The herald., 1895-02-27
WELCOMED By A MOB
Ex=Priest Slattery's Warm
Reception
THE State MILITIA CALLED OUT
BriCkbats and Other Missiles
Crash Windows
MANY PEOPLE IN PERIL
A Desperate Stand Made by the
Hereto Lecturer
The Citizen Soldiers Compelled to Charge
the Crowd
A Desperate Stand Made by the
Hereto Lecturer
The Citizen Soldiers Compelled to Charge
the Crowd
Number Of People Injured by Flying
Bricks and the Lecturers Manager
Sandbagged-No End Yet

Savannah, Ga, Feb. 26.--This has been
the most exciting night in the history of
Savannah. For five hours the city has
trem bled on the verge of religious riots.
The entire white military force of the city
except the artillery has been on duty;
there are ten infantry companies and the
Georgia Huzzars the latter being dis
mounted. A mob estimated at from 5000
to 5000, the greater part being Catholics,
has challenged their forbearance to the
extreme. But for the GOODNESS of Mayor
Meyers and the officers commanding the
troops, blood might have been shed.
Bayonet changes were made several times
to clear the streets but the mob which had
gathered about Masonic Temple. one OF
the prominent buildings of the city and
ituated in the heart of Savannah, stub
bornly refused to retire.
For three days it had been apparent
that grave trouble was brewing. The city
had been literally placarded with notices
that ex- Priest Slattery and his wife, de-
scribed as an ex-nun, would lecture here
on Catholicism. Members of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians at once took steps to
prevent their appearance here. Petitions
were circulated asking Mayor Meyers to
refuse permission to the ex-priest to hold
his lecture. The petition said that if Slat-
terry were allowed to speak there would b
disorder and riot. About 800 person
signed the petition. When it was pre-
sented to the Mayor by committee of
twelve Catholics including the presidents
of two divisions of the Ancient Order of
Hibernians, he handed them writteh
opinion from the Corporation Attorney t
the effect that he, as Mayor, had no
power to abridge the right of speech guar
anteed by the Constitutions of the Unitad
States and of Georgia. In his opinion the
City Attorney said there would be no dis
order or trouble if those who were of
Tended by Slattery's remarks would stay
away from the lecture. He urged all to do
so Mayor Meyers asked the commi ttee
to advise all Catholics to keep away from
the lecture.
~ cannot stop this man from lectur-
ing" said the Mayor, who is a Hebrew,
"but I can prevent disorder, and l will do
So If the police is not sufficient force TO
do so, the military will be appealed to.
Riot will not be tolerated."
The committee stated that it was their
desire to avoid trouble and that they would
use their influence in that direction.
They did so, but their efforts utterly
failed. All of today it had been rumored
that mobs would come from different sec
tions of the city and that Slattery would
be killed. The fact that he was to put on
the garb of the priest in the course of his
lecture spread like wildfirc and raised an
intense feeling among Catholics.
Mayor Meyers issued instructions to
Chief McDermott to have the entire avail
able police force on hand at Ma
sonic Temple. Fifteen policemen were
stationed inside the hall and thirty others
were massed in front. BY I O'Clock sew
eral hundred people had collected. When
Slattery arrived the mob had not as
sumed large enough proportions to cope
with the police. By 8 O'Clock bowling
mob of 1900 surrounded the hall. In the
hall there was an audience of about 1000,
including a number of ladies. The lee
ture had hardly begun before brickbats
and cobblestones began to rain on the
windows. The police had closed all the
heavy inside shutters, thus saving the
audience from injury only two or three
being injured by falling glass The rest
of the police force was called out and fifty
men were soon in front of the hall. The
mob made rushes to secure an entrance,
but were driven back by force.
By 8 o'clock the mob had grown to be-
tween 5000 and 1000 Window after win
dow in the Masonic Temple was crashed
Cries of "Kill him!" Down with Slat-
terv.' death TO the renegaden' were
heard Chief McDermott summoned the
Mayor.
The lecture closed at $50 and it was ap-
parent that it meant the loss of many
lives for the lecturer and audience to leave
the hall. Upstairs number OF members
of secret organizations, who had cheered
Slatterys declaration that he belonged to
them. had gathered around the ex-priest
to defend him as he left the hall. num-
Der, it was evident, had come armed in
OF trouble.
As the ex-priest was about to leave the
hall with his friends, the chief of polio
stopped them and refused to allow anyone
to so down stairs. Outside, Mayor Mey-
ers and Colonel Gerard were in consul
tation. The mob hissed at the police
and hooted at their orders to disperse.
The military alarm, eleven taps on all
fire bells in the city, was sent in, but
when it sounded the mob derided it.
Bring on your military, some OF the
leaders shouted.
s.To - with them! they can't save
Slattery.'
The Georgia huzzars, dismounted, un-
der command of Major Mildrem, were the
first to respond. The organization is
cnmnosed of thirty men in all. The mob