The San Francisco call., 1896-08-30
Officer Whelan Secures a Crowd
and Threatens to Use
His Club.
HE MAKES a FoRCIBLE SPEECH
Notices Carried in Parade After the
Seventh-Street Gathering Was
Dispersed.

dlStur blng the peace. Inc Wnole aIIalr
was curious in the extreme, inasmuch as
there was no speaking and no demonstra-
ton. In fact it was the most silent as
semplage that ever gathered upon the
streets.
Several weeks ago those in charge of the
ODD Fellows building complained to the
police that the public speaking of the Sal
vation Army and the Socialists on Seventh
street, near the corner of Market, dis
turbed the lodge meetings in the building.
The Salvation Army moved away when
directed to do so, but the Socialists con-
tinued to hold open-air meetings there
and expound socialistic doctrines. This
resulted in the arrest of several speakers
for distur bing the peace and one was con-
victed. The case will be appealed.
These proceedings caused the Socialists
to determine to see how far the officials
would go in breaking up their open-air
meetings. They decided to hold what
they called an 'open-air silent mass
meeting" a gathering at which no one
was to speak or in any way disturb the
peace of any one.
They prepared nearly 100 banners, on
which were painted the notices and prin.
ciples of the party.
Last evening about twenty members of
the San Francisco section went to Sew
enth and Market streets provided with
half a dozen torches. In the party was a
large sprinkling of students from the Le-
land Stanford Jr. University and couple
of professors of that coil ge. Several of
the students were ladies, whose dress,
manners and general appearance spoke
volumes In their favor. A small express
wagon containing the notices passed
slowly up and down Seventh street SO as
not to obstruct the thoroughfare.
Al bert Everett, the Socialist candidate
for Mayor, William Edlin, S. Seller,
Mark Leitis, H. Strumsky and others
took banner and marched into
the center of the small gath
ering. c. Sunhower stepped upon a
small footstool and held over his head
banner bearing the notices ITO discuss
public matters is m isdemeanor" and 1--WE
have been muzzled." The torches were
held so that all could read the inscriptions.
Not a word was spoken.
The next banner tu be raised read, 'fThis
is an Odd Fellows idea of public meet
ing" and Speakers should be seen and
not heard" Another read, Free press.
Free speech" and Don't make noise.
This is the new way to discuss political
economy and public matters"
This strange, Quaker like gathering
caused few pedestrians to stop, read and
pass on, wondering what it all meant.
For ten minutes this was kept up, and
the meeting would probably have been
failure so far as mum bers were concerned
but for the advent of the police. Up to
this point there was room enough in the
street for two teams to pass abreast and at
least half of the sidewalk was clear and
practically unobstructed. Officer Whelan,
who patrols Seventh street, had been lying
in wait on the corner of Mission. He then
iu fha
up to where Sunflower stood on the box
Come, get out of herel Move on!"
commanded the officer in a loud voice
the first voice heard at the meeting.
why should l move on?" asked Sun
flower quietly.
Because I say SO. Move on, say"
answered Whelan. His voice attracted
the attention of those passing on Market
street, and in few minutes he had an
audience that blocked the street and side
walks from building to building. Come,
get a move on, or I'll run you in," re-
sumed the only speaker, to which the
coIored socialist quietly answered, II am
not breaking any law by standing on the
street. Will not move on"
But he did, in the custody of the pre-
vious speaker, Officer Whelan. Sun
flower was taken to the Southern police
station and charged with disturbing the
peace.
Leon DEoHn quickly LOOK tne o1her's
place on the little box and waved two
banners, but said not word. The crowd
waited to see what would come next. 1t
was in the shape of the police patrol
wagon and several officers. Again Officer
Whelan acted as master of ceremonies,
and made his little speech to the silent ex-
ponent of socialism. Brown was hustled
into the patrol wagon with his banners.
By the time the officer returned he
found Manuel Botana on the box. The
same dialogue and the same result fol-
lowed. A. Delaroche next took the stand
and then his seat in the patrol wagon.
By this time the street was packed by
people attracted by the police and the
patrol wagon. Officer Whelan ordered the
crowd that he had caused to assemble TO
disperse, and several socialists protested
against moving until he threatened to
club them. The outside crowd hooted
and hissed, but the socialists called upon
them to keep the peace.
This was, in fact, the first address made
by the socialists. The latter gathered
farther down the street, intending to
march after the patrol-wagon to the police
station, but the driver forced his team
through the crowd and drove down Mar
Kst street A snort time later the prison.
ers were bailed out, their bail being $40
each. All were charged with disturbing
the peace. The socialists who were in line
were prohibited from staining on the
street, so they marched down Market
street. carrying their banners, which con-
tanned the following notices:
"All who love liberty and justice and have
the courage OF their convictions, fall into
line"
Socialism is keeping war out of Europe to
day."
"we want better conditions, not harder
work"
"Schemers grow rich. while labor starves."
'Save your money and buy Judge"
"Do you vote your inIerests2"
'The first shall be last and the last shall be
the first"
''can capital without labor produce any
thing2"
Society that allows poverty to exist is
doomed"
"Ihe harder we work the less we get"
Wages for slaves, profits for masters"
when man is compelled TO beg job is
he free?"
.'Try voting fer principles, not men,"
"Capltalisuc charity-stealing wholesale,
giving retsil.'
Portray your children's future"
"We want justice, not charity"