The record-union., 1896-07-27
RIOT IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Property Destroyed and People In
jured.
A Lawless Demonstration, an After
math Of the Bicycle
Parade.

(Erom the San Francisco Chronicle"
A laWlesS demonstration which came
very near developing into full-fledged
riot occurred ON Market street in front
of the Baldwin Hotel last evening, just
after the last division of the bicycle
parade had passed on its way to Van
Ness avenue. Had it not been for the
determined work Of a small force of
policemen there would undoubtedly
have been costly destruction of prop
erty and a probable loss of life. AS it
was the outbreak resulted in the tear
ing UP of twenty feet Of wood block
pavement in front of the Emporium
building, number of bruised heads
from flying missiles and the arrest of
several men for a disturbance of the
peace.
During the whole progress of the BIZ
cycle parade a crowd of riotous hood
lums kept UP a hostile demonstration
on Market street between Fourth and
Fifth. They impeded the advance of
the procession by surging in on the line
of march and blocking the tracks of
the Market-street cable system. ALI or
dinary efforts to keep them in order
were of no avail. They had their own
tators and passers-by with dismay by
their vile language.
1t was not, however, until the parade
had passed up Market street beyond
Fifth that the hoodlums made any very
serious demonstration. Then, as the
crowd filled in across Market street in
the rear of the advancing procession,
they begun a warfare on the cable cars.
In front of the Emporium building a
new wood block pavement is being laid.
The toughS commenced operations by
tearing up a portion Of the completed
pavement, and throwing the wood
blocks in front Of the cable cars and un-
der their trucks in an endeavor to de-
rail them. AS the cars would come to a
stop in front Of the obstacles, the crowd
of yelling rioters would close in on
them and attempt to overturn them
Growing bold under the apparent sue
cess of their work, the gang hurled
blocks and cobble stones directly at the
cars, breaking several windows and in
juring or frightening the passengers
within Wood blocks were thrown clear
across Market street, which was
crowded at the time almost from curb
to curb, and several persons were
struck ON the head and badly injured.
AS these riotous acts continued, Mar
ket street became more and more
densely crowded with people, and the
rioters, encouraged by what they
thought were friendly numbers, became
bolder and bolder The handful Of po-
licemen on the street ordered the crowd
to disperse, but they were only hooted
and jeered for their pains
Realizing that the crowd was unman-
ageable, the policeman sounded an
alarm for aid, and in few minutes Po-
lice Sergeant Davis, with posse of
regulars dashed into the midst Of the
rioters Sergeant Davis comprehended
the serious nature of the disturbance,
and ordered his men to charge the crowd
with drawn clubs. The policemen at
once whipped out their hickories and
made an onslaught on the stubborn
mob After a fight of several minutes
they forced portion of the law break
ers back on to the pavement on the
north side of the street, but as they did
this the mass Of people on the En-
porium side Of the street closed in be-
hind them, and soon the street was as
completely blocked as before. Seeing
how desperate the situation had be-
come, Sergeant Davis gave the order to
his men to WELD the clubs on all those
who resisted. The execution Of this or
der had a good effect, for the crowd
tumbled all over itself in trying to es-
cape being hit by the swinging billets.
Just as the street had been made pass
able a policeman started down through
the opening with an offender, toward
the patrol box at Market and Fourth
streets. The mob took instant advant-
age of this new feature of the fight and
followed after the policeman and his
charge, hooting and yelling. Before
they had reached the patrol box the
crowd was upon them in numbers great
er than ever.
Knowing that it would be dangerous
to hold his man at the patrol box the
policeman hurried on down Fourth
street toward the Southern District Po-
lice Station, with the excited people
still following.
By the time the crowd reached the
Pioneer building they were met by Ser
geant Tobin and body Of regulars,
who had come up Fourth street in re-
sponse to a call for aid.
Tobin and his men succeeded In mold
ing the mob in check until joined by
Sergeant Davis and his posse, who had
executed a flank movement and came
out in front Of the crowd.
At this point patrol wagon from the
Southern Station dashed up. Sergeant
Davis instructed his men to arrest
every one who refused to move on.
Within two minutes the industrious po
licemen had filled the wagon with men.
This movement upon the part of the
police frightened the rest of the mob,
and before the now bold front Of clubs
it fled precipitately back into Market
street and gave up the fight.
Sergeants Davis and Tobin said after
it was all over that 1t was the most
disgraceful demonstration with which
they had ever had to deal.
THAT REAL MEAN MAN.