The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-01-11
FIGHTING TAXES WITH FIRE.
Tsrrib'e Outbreak of tho working Class
In Sicily.

In Sicily.
ROME, January 2-Dispatches re.
ceived from Sicily today show that the
gress In the province of Trapahi. Sew
eral days ago the discomfort in Campo.
bello, a town Of 5000 inhabitants, near
rrapan1 city, had become so threaten
Ing that the town council passed a ros-
olution abOllshing the wheat octroi
AS protests against this action the
m1llers refused to reduce the price of
hour and the bakers announced an in
crease In the price of bread.
When these measures became known
yesterday morning about a thousand
men and hfty or more women Of the
working class gathered from the town
and the surrounding country and be-
gan marching through the streets. The
police who tried to disperse them were
put to flight. The rioters set fire TO
all the public buildings except the
town hall. From these buildings the
nre spread to private houses. While a
large district was in flames the mob
1ert the owners and officials alono to
hight the fire, marched to the prison
and took it by storm. All the persons
were liberated.
The soldiers who had been confined
IN their barracks were driven out by
hre and then turned their attention to
saving the rest of the town. They
were very forbearlng and did not fire
or use their bayOnets upon the mob.
Nearly third Of the town Is now in
ruins. Many families that were burn
ed out walked the streets all last night
The whole towL looks as if 1T had suf-
fered from bombardment. Among
the buildings destroyed were every
mill and miller's house in the place.
AT Salemi, town of $4,000 1nhabi-
Cans, in the same district with Campo.
Dello, fires were started by anti-tax
rioters shortly before dark Yesterday,
and half dozen building we're burn
Ing by0 o'clock. Fires were set by
rioters In several smaller towns Also
and In the early evening the whole dis
trlct seemed ablaze. The troops, al.
though provoked by the rioters repeat
rioters were arrested aftei a struggle.
A private was shot in the chez k and a
captain In the stomach.
at Pietra PerZia, a town of 1900
Inhabitants, near Caltaulsptfa, an anti.
tax mob set fire to three pubic build-
1ngs and tried to get dt the rest, but
was prevented by troops wro had bcri
called out to protect them. The RIO
ters made such determined attacks on
the hutldlnTs that eventually The or
der to fire was given. Five were kill
ed and many wounded by the first vol.
ley. The second volley, fired over their
heads, was followed quickly by the dis.
solution of the mob.
The town council in Marinro, near
Palermo, abolished the whra, OctrOi Oh
Saturday, but the milltls and bakers,
like those Of Campobello, refused 10 re-
duce their prices. The people rose yes.
tSTday and tried to destroy the town
buildings, but were driven off by the
troops after several stubborn fights, III
which three rioters we're killed and
several more were wounded. Tro0lS
continued to guard the houses Of the
millerS and bakers and the public
buildings throughout the night.
The communal councillors of Syra
cuse have taken steps to quiet the pop.
lace by lowering the wheat tax. Tie
announcement of this policy yesterday
morning was received with JOY through
out the city, and the Governor was re-
ceived with tremendous applause when
he entered the theatre last evening.
All the ministers pronounced the
situation IN Sicily to be graver than ut
any previous period of the anti tax ag
itation. Several ministers expressed
the opinion that the communal cOun-
ellis, whose bad administration had
caused the disorder. ought to be dis
solved by the Government. The appeal
Of the military commander OF the peo.
pie Is considered In lhe ministry AS
we'll as among the people AT large to be
proof Of the desperation Of Sicilian
affairs.
Several Sicilian Deputies, who have
great influence with the people Of their
districts, have started for the island to
help in the work OF pacifying them.
Premier Crispi is not expected until
this evening to go to Sicily. but the
alarming reports received In the last
dispatches have caused him to change
his plans. lie will Dot visit Sicily for
the present, as he deems his presence
In Rome indispensable.
a mass meeting of all classes in Pal
ermo last evening appointed deputa-
tion to report formally to the Govern
ment what reforms were most needed
In Sicily, "as the government was but
III Informed by the officials represent
Ing 1t on the island"