The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-07-12
FIGHT AT. HAMMOND.
Two Companies of United States
Regulars Fire on a Mob.
One Man Killed and Two Others Wounded.
One Being Woman-The Mob Frantic
Sixteen Companies of Indiana
Troops Ordered to the Scene.


the great railroad strike was trans
ferred Sunday to Hammond, Ind, just
across the border line. where, from an
early hour, mob violence reigned SUI
preme.
Two companies of regulars were dis
patched to the scene. Late Sunday af.
ternoon there was pitched battle be-
tween the regulars and the mob.
This is the list of casualties:
Charles Fleisher, carpenter, mar
ried, aged 35, a resident of Hammond,
killed instantly, a bullet entering his
abdomen and passing clear through the
body.
w. II. Campbell, shot in right thigh;
probably fatal.
Victor Seitor. also of Hammond, shot
in the knee: amputation of leg neces-
sary: condition critical.
Miss Annie Fleming, of East Chicago,
bullet wound above right knee; not
serious.
Unknown man, stranger in Hammond,
shot in right leg; amputation probably
necessary.
Trouble commenced at daylight,
when mob which had been in the
neighborhood since the night before
overturned fifteen freight cars of the
Chicago & Calumet Terminal railroad
between Hammond and east Chicago.
Six of them were thrown crosswise
over the main track of the Michigan
Central. while two others were thrown
across the rails of the Nickel Plate. At
the break of day the rabble set fire to
Pullmgn car that had been run ON a
side track. call was sent in and the
fire department responded with alac-
rity. but not before four Pullmans had
been badly scorched.
Shortly after day-break the north
bound train on the Monon road reached
the depot. Just as soon as it stopped
it was surrounded by a crowd of strik
ers. boys and women, and the engineer
and fireman were peremptorily ordered
to get down from the cab.
Some of the mob were armed with
revolvers. Many more held rocks in
their hands, and as a consequence the
two employees were quick to obey. One
of the strikers then took possession Of
the engine, and the train was side
tracked. A telegram was sent to Chi
cago asking for military assistance to
get the train out.
At 11:30 Company D, of the Fifteenth
infantry, thirty-five strong, arrived in
two coaches. The regulars disem-
barked at the depot and marched to
the sidetrack where the Monon train
was stationed. The mob fell back on
the approach of the military, but hoot-
ed and jeered, and the scene was a YER
table bedlain.
One-half of the company took up its
position in front of the engine, and the
| other half in the rear, and prepara-
tions were made to move the train.
Like fash of lightning, however. the
crowd increased until it was nearly
two thousand strong, and realizing
that reinforcements were necessary,
detail was sent to the telegraph of
fee with instructions to wire to Chi
cago for more troops. In the mean
time Maj. Reilly ordered Capt. Hartz
to clear the tracks to the sidewalk
with fixed bayonets. The regulars adj
vanced, the mob retreated, and for the
time being was held at bay.
The mob went to the adjacent prairie
on either side of the tracks for while,
but, becoming emboldened by the APP
parent inactivity of the military, again
closed up on the rails, only to be re-
pulsed.
This condition of affairs continued
unremittingly until o'clock, when
the train that had brought the second
detachment of regulars was run into
the Monon yards. just as it was
brought to standstill, several box
ears were dumped on the track a block
and half to the north,
About the same time the Monon mail
train came in from the south carrying
mail matter from Indiana polls, Louis
vile, Cincinnati and intermediate
points. A company of regulars was
ordered to the state line, but = had
barely passed the mob assembled al
the state street crossing when a rope
was thrown around Pullman car
standing on side-track few
wards north, with the evident in.
tention of throwing it over the
main track and preventing the fur
ther passage of the train. There were
regulars on the engine, regul&SS on the
roof and regula IS at the car windows
all of them waiting for just such a con
dition as was now imminent.
An officer on the locomotive gave
the word and toward the west and to
ward the east volley was poured from
engine. roofs and windows. Some o,
the bullets went overhead, many more
ploughed the ground, few took effect
Without waiting for further orders the
regulars made for solid earth, and witt
bayonets fixed made dash for the mol
on both sides of the track.
This maneuver, however, was hard
ly necessary. Obscured by the smoke
the mob had taken to their heels lik
frightened geese. Not few of then
threw themselves headlong on tn
prairie, where they lay fat, s.
Thoroughly scared that it was matte
of indifference to them, and there tn
soldiers trampled them down in tn
charge.
President Cleveland Condemned.