The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-09
COXEY'S TRIBULATIONS
What the Commonweal Leader
May Expect in Washington.
LIABLE TO HEAVY PENALTIES.

LIABLE TO HEAVY PENALTIES.
1t Is Unlawful TO Lead Mob of Desti-
tnte People Into the National Capital
One Mob of Forty Already Under
Arrest. ....
WARRINGTON, April o. The advance
guard of Coxey's army reached here Sat
drday night. There were forty of them in
all, and they came to town in some empty
box cars over the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad from Cincinnati. The railroad
authorities had warned Superintendent of
Police Moore, and when the train stopped
in the Baltimore and Ohio freight yard in
lexington the visitors found forty police
men drawn up along the track to receive
! them. The whole mob were at once ar
rested on charge of vagrancy.
The unceremonious manner in which
the mob of unemployed was taken in
charge by the police is foretaste of the
reception which awaits Coxcy's army, AL
though the police department was taken
somewhat by surprise by the unexpected
coming ofthe party, there was no delay or
difficulty in massiug all the reserves at
the suburban station to meet them.
The local law against vagrants IL n
sweeping measure. 1t applies to all men
without visible means Of support, who are
destitute, likely to become charges upon
the city, who have no vocation or means
OF gaining livelihood, or who solicit
aims. TIL penalty for those who are ar
raigned under the provisions of the act l.
ninety days in the workhonse at hard
labor, but IT rests within the discretion of
the judge to accept their promises to leave
the city at once, or to accept 800 bonds as
surety that they will not beg or become
public charges.
There is no doubt Of tho application Of
this law to the band from Texas under
Captain Frimuse for The search in the po-
lice station of the men showed that the
total cash ca iof the company amounts
TO about %.
Of course the men cannot give bonds for
their good behavior II permitted to re,
main in the city, but it is not improbable
that the court will accept their promises
to leave and have officers detailed to see
that they keep their word, since it Is evi
dent that they are neither criminals nor
confirmed tramps. and the expense OF
keeping them in the workhousc would be
large item. In the meantime they have
received fairly good meals, and have been
psssnbly comfortable except for he ig-
nonimy of confinement in dirty cells us,
uslly occupied by criminals.
Captain Primrose, the leader of he band
may find himself in more serious trouble
than his followers There is an old law or
the statute books, which WAS passed in
1880 aud has never been repealed, which
makes it nm Otl'euse to bring into the Dis.
trict of Columbia any destitute people who
are likely to become public charges, with
"a penalty of from SIS to $50 fine for each
offence. The police authorities are con
siderlng the adyisablity of bringing q
charge of violating this law against the
leader, in which case his fines. with the al
ternatve worl,house imprisonment, would
amount to very heavy punishment,
The same charge may be brought
against General CoXey IL disaster does not
oyertake the Army of the COmmonw ea
before It completes its itinerary. OF COURSE
the vagranGy act may be brought into ap
plication against his followers, and be
L Fide. there are two other laws which it i,
ths avowed and advertised purpose OK the
coxcyites TO break, One is the act OF con
ress regulating the use Of the Capito
.rau,ss-t, VIII h ,folbils In stringent term:
any gathering, demonstration or parade
the making of any Grafton, or use Of
threatening language, the display Of any
banner or device to attract attention.
The other Is n local law which forbid,
men to congregGte on the steps Of any
public or private building. 1t rests within
the discretion of the vice president anL
speaker Of the house to suspend the Capt.
toi regulations for any proper purpose
AID perhaps Co$eys agents will apply tc
them for permission to carry out theii
program. ...".
Major Moore, chief cs police, said II
speaking Of the march Of Cexey: "Thes,
laws are on the statute books, and WI
haSe no discretion but to enforce them il
Co&ey's army does arrive, unless congrcs,
should give them permission to congre
gate ON the Capitol steps,
The details Of the police movement
against COxey are kept Il secret. No duubt
he will be met at the district limits. II th,
numbers OF his army are too great for the
police to cope with the local militia viii
be called to their aid What TO do witt
the army when it arrives and is taken int
Ousteiy, il il should be, is a difficult oues
tion. because the jails ard station house.
of Washington will not accommodate sucl
q crowd. To simply repulse the men ant
forbid them to enter the district wouid ht
to turn them loose on the suburban resi-
dents of Virginia ard Maryland, aud thi,
Is an aspect Of tho matter which give,
rise to much eneasiness here
Major N oore has received letter from
the chief Of police of Allegheny City, Pa
describing the men in most uncompli
mentnry terms. lie declares that there
ero several professional criminals in theii
ranks, that four or five burglarlcs wer,
committed by them VI bile they were in nj,
town, and that there would have beer
more depredatious but for the close polio,
surveillance over the army during 1t,
stay.
Colonel Redstonc, the Washington rep
resen.atiye of the army, said concerning
the men arrested Saturday night: "Thi,
body Of men is not at all CONNECTED with
the c9mmonweal army. rs no Coxey mcr
will COME on until word is previously sent
10 our headquarters, and none will come
In disorder or without military discipline
There will be no resistance of the law md
none of the men will enter he city as q
body until the main line arriYes.n
Frica Sticks to His Huns.
PIrTsDUnG, April Oh. C. Frick, who
controls at least two-thlrds of the coke
making plants in the region which is now