The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-03

the StreeGS ALI N1ght-A Collector Tried
by Mock Court-The Mock Courts
Sentence of Death Was Executed in
Reality-Italy Becoming Alarmed.
Rome, January 2--Dispatches from
Sicily today show that the snti-tax
movement has made great progress in
the province of Trapani. Several days
ago, the discomfort in Campobello, a
town of 5000 Inhabitants, became so
threatening that the town council passed
a resolution abolishing the wheat octroi.
AS protest against this action, the
millers refused to reduce the price of
flour and the bakers announced an in
crease in the price of bread. When these
measures became known yesterday,
about 1000 men and fifty or more WON en-
of the working class gathered from the
town and surrounding country and be.
gan marching through the streets. Tho
police who tried to disperse them were
put to fight. The rioters set fire to all
the public buildings except the town
hall. From these buildings, the fire
spread to nearby private houses. The
mob left the owners and officials alone
to fight the fire. They marched to the
prison and took it by storm. All the
prisoners were liberated. The soldiers
were confined in their barracks and were
driven out by fire start ed by work.
ingman before the course of the mob was
reported to the commander. When
brought out to save from destruction
o. nff kn
were exceedingly forbearing They forced
back the mob slowly at the point of the
bayonet, but at no time received orders
to fire. Nearly third of the town is
now in ruins. Many families VINO were
burned out walked the streets all last
night. Among the buildings destroyed
are every mill and every miller's house in,
the place. At Salemi, place of Is, 600
Inhabitants, in the same district with
Campobello, fire was started by anti
tax rioters shortly before dark yesterday
and half dozen buildings were soon
burning. Fires were set by the rioters
In several smaller towns and in the early
evening the whole district seemed ablaze.
The troops, although provoked by the
rioters, repeatedly In Salemi, did not fire. (
Several rioters were arrested after "a
struggle A private was shot in the
cheek, and captain in the stomach at
Pletra Perzia, town of 11,000 inhabi-
tants. The anti-tax mob set fire to three
public buildings and tried to get at the
called out to protect them. The rioters
made such determined attacks on the
military in the effort to reach the build
lngs that eventually an order. to fire was
given and five men were killed and many
wounded by the first volley. A second
volley, fired over the heads of the rioters,
was followed quickly by the dissolution
of the mob se
The town council In Marineo, near
Palermo, abolished the wheat octroi,
Saturday, but the millers and bakers re-
fused to reduce prices. The people rose
yesterday and tried to destroy the town
buildings. They were driven off by the
troops after several stubborn fights, in
which three rioters were killed and
to guard the houses of the millers and
bakers and public buildings throughout
the night.
The communal councillors of Syracuse
have taken steps to quiet the populace
by lowering the wheat tax. The an
nouncefnent of this policy yesterday
morningwas received with Joy throughout
with tremendous enthusiasm when he
entered the theatre last evening. Peas
ants in village in the province of
Trapani seized collector this morning,
arraigned him before mock tribunal,
convicted him of oppression and ordered
that he be shot. The community ap-
plauded The sentence was executed.
Troops were then sent to the village.
Dispatches from Trapani giving details
of the riots in Campob bello arrived during
the cabinet council this morning. All
the ministers pronounced the situation
in Sicily graver than at any previous
period of the anti tax agitation. Several
of the ministers exressed the opinion
that the communal councils whose bad
administration has caused the disorder,
ought to besdissolved by the government.
The appeal of the military commander
on the island to the patriotism of the
people is considered proof of the desper-
ate condition of Sicilian affairs. Several
Slclllan deputies, who have great infiu-
ence with the people of their districts
have started for the island to help in the
work of paeitication Premier Crisp
expected until this evening to go, but
the alarming reports received with the
last dispatches caused him to change his
plans and he will not visit Sicily for the
present, as he deems his presence in
Rome indispensable.
A mass meeting Of all classes in Paler-
mo, last evening, appointed deputation
to report formally to the government
what reforms are most needed in Sicily,
" as the government is but ill-informed |
by the officials representing it on the |
island"
Signor Tasio has written for the Lega |
del Bane All article ON Sicilian labor |
nniODs He aopi hoe tho day,Jora bJa o+at |