The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-27
RIOTERS SUPPRESSED.
Ex-Priest slattery Narrowly Els.
/ oapes the Fury Of a Mob.
MILITIAMEN PREVENT BLooDsHED
Nobs Surround the Lecture Unil and Break
I'm the windows-Dispersed at the Point
of the Bayonot-savannuh'a DeLermi ed
: Mayor Acted Promptly.


vannah For five hours the city trembled
On the verge Of religious riots. The entirs
white military forco of the city except the
artillery has been on duty. There are ten
infantry companies and tho Georgia Hus-
sars, the latter being dismounted. A mob
offrom 5000 to 5000, the GREATER part be-
Ing Catholics, challenged their forbearance
to the extreme. But for the GOODNESS of
Mayor Herman Myers and the officers
commanding the troops blood might have
been the result Bayonot charges were
made several times to clear the streets,
but the mob which had gathered about
Masonic Temple, one Of the principal
buildings Of the city and situated in tho
ksart of Savannah, stubbornly refused to
retire.
For three days 1t had been apparent that
grave trouble was brewing. The city had
boen literally plncarded with notices that
ex-Priest Slattery and his wife, de-
scrlbed ms an ex-nun, would lecture hero
on Catholicism. Mcmbcrs of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians at once took steps to
prevent their appearance here. Petitions
were circulated asking Mayor Myers to
refuse to permit the ex-prics5 to hold his
lecture. The petition said that IL Slattcry
was allowed to speak there would be dis
oEuer anu rloV' Apoup oVJ SiShNu thc Po-
tition.
When the petition was presented to tho
mayor by committee OF twelve Gath
olios, including The presidents of two dl
visions of the a. o. H., he handed them n
written opinion from the corporation at
torney to the effect that he, as mayor, had
no power to abrdge tho right of FREQ
speech guaranteed by the constitution of
tho United States and Georgia. In his
opinion the city attorney said that there
could be no disorder or trouble If those
who would be offended by Slattery's re-
marks would stay away from his lecture.
Ho urged all to do so. Mayor Myers also
asked the committee to advise all Cath
olics to keep away from the lecture.
Il cannot stop this man from lecturlng,"
said the mayor, who is Hebrew, but
CHn prevent disorder, and will do So II
Che police are not sufficient force to do so
, the military will be appealed to Riot will
not be tolerated.
The committee stated that 1t 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 day yesterday it had been rumorcd
thRt mobs would come from different sec
tions of the city and that Slattery would
the garb Of IL priest in the course of his
ieuture spread like wildflrc, and raised an
Intense feeling among Catholics. Mayor
Myers issued instructions to Chief MuDcr.
mott to have the entire available police
furue on hand Mt Masonic Temple Fifteen
policeinen were stationed inside the hall,
ard thirty others were masscd in front.
BY z o'clock several hundred had col
lected. When Slattery arrived the mob
hnl not assumed large enough propor
tiDns to cone with the police. ByS o'clock
n bowling mob of over fifteen hundred
surrounded Masonic tremple. In the hall
ryrre AN audience of about four hundred
Including n number of ladies The loo,
turor had hardly begun before bricks and
oohblestoIf1 %s~an to rain on tho win.
siavs. The police had closed nil the heavy
inside shutters thus saving the audience
from injury. only Two or three being in.
iured by fiying glass. Tho rest of the no.
iiee force was called ont md 1rty officers
were soon In front of the hail
The ,nob mndn PUSHES to sccure nm on.
t,unee. but yyrre driven back time nftrr
time by the nolice Bafore o o'cIock tho
mob had grown TO probably between three
nrd four Thousand nennle Window nfter
window In tho Masonic ,rcmnla was
cUsbed rrics or ..Iiiu him v s,Da,vn with
6lattery. y "Drnth To the rencgadc y yvere
hsard Chief McDermott summoned tho
mayor. The lecture elnsptl nt o no o'clork
Asu 1t was apparent mat IL meant the loss
~ many lN'7 ior ene iVcturer ahe ehe au-
n'shce sll. 70 le''Vr Ine nan,
tPse"tls hu'i'o't VI nicihpcIS VI secrct
vfeaniza'iohS VINO hua cheereu 9iaetetys
posiarat,on that ne peiohseu 10 theih haa
eaenerea arounu the 'A,priesV 10 defend