Evening journal., 1894-05-02
COxEY WILL WAIT NOW
No More Attempts to Speak on
the Capitol Steps.
MARSHAL BROWNE is OUT ON BAIL.

WASHINGTON, MAY 2.-lhe march Of Cox |
ey's commonweal army, which started |
from Massillon, o., on Easter Sunday, that |
Its leader might speak from the steps OF
the capitol in advocacy of his bills for non.
interest bearing bonds and for giving work |
to the unemployed on public roads by an
issue of legal tender, ended, as might have |
been predicted, in interruption by the po' |
lice.
Fortunately and remarkably enough,
there were no casualties and today Gener-
al Coxey has his burlesque army in camp.
Marshal Carl Browne occupied a police
station cell for "a time and Christopher Co
lumbus Joftes, leader of the Philadelphia
commune and the comedian Of the move
ment, endeavored TO appropriate a share
of the mRrtyrdom in an adjoining cell
The performance which was enacted
within the shadow Of the capitol is with
out a counterpart in the memory of Wash
ingtonians over the broad, smooth plaza
of several acres facing the east front Of the
capitol was packed a crowd Of men and
women numbering 10000 by conservative
estimate-such a gathering as Is never
seen there except on Inauguration days.
All conditions of people were there the
lower elements in largest proportion, with
many negroes among them. The capitol
steps and the pOrticoes under the Grecian
pillars were packed with well dressed peo-
pie of both sexes, and most of the members
Of congress were in the throng.
Congressman In the Crowd.
An early adjournment had been taken
by the senate on account OF the death Of
Senator Stockbridge, but the house, not
wishing to seem TO be terrorized by the
demonstration, went through the sem
blance Of a session with "A handful Of mem
bers More than 200 city police re-enforced
the capitol officers, and detectives from
several cities were sprinkled through the
crowd, for the concentration Of lawless To-
cal characters gave just grounds for appre-
hension Of trouble apart from the presence
of the Coxeyites.
1t was shortly after 1 o'clock when this
army halted in the public street south CT
the capitol grounds. Its five mile march
down from Brightwood through the prin-
cipal streets Of the city had been witnessed
by thousands attracted more from curios-
ity than by any interest in the movement,
although their good natured yells were in
terpreted by the commonwealers to be ap-
plause. Such a fantastic aggregation never
before paraded itself in seriousness before
the public.
There were 500 in the line-Mrs. Annie
L. Diggs, the populistic agitator Of Kan
sas. in a barouche; Coxey's 17-year-old
daughter in white ON a cream colored
steed, representing the Goddess of Peace;
Carl Browne on great gray Percheron
stallion General Jacob Slecher Coxey, his
wife and the infant Legal Tender Coxey
together in another carriage; Virginia la
| Nalette. said TO be an actress, on horse
back, draped in an American flag, as the
4 Philadelphia commune's Goddess Of Peace;
the unemployed carrying white flags of
peace on slaves, and the nondescript ban
ners setting forth the doctrine of reincar-
nation, good roads and enmity TO pluto
Gratis sprinkled through the caravan.
Browne and Coxey Went Alone.
Marshal Browne halted the procession
there in the street and walked back to
Coxey's carriage. The general kissed his
wife, and then the two moving spirits of
the affair, Browne swinging aloft a small
banner, forced their way over the plaza TO
the capitol steps, their men, acting under
orders, standing in their tracks.
After Coxey and Browne pressed a yell
ing crowd of several hundred men, most
of them following Browne, conspicuous
because of his unique costume.
Trampling and tearing its way through
the costly shrubbery the mob went, while
the squad Of mounted police which had
headed the parade, dazed for a moment by
the unexpected move, charged recklessly
into their midst.
Coxey was confronted by the police as
he took off his hat to speak on the steps,
and his demand for his constitutional
right, as he called It, being refused, he
thrust upon them printed protest which
proved TO be a well worded epitome OF
populistic doctrines.
Meanwhile Carl Browne was being liter
ally dragged by the collar Of his coat
through the crowd toward the nearest sta.
tion after he had made fight to retain
his banner.
Police Used Clubs Freely.
Two police captains, a lieutenant and
sergeant thrust the mild hammered Coxey
} without violence back across several hun
dred feet of humanity to his carriage
, Mounted police were forcing their horses
among the people, several Of them crack
ing their clubs over the heads Of the near
est persons. Women were shrieking in
terror and men yelling fiercely. Som,
were being knocked down and tramplet
! upon
For five minutes there was n riot in that
section of the mob in front Of the east steps
which occupied about an acre Of the as
phalt. Then the two agitating spirits hav
] ing been removed and half dozen partic
ularly belligerent men having been takeI
Q in by the police, the disturbance was quell
4 ed without serious injury to a single per
g son.
Q Another riot was started almost imme
, diately near Coxey's carriage in the street
J. whittier the crowds pressed as soon as thu
; leader had rejoined his lines. Clubs wer
. freely used upon the excited negroes Of tn
J. class which abounds in this city ready 4
seize upon any pretext for making dis
L turbances. Cable cars changing through
o the mob increased the danger, but her
also none but minor injuries was inflicted
Somehow the army was started off to
d ward its new camp between double line
Il of police, followed by mob Of thousands
8 negroes and white men cheering like dc
y mons for Coxey and Browne Within al
r hour the capitol grounds had almost re
gained their normal quiet, with only
> few hundred people strolling around, an
nofhfnor but framplod ehru bbprv and uras