them, whereupon the Olneyville contin-
gent decided to have an army of its
own and Barney Cannon began making
recruits. Some 75 names were given in
but Of these only small part was accepted
the remainder being held for examina-
night in Germania Hall, but at 4:30 this
morning they had had enough Of the floor
and were astir. Breakfast was served
in Union Hall and while there was
enough food the coffee was lacking. Swift,
Mckenzie and Fitzgerald had taken
army murmured at that desertion,
but the leaders appeared again
about breakfast time and then another
mass meeting was held on Merino Flats,
speeches being made by Swift and
others. There was small attend
ance though, outside of the
army and would be recruits, and presently
they trooped back to the hall, where
business meeting was held to
decide whether the Cannon army
should be allowed to affiliate with them
or go on its own hook. There are some 20
men who answer the requirements in be-
ing unemployed and they think their
duty calls them toward Washington.
Perhaps they are right.
Wanted no Olneyville Recruits.
The army concluded that with the few
recruits they had added their ranks were
as full as they wanted and consequently
the Olneyvilie contingent will travel by
itself. General Fitzgerald and Commits
slonary Mckenzie visited the Olneyville
Office of THE NEWS and announced
that they would make the
next stopping place at East
Greenwich and sent the following dis
patch to the selectmen of that town:
"The Boston industrial delegates will ar
rive this evening. Please provide food
and shelter"
This was signed by both officials. Mr..
Fitzgerald emphasized the statement that
the army was not gathering in every re-
cruit that was offered. They wanted no
buns and were simply representatives of
the unemployed. He believed
it was better to start several
small delegations not numbering over 100
then to have one large one. He thought
that the Providence delegation had
hot In nf Un hV
different route than his party.
1t might be suggested here that the
first crowd to come along would fare
the best. An early start was advised,
so they visited the fats and the
speeches were cut short. The army
crowd that had swelled TO hundreds
and gathering up their belongings and
what food remained took the road again to-
ward East Greenwich. They were escorted
out of town as they had been escorted in
by an admiring crowd, who followed on
for some distance. The disappointed re-
cruits are now hustling round getting up
an army OF their own.
There will be no opposition whatever to
their doing SO.
Two Rhode Island Armies.
As it became evident that space was
limited in lthe original ranks
and that many would be left
party OF 10 was made up under
the leadership OF William Gannett,
and with flags bravely flying
they set OF for Washington via
the Hartford pike. They ex-
pcct reinforccments, bat the sue
cess OF their mission is very doubtful.
They claim that they will represent Rhode
Island and Il IL evident that no one can
dispute their claim.
Barney Cannon will take an army of 25
rs already scheduled and as
his route Is via Hartford he
must follow these independents. These
parties will unite with the Massac husetts
party at New Haven. The start was post
poned until o'clock.