Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-08-09

Packing Houses-Nay Call Out Troops.
 OMAHA, Aug. 9.-A crisis has arrived, and if there is no improvement several companies of militia will be sent to South Omaha and the packing house district placed under martial law. The situation was most serious last night, and tho l, 100 strikers had been doing as they pleased. They forced their picket line that has for 4S hours surrounded the packing plants under the walls of the big buildings, and their number was increased by the addi- tion of several hundred men. Mayor John- son of South Omaha went before the Oma- ha police board and asked that n dctach- ment of police be sent there, as he was powerless to control the lawlcsS element.
 He said he had driven all over tho city and found gangs of strikers patrolling the streets, waiting for some of the workmen to show up on their way to work. He had found gangs of 30 to D strikers, all armed with clubs.
 The Polios Powerless.
 The local police force was powerlcss to cope with these organized mobs, and un less some measures were taken to suppress the the disOrderly element there would be men murdered and the packing houses would be in ashes before tonight. The board was informed that the governor was in consultation with the packers, with a view of putting the packing houscatIndcr martial law, and concluded to await his action.
 The packing house managers held a conference. and at the close Mir. Cudahy notified the adjutant general that unless the wOrkmen could be given adequate protection all the packing houses would bo compelled to close down today. He said the managers do not feel like endan- gering their plants by keeping them at work while their men are in danger of assassination.
 The governor and adjutant general met the packers last evening to canvass the matter. The packers decided that the situ- ation was most serious, and tho governor finally concluded to do nothing until morning and then if there was no i'm provement to call for troops
 The employees last night on their way from work were assaulted by strikers. Many of the men who left the plants and went home to sleep were unable to return to work. In some instances their houses wero watched by strikers, and they were afraid to venture out. Men who were on their way to work were turned back by strikers and not allowed to pass tho strik- CTS picket lines. In one instance threo policemen were unable to escort ono of the night men to his home
 A mob of 30 or moro strikers would not permit them to pass, and the laborers had to return to tho plant and stay thcrc. X number of the most prominent citizens were called upon and asked to act as dep uties Many signifrd their willingness and met last evening and were sworn in.
 Want the Militia Called Out.
 Mayor Johnson and sheriff Drcxcl wis itcd the various avenues leading to the gNANN a.N-G.n port the strikers to bo in an angry frame of mind. They said the entrances to the packing houses were guarded by tho strik- CTS with force of men armed with clubs, revOlycrs and stones. and cffoFts were made to prevent the new men from going to work several conflicts occurred between the strikers and the men going to work, in which the latter wCro morn or less bruised and abused.
 Mayor Johnson predicts serious trouble, and unless the militia is brought into Omaha at once he says that the regular army will have to bc brought in to pre- vent bloodshsd on large scale. Sheriff Drexcl is inclined to think that the police and deputy sheriffs can preserve tho peace unless something unforeseen occurs, and he does not favor the idea of calling out the militia at once.
 Captain MOslyn, in charge of tho spe- cial deputies, received a telephone mes sage from Shecly stating that mob oi goo men had assembled along the tracks to sidetrack the refrigerator cars contain, ing meat shipped cast from the packing houses.
 A patrol wagonload of police was sent to Sheely. but before it arrived there the meat train had passed unmolcsted. The regular dummy train which left Omaha for South Omaha with packing house em ployees was stoned at Shecly, and a dc risive howl greeted the train as it passed ! through the suburban station.