The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-26
The Army" of Hungry Higginses, Weary
Raggleses and Hobos Starts from
Massillon i'm a Blizzard.
IT MARCHES EIGHT MILES
And Goes Into Camp at Canton
with Snow Falling Heavily.
Marshal Smith Drills the CommOnweal-
ers and Gives Evidence of Being
Martinet-COxey Hard Up.

CANTON, o., March o5.-In the face of
the frames of well-clad people, Coxey's
army marched eight miles to-day on the
road to Washington. There were a few
less than a hundred of them. Not to ex-
ceed dozen had overcoats or gloves. They
had slept last night on pallets of straw
in the airy and cheerless circus tent and
they were greeted this morning by the dis
agreeable discovery that no detailed ar
rangements had been made for feeding
them. Several hundred persons watched
their departure from Massillon. About
three thousand persons assembled at the
temporary camp at Reedurban and host
greeted the crusaders at Canton. Tonight
they are sleeping at Camp Lexington in the
eastern part of Canton. y heavy snow
storm set in before the details of the camp
had been completed and the trampers are
huddled around roaring camp fires. About
two-thirds of the men enlisted made the
trip. Coxey has buried his disappointment
over the nonappearance Of the myriad he
expected and is exultant over the handful
who reported for business.
The Massillon camp on the Tuscarawas
presented an odd sight early this morning.
No fire was permitted in the big tent but
there was a heap of blazing logs outside.
Every few moments the flaps Of the tent
were parted by a soldier of the common
veal, who visited the fire to Grive away the
chills. Soon he would hurry back to bur-
row in the straw for another nap and
others would take his place.
The ''hobos'' in the party became known
just before breakfast. They had soap.
Some of them washed at the river brink
and others carried water in pans and
heated it over the fire. They burned straw
and frolicked about like a troop of boys
A bugle call to breakfast brought them
together at the tent with a rush The bill
of fare comprised bread, coffee and raw
meat. The latter was affixed to the end
of pointed sticks and roasted over the fire.
One group of five ran away in body after
breakfast and boarded a passing freight
train. Thirty of the commonwealers spent
the night as dodgers at the Massilon police
station. They comprised two entire groups
who could not be found when they were
needed for picket duty. They were on hand
for breakfast.
THE ARMY MARSHALED.
At o'clock Marshal Louis Smith, other
wise the unknown summoned the men
to camp together. and they were found to
number eleven groups. They were organ
lied into column. Smith drilled then on
the meadows for half an hour. He has
added several for1nalities of military dis
cipline to the rules of the commonweal
One of them is the plan or having them
march in files of two, and a more surpris-
ing innovation is the adoption of military
salutes. man who shouted, Here
Browne" at the California reformer half
way across the field. was given a raking
over by Smith. Among other things he
said that the proper caper was to ask for
Chief MARSHAL Carl Browne, and salute
when his attention is secured. Thus the
despised military system is being intro
duced, even though companies are called
communes and regiments communities
The eleven groups consolidated to-day are
called the Chicago commune.
Two hours before the time for departure
the tents were pulled down and prepara-
tions made for the trip. Outsiders were
directed to leave the field and await the
commonweal on the main streets of the
town. Camp wagons and saddle horses
were brought in from Coxiana and the
soldiers had a. busy time of it. A diver
sion was caused by a bulletin from Coxi-
ana announcing that steamer
had just passed that point laden
with recruits from Canton. The steamer
made the trip of nine miles in two and one
half hours, but only few men from Can
ton were enrolled.
The start from Massillon resembled the
moving of an old-time country circus more
than anything else. There was no goddess
of peace in the procession, as Coxey had
designed his divorced wife refusing to
permit her daughter to go with the army
in that capacity. Coxey's son Jesse a boy
of sixteen, was mounted on a blooded
stallion from the stock farm and wore a
military uniform. Browne and the other
officers were similarly mounted while the
General" rode in a phaeton behind one
of his favorite horses. Mrs. Coxey, her
three-year-old son and the housekeeper
for the Coxeys rode in buggy. The rank
and file of the army brought up the rear
on foot, following the band wagon, which
very much resembled a gypsy's travelling
conveyance. The musicians did their best
to enliven the soldiers, and the many gay
banners added fantastic elements TO the
pageant. Before the start the MONDAY
rations were distributed. They consisted
of a can of salmon and a loaf of bread for
each group Of five and a small slice of ham
for each man. This seemed to satisfy the
men ana Iney IudTCHeu away WITH
hearts and buoyant spirits.
The police authorities say the army is
largely composed of tramps who have been
lodging In the city prisons the greater part
of the winter. Looking at the majority
of them no one would dispute the police
verdict. II the warriors are not tramps
they look it, and in their present garb
they will have a hard time convincing peO-
pie TO the contrary. There was a sufficient
Quantity Of food for supper. 1t consisted
of coffee, cooked in an open iron kettle
over camp fire. crackers, bread and
canned fish. There was nothing left for
breakfast but local Populists and Prohi-
meal and they doubtless will fare better
Tomorrow than to-day. Not one in ten
of the men have blankets. Straw i'm the
tents is scarce and the weather cold The
wind and scattering snow flakes of the
afternoon ripened into a full-grown snow
storm about dusk. Fifty-twO of the com.
pany applied at police headquarters for
lodging and were accommodated. Coxey
is at the hotel, the guest of the landlord.
Browne had a similar invitation, but de-
clined, saying ii was his duty To stay by
his men. They deny the recruits are
tramps, but claim they are unemployed
workingmen who can't afford TO dress
better The streets were thronged with
people, many of them strangers. There
was no disorder and special police pre-
lection. Thefts while people were at
church have been reported. Street-car
service was doubled on the Massilon line
and TO the camp grounds many people