Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-02-27
EX-PRIEST SLATTERY
And His Lecture Nearly Precipitat'
Serious Religious Riots,
The Entire Police Force and Eleven
Companies of Soldiers
Have All They Can Do To Prevent
a Mob, at Savannah, Ga, From
Killing the Lecturer and His
Wife-The Trouble Had Been
Anticipated and the Mayor Had
Made Preparations.

Made Preparations.
Savannah, Ca, February 26.-This
has been the most exciting night in the
history of Savannah.
Foe five hours the city has trembled
on the verge of religious riots.
The entire military force has been on
duty. There are ten infantry COM
panies and the Georgia Hussars, the
latter being dismounted. A mob esti-
mated at from 5000 to 5000, the greater
part being Catholics, has challenged
their forbearance to the extreme.
But Cor the coolness Of Mayor Her
man Meyers and the officers command
ing the troops, blood might have been
the result. Bayonet charges were
made several times to clear the strets
| but the mob which had gathered about
! Masonic Temple, one of the prominent
buildings of the city, and situated IN
| the heart of Savannah, stubbornly re-
fused to retire.
For three days it has been apparent
that grave trouble was brewing. Ihe
city has been literally piacarded with
notices that eX-Priest Slattery and his
wife, described as an eX-nun, would
LECTURE ON CATHOLICISM.
Members of the Ancient Order Of Hi
bernians at once took steps to prevent
their appearance here Petitions were
circulated asking Mayor Meyers to re-
fuse to permit the eX-priest to hold his
! lecture. The petition said that If Slat-
terry was allowed to speak, there would
kbe disorder and riot About hVe nun
! dred signed the petition.
Il can not stop this man from lee
! turing said the Mayor, who is
Hebrew. but l can prevent disorder
and l will do so. If the police are not
sufficient force to do so, the military
will be appealed to. Riot will not be
tolerated"
All of to-day it had been rumored
! that mObs would come from different
sections of the city and that Slattery
would be kilied-the fact that he was
TO put on the garb Of priest IN the
course of his lecture spread like Wild
fire and raised IN intense feeling
among Catholics.
When Slattery arrived the mob had
not assumed large enough proportions
| to cope with the police.
BY s o'clock bowling mob of over
1. 500 surrounded Masonic hall. In the
hall were an audience of about 400,
including a number of ladies. The
lecturer had hardly begun before
! BRICKBATS AND COBBLESTONES
began to rain on the windows. Inc
police had closed all the heavy inside
| shutters. and this saved the audience
from injury, only two or three beng
/ injured by flying glass. The rest Oh
the police force was called out and hity
! of the force were soon in front OF the
! hall
The mob made rushes to secure an
! entrance. but were driven back time
after time by the police. Before nlne
o'clock the mob had grown to probably
! between 5000 and 1000 people. VIM
dow after window in the Masonic tenn
pie were crushed.
Cries of kill him, down with Slat-
terv." death to the renegade were
! heard. Chief McDermott summoned
the Mayor. The lecture closed at 9:3O
! o'clock. and it was apparent that 1t
meant the loss of many lives for the
lecturer and the audience to leave the
! hall Upstairs a number of members
of secret organizations who had cheer
/ ed Slattervs declaration that he be-
longed to them, had gathered around
| the eX-priest to defend him as they
left the hall. \ number, 1t was eVl-
dent. had come armed in anticipation
of such trouble. AS the ex-priest was
about to leave the hall with his friends,
the Chief of Police stopped them and
refused to allow anyone to go down
stairs. Outside Mayor Meyers and
Colonel William Gerrad were IN con-
sultation. The mob Kissed at the po-
lice and hooted at their orders to DIS
perse.
tbe leaders shouted. "To hell with
them. they can't save Slattery.
THE GEORGIA HUSSARS,
dismounted. under command of Major
Nildrem were the first to respond. The
organization contained thirty men III
ali. Soon after the tramp OF other mil
itarv was heard. and four companies Oh
the Savannah Volunteer Guards, under
command of Colonel Garrad, swung IN
IN nosition in front of the hall with
fixed bayonets and rifles loaded with
ball cartridges.
Nv order OF the Mayor the guards
formed in two single lines and charged
| the mob with fixed bayonets in hope or
! hreaking il. The mob was showed
hack slowly but refused 10 break ana
occasional rocks were thrown at the
| hall. ,-e..4 ,,,,5
anDarently determined. Six compan-
les from the First regiment under
Tieut. Colonel Reilly, came up soon
afterwards. making eleven companies
on the ground An,
In the hall the audience was stiil
penned up. some of the women were
| crving and those who ventured TO
GLANCE ont at the risk of broken
head and saw the mob and the long
lines of military in all directions,
| found nothing to encourage them
The military were developed so as 10
drive the mob back and form hollow
square about the hall. ...,,r,r,,,,,.
VICAR GENERAL CAFFERI
who ia in charge OF the diocese in the
absence Of Bishop Becker, came to the
scene of trouble and addressed por-
| tion Of the mob.
This man Slattery" said he "ean
ia ynnr church no harm. You are
~. fs-,--.,oa 11pOn NOur religion