The Portland daily press., 1895-02-05

Police-One Alderman Who Dared
Speak His Mind
Brooklyn, February 4.-Some uneasiness
existed in Brooklyn this morning over
the intended assembling this afternoon at
the City hall of the strikers and their
sympathizers to present to the board of
aldermen petition to revoke the franchises
of the trolley roads. At ! o'clock. Master
Workman Connolley called on Police Com
missioner Welles to ask for permit for the
demonstration, but no permit was issued.
Connolley said: The commissioner and the
Superintendent feared trouble and have
asked me not to let any of my men assemble
in the City hall square. / have agreed to
this. am now going back to headquarters
and l shall notify the men that their execu-
tive board desires them to keep away. l
don't blame the police commissioner for be-
ing scared. A crowd of 10000 persons is too
many to assemble in one place.
At 1915 policemen began TO appear at City
hall and parade in the corridors. They kept
everybody moving. A strong guard was
placed at the entrance to the may yor's office.
ana later under the windows thereto. on
the pavements.
who had assembled on Bridge street near
Fulton, marched down to the City hall.
They were joined by others and by the time
the City hall square was reached fully 1000
men were in the street. Policemen appeared
suddenly from the side streets and kept
with the procession until it had passed
around the City hall. and was massed In
Court street, then a detail of one hundred
policemen. who had been held in reserve at
the First precinct station house. arrived on
the scene They were divided into two
squads OF fifty each, and drawing their long
night sticks pressed the crowd back. The
mounted reserves sailed forth at this
moment, and in five minutes the street sur
rounding the City hall were clear and the
people were crowded into the side street
openings on the square. One of the mounted
officers hit Patrick Mcdonald on the head. i.
inaicting an ugly scalp wound. At o'clock
the crowd had melted away.
BEFORE THE ALDERMEN.
MartinsJ Connolly and Andrew Collins of
the strikers committee arrived at the City
hall at 2.30 p. m. Mr.. Connolly carried the
petition under his arm wrapped in an old
newspaper. He was detained in he hall
five minutes and then admitted to the
council chamber. The petition he presented
was as follows: Whereas, the city of Brook
Iyp, through the board of aldermen and
mayor, has granted the Brooklyn Heights,
Atlantic avenue and Brooklyn, Queens
County and Suburban railroads license of
franchise to construct and operate a street
railroad common carriers in said city for
the convenience and accommodation of the
citizens, and permitted them to charge the
citizens rate of fare that has enabled the
said railway company to become enormous
ly wealthy. and whereas the said license OF
privilege granted the said railway corpora
tons is worth millions of dollars, and where
as the said valuable privilege has been
grossly abused by the said railway COM
panies who violated the laws of the state,
and used the privilege granted them in
such a manner as to result in loss and in
Jury to the interests of the people of the
said city. be il now
Resolved, We, the undersigned citizens of
the city of Brooklyn, do hereby respectfully
petition and request the honora BILE board of
a aldermen and the mayor of the city of
Brooklyn to Immediately revoke and repeal
the license and franchise to build and
operate electric other street rail-
ways. granted by your honorable body to
the Brooklyn Heights, Atlantic Avenue and
Brooklyn, Queens county. and Suburban
Railway companies.
The following resolution was presented to
the board of aldermen for adoption:
Resolved. That the ordinance granting
the privilege and license to the Brooklyn
Heights Railway company. tie Atlantic
A poi1 Il H.,
lyn, Queens County and Suburban Rail-