The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-04
POLICE PREVENT TROUBLE
uQly Crowd Awaited the Close OF
the Lecture.
RUTHvEN MAS AGAIN STONED
Nobody Was Injured Eighteen 'patrol-
men In Command OF Chief-of Police
simpson on the Sccne-Sev.
eral Stones We're Thrown.

address last night in Beers hall on the
West Side. and although there was no
such rioting and violence as recently
attended the mans appearance in Dun
more and the North End, it was plain
that an outbreak was only prevented
by the presence of eighteen police pa
trolmen commanded by Chief of Police
Simpson and Captain Edwards. OF
headquarters, and Lieutenant Will
Jams, of the West Side precinct.
A crowd of from twelve to fifteen
hundred persons, whose sympathy
seemed about equally divided for and
against Ruthven, was gathered out
side the hall after the lecture. Ruth
ven was got aboard a car after delay
of three-quarters of an hour. a mis-
take was made in permitting the car
to leave without a larger police detail,
as stones were thrown from group at
the corner of Jackson street and every
body inside the car threw themselves
on the floor for safety. At the juno
tion of West Lackawanna avenue and
Robinson street a crowd that evidently
meant mischief attempted to get on
board the car, but We're prevented only
by the authoritative refusal of Captain
Edwards This officer and Patrolman
Jones were the only policemen on the
car Z
Ruthven and his body guard of four
men, when they left the car at Lacka-
wanna and Franklin avenues. were
safely escorted to the latter's boarding
house on Franklin avenue near Spruce
street, by Captain Edwards, Lieuten-
ant Davis and Patrolmen Reese Jones.
Walsh and Evans The eight young
men who had been prevented from
boarding the car on the West Lacka-
wanna avenue hill had run after 1t and
caught up with Ruthven's party near
his boarding house. They hissed and
cursed him in a muttering way and
followed him to the door. where they
were scattered by the police.
LARGE AUDIENCE HEARD HIM.
Ruthven's lecture was attended by
an audience that completely filled the
hall. He had been confined to his bed
since the night of the one-throwing
in the North End. His head was BAN
daged he spoke with an effort, and In
other ways showed physical suffering
from the assault of Tuesday night.
The subject matter of his address
was not of the extreme nature and
character which have featured some OF
his previous addresses.
From the hour the lecture started, a
crowd began forming on the avenue
near the hall. At that time dozen
patrolmen were held In reserve In the
precinct station housd and only squad
were patroling the avenue In the I'M
mediate vicinity Of the hall. The larg-
er force was kept under cover until the
close Of the lecture so as not to excite
the crowd. When the time came for
the whole number of police to march
to the hall, Chief Simpson assumed
command.
Tho 1orra <bronu uoc cuiof ond or
derby when the lecture audience came
down the stairway and into the street.
The avenue in the immediate vicinity
had been cleared. Momentary excite
ment was furnished by some practical
Joker who exploded three giant fire.
crackers in Lafayette street at the side
of the building.
Meanwhile there was an anxious
wait for Ruthven's appearance. For
fifteen minutes the door leading from
the stairway was closely watched, but
he did not appear and 1t was given out
that he had departed through some un-
known exit. However, the continued
presence of the police kept the throng
waiting.
Ruthven had been brought down a
back stairway into the Office at the rear
of the store on the ground floor and
his friends were waiting an opportu-
| nifty to get him ABOARD car. But tne
| crowd did not leave, and after nearly
an hour had passed. word was sent to
Chief Simpson that the Ruthven party
would take the next inward-bound car.
RUTHvEN WAS RECOGNIZED.
The lecturer was recognized the mo-
ment he stepped into the street and as
he and his friends stepped on the car
platform there was division Of cheers
and Kisses and groans but no violence
was attempted The car moved away
without being boarded by policemen.
although Captain Edwards and Reese
Jones were picked up two blocks away
at the corner Of Jackson street from
which point the stones were thrown
lust after the car started down the hill.