Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-03-12
REVOLT IN A HOME.
Girls Go on the Rampage and
Smash Things.
DEFY AND ATTACK ATTENDANTS,


men When Riot Call Brings Them to
the lnstitution-A Number-Of the Nut
ineers rsArrest~d-CroclSerya and Furniture
of the Home = Total wreck-A Chicago
Sensation.
CHICAGO, March f2-Mamie Davis was
chained to the floor In the state home for
Juvenile female offenders, Bill Indiana
avenue. The thirty-four inmates of the
place had been in sullen rebellion for two
weeks. Supper was finished at 6 O'Clock
and the time for retiring had come. Sud
denly there was a crashing of glass and
tumult broke loose. Screams and hyster-
ical cries filled the house and aroused
the neighborhood. A crowd began
to gather in the street, and
soon one of the attendants rushed
out of the house and Wen: to I; telephone
to notify one of the trustees of the insti-
tuition. The din seemed to grow, and the
sounds of breaking crockery, smashing
furniture and crashing of glass increased.
With broom sticks the imprisoned girls
poked through the iron bars on the win
dows and broke the panes after the
matrons had been driven from their
rooms To the crowd standing helpless
on the outside they shouted that they
were being starved, beaten and bound
with chains.
Drove Out the Attendants.
The bowling mutineers then went for
the attendants, and they were driven into
a room with sticks and flying cups.
saucers and water pitchers. Then the
rioters hunted up broomsticks and punch
ed out the window glass. Water bowls
and ali sorts of crockery Were dropped
over banistcrs from the third floor down
to the basement. Every piece of furniture
in the open rooms was demolished. The
girls shouted curses and yelled threats
through the barricadcd dOor to the at
tendants The only one who dared ven
turc among the girls waS Mrs. NJ. j. Nc
Carthy, assistant .natron under Mrs.
Fairchild. She tried To pacify them, but
the leaders of the mob We're not to be
quie;ed. They called through the broken
windows that they were starving. and
begged them to break into the house and
set them free. The din was terrific, and
could be plainly heard to Michigan ave-
nue.. The crowd outside grew until the
street was blocked. When the police en-
tered the house they Were met with the
cry: Take us to the bridewell. Any
thing to get out of this hole Signal
Sergeant Chris Lyons and Pitroiman
Charles Rickelson pushed the girls aside
and walked toward Matron Dayton.
Turned Upon the Policemen.
The latter began to explain the situa-
ton. Her story was met by chorus of
'that is wrong" The cries We're dcafen-
ing and the policemen, turning to the
girls, ordered them to be quiet. The
command was taken as signal that TIE
officers had come only to protect the
matron against them They turned upon
the policemen. Buttons were torn from
| the blue coats. Efforts We're made to
strike the policemen in the face. Only
the size of the officers prevented
their receiving many scratches.
In few minutes order was re-
stored and Matron Dayton sent
the patrol wagon back to the station.
Patrolman Rickelson was left to preserve
order Within five minutes he was the
object of an attack from dozen of the
larger girls. Despite his utmost efforts
he could not drive his assailants off. His
face was bruised and locks of his hair
were pulled out In the midst of the
melee Detectives Ames and Tomney from
the Cottage Grove avenue station,
attracted by the crowd in Indiana ave-
nue., broke through the doors. With
their assistance the assault on Rickelson
was terminated.
Police Sent for Again.
Order could not be restored and the pa
troll wagon was again sent for. By this
time the girls mad learned that the po-
licemen were not there to do them in
jury. At the reception of this knowledge
they fiocked about the policemen and told
| h., hnt- h,l h..in nd
and subjected to all sorts of cruel treat
ment. Some of them We're weeping hys-
terically and others were cursing and rat
Ting tin pans, which had been smashed out
of all shape. The hall was packed with
frousy-beaded girls some only 10 years old
and the oldes: not over 16. Their dresses
were torn and some tattered. Each one
tried to shout louder than the other to
tell all her troubles. The work of demol-
ition was still going on upstairs and two
policemen started to stop the ravaging.
When they reached the top OF the stairs
they were assailed with china cups and
chair legs. SooE they came down with
four of the worst speci mems in the home
of juvenile offenders. Twelve of the
more timid girls who had belonged to the
1 good class" were moaning and crying in
the room with the attendants.
Rushed Upon the Matrons.
The advent of the police gave courage
to the matrons and they ventured into
the hall. Immediately dozen of the
young amazons rushed at them, but be-
fore any of the girls clawed out the wo-
mems eyes they were pulled away by po-
icemen The pandemonium did not die
out after the work of devastation had
been stopped There were cries of Take
us away from this place!' I'VE want to
go to the station!'
The superintendent waiting for one of
the trustees to come wasl at a oss what to
do. The girls would not stop shouting
and the crowd on the outside was grow
ing every minute. Finally at 10 O'Clock
the police took the matter into their own
hands and the leaders OF the riot were
bundled away to the station. The girls
arrested We're Essie Davis, Mamie Chin
tin. Rosie Schiar and Lizzie Smith. Ten
policemen remained in the house until the
other rioters We're locked in their rooms,
when part of them went away. In the