Evening star., 1894-01-01
MORE RIOTING IN SICILY.
Troops Called Cut to Suppress tn
Violent mt CnstelvetranO.


The latest anti-tax riot in Sicily. accord
ing to the dispatches. occurred at Castel-
vetrano. a town of 2O.OOO Inhabitants. 1t
appears that at given signal a large body
of roadmakers Saturday suddenly left work
and attacked the tax station.
The men were evidently prepared for the
outbreak as they have secured possession
of a number of cans of petroleum which
they had hidden by the roadside with a
number of revolvers. heavy sticks and poles
to which pixies or knives were attached
The roadmakers organized themselves in
to a column and marched on the tax sta
ton. burned the sentry boxes, and two of
the local Octroi offices after plentifuliy
sprinkling them with the oil. and then set
fire to the Central Octroi offices, the tax
Offices, the record offices. destroying all the
archives and doing other damage.
All i'm an tproar.
The whole town was soon in a terrible
.uproar. the peaceable citizens flying for
their lives or locking themselves in their
residences, which they promptly barricaded
and prepared to defend to the utmost with
such means as they had at their command.
The mob, in the meanwhile, had broken
into a number of wine shops and rolled the
barrels of wine and spirits out into the
Streets. They soon drank themselves into
Q state of madness and were ready for fur
ther acts of violerce.
At signal from the leaders of the mob.
the column was reformed and shooting and
yelling like mad men and greatly reinforced
by the iawless element of the town and its
neigiborhood, the disc-derly roadmakers
led she way to Mandemental prison. which
they attacked with stones and sieige ham,
mers. and in spite of the gallant defense
made by the authorities. the guards and
keepers of that establishment forced down
the doors.
They severely handled the defenders of
the prison and succeeded in liberating all
mob in imbibing the stolen liquors and acts
of violence.
The Police Helpless.
After celebrating their victory over the
prison authorities. the mob attempted to
destroy the residence of the mayor. the bank
and the post office. During all this time
the town had been practically in the hands
of the rioters, the local police being utterly
unable to cope with the mob.
The houses of a number of citizens who
were obnoxious to the rioters were brok
into and despoiled of their most valuable
contents and their occupants were COM
PEELED to fly for their lives. In addition,
much other property was destroyed and a
number of people were beaten and other
wise ill-treated by the rioters.
The local authorities. however had COM
municated with Trapani and other towns
with the result that a force of troops and
police was sent to the scene of the riot
reaching Castelverano in time to charge
the mob as they were upon the point of
destroying the residence of the mayor. the
bank and the post office.
But, though the troops and police were
able to save these buildings from destruc-
ton, they were unable to restore order,
though the mob was charged several times
and a number of arrests were made
officers nd Of
sent for additional reinforcements which
were hurried to the spot as soon as pos
sible. the mob. in the meanwhile, retaining
possession Of the town and continuing the
work of destruction.
While this work of riot was in progress
strange as it may SEEM the mob Seemed to
be filled. as all the previous Sicilian mobs
have been. with enthusiasm for King Hum
bert and Queen Margaret of Italy They
cheered repeatedly for the king and queen
end carried portraits. upon banners, of the
king and queen with them. while contin-
Ting their riotOus demonstrations
Finally. large body OF troops and police
reached Castelvetrano and the main body
OF the mob was dispersed at the point Of
the bayonet