The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-09

"There Is nothing about him more than
the hundreds of bicyclists we see in the
course of the day that would enable any
of us TO identify him. You see, therefore,
that il case like this should end fatally
the person, responsible for II stands
pretty good chance OF escaping deserved
pu lishment. Now, IL tho law required
riders to take out licenses and have their
machines mum nered conspicuously those
who ride down pedestrians could be very
quickly identified end punished even
though they should hurry away, as did
the fellow who knocked this little girl
down. Then, too, this licensing and
numbering ssytem would facilitate the
enforcement of the anii-scorching ordi-
nance. As Ii Is now il is difficult and
often impossible for the police to make
arrests for the obvious reason that IA a
rule the wheelman who has broken the
law will not stop at the command OF the
policeman. IL his bicycle were conspicu-
ously numbered the officer would be able
TO see that in great majority OF instan-
ces and, by looking up the ecord OF
licences would be able to discover who
the culprit was and take him into GUS
tody when he didn't have his wheel ham
6y TO whisk him out of reach. Something
OF this sort will have 10 be done II this
reckless riding is continued. Of course
the wheelmen will howl, just as they do
at any proposed regulation of their use of
PM bile lhorongh hfnres, but hit To be
remembered that pedestrians have some
crippled or killed merely because wheel
men are afflicted with the scorching
mania"
Early In the present century the people OF
this town were by no means as peaceable
in the enforcement of their wishes as they
are today. Indeed, when they tecame
a hnL int hair
hands and accomplished by the force and
violence of mob action In very short
time what would take years to do by
legitimate and orderly processes. Thus
IL was that in 1924 they nearly wiped out
that section ofy.the town known as
Hardscrabhle. IL was q disreputable To-
cality, the rendezvous OF abandoned
blacks and whites whore revels and orgies
were looked upon by the staid people as
q disgrace TO the town, Finally mob
went up there and began the purging
of the locality by the summary and
illegal process of tearing down the
houses. In those days the police were
not particularly strong cr efficient de-
partment, but had IL been much better
than IL was in these respects il IL doubt
ful whether IL would have stopped the
rioting. The iact was those who made
up the watch, os II wns called, had more
sympathy with the rioters than regard
did not disappear. After the trouble was
over NUMBER OF arrests were made,
among those taken iato custody for talk
ing part in the riot being Oliver Cum
mems. Joseph Butler, Jr., and Nathaniel
Metcalf, but they were all acquitted.
Speaking of riots recalls the fact that II
was a serious disturbance of this sort
that led Providence TO discard the town
form of government. The Olney's lane
riots, ns they were called, wete no ordi- |
nary disturbances. For four days practi- |
cally tho northern part of the town was
la The possession of n dangerous mob |
which beut its energies to the destruction
OF dwelling houses. Some nineteen houses
in all ere wrecked before the fury of the
moh was stayed, and that was accom-
plished only when the militia, which had |
been called out to restore order, had been
compelled TO use Its weapons, and in so
doing had caused death. IL was at the |
foot of Smith street, near Canal street, |
that the fatal encounter took place The |
militia had been pelted with stones and |
brick bnts as they marched to and from |
the Top OF the hill where they had been |
posted. Finally they were halted ut the !
foot az the hill. Ecvry effort was made
TO induce the mob TO oispcrse, but with
out success. The attack upon the militia |
was renewed. The latter were ordered TO !
load and fire. They obeyod, aud four of !
the mob dropped TO the pround mortally |
hurt That was on the night OF Sept. "a, |
1881. The next day was Sunday, hut a |
hastily summoned town meeting was
held, at which petition for a city |
CHARTER was prepersd and sent to the Gem !
oral Assembly. Only year before a city |
charter had been granted TO Providence. !
but Lad been rejected. Now, however,
the manifest inauequacy OF the existing |
government to zeal with disturbances |
caused reaction in favor OF a charter.
the pttiticn was granted promptly, the
charter was promptly accepted and the
following year Providence became a city.