The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-12
AN INCIPIENT RIOT
STRIKERS CAUSE TROUBLE AMONG
CHANDLER & TAYLORS MEN.
Have n Constable Arrest Two Nom
union Men at an Unseason-
able Hour.

Shortly after o'clock last night a body
of workmen employed at Chandler e Tay-
lors machine shops, on West Washington
street, were on their way home when they
were surrounded by gang OF strikers and
a fight ensued. The trouble was brought
about by the attempt OF constables from
Justice OF the Peace Sears's court to arrest
two of the workmen, Frank Andrews and
Frank Allen. Warrants were sworn out
against the two men, charging them with
carrying concealed weapons. The affidavits
for the warrants were made by Thomas
Long, former employee Of Chandler & Tay-
lor, who went out at the time of the strike.
Long accompanied the constables for the
purpose Of pointing out the men who were
to be arrested. Constables George w. Chess
ner and George w. Sears, from Magistrate
Sears's court, accompanied by William To-
lin from Justice Habichs court, were wait
ing at the point where the trouble occurred.
With them was striker Long. A large crowd
who knew the arrests were to be made were
on hand. As the workmen from Chandler
& Taylor's approached, preceded by patrol
man Rafferty,. who has been doing duty,
with another patrolman,S as body guard,
they saw a large crowd on the corner. Pa
trolman Rafferty, warned the men to be
careful to cause no disturbance and directed
them to say nothing.
When Rafferty, arrived opposite Tolin the
latter stepped up TO him and said, '.Raffer-
ty, have warrants here for two of the men
you are guarding. want them" Accord
ing to To.in's story, Rafferty, pushed him
TO one side, telling him If he wanted any Of
the men to find them. Glessner and Sears.
the other constables, stepped up and at
tempted to arrest Frank Andrews and
Frank Allen. The two men say they did
not know the constableS were officers and
thought they were strikers who meant to
harm them. They refused to surrender
themselves and offered considerable resist
ance. Another of the workmen, Andy Seq
meyer, came to their assistance. 1t Is
charged he drew a revolver and threatened
and their friends surrounded the workmen
and things looked threatening. But for the
presence of the patrolmen, there is little
doubt riot would have ensued. Tolin by
this time had succeeded in convincing Raj
ferty he was an officer and no resistance
was made to the arrest OF the two men.
They were taken in custody of the consta-
bles, together with their companion Seq
meyer. When brought into Magistrate
Sears's court the additional charge of as
sault and battery and profanity was placed
against Andrews and Allen, while Segmeyer
was charged with assault and battery and
drawing a deadly weapon. When the con-
stables withdrew with their prisoners the
patrolmen dispersed the angry crowd of
strikers and accompanied the workmen to
their homes.
Last night MI. Taylor, of the firm of
Chandler x Taylor, appeared in MAGISTRATE
Sears's court and gave bond for the men.
He was asked about the trouble. He said
1t was all brought about by an attempt be-
ing made to arrest the men while they were
on their way home, when they were expect
ing trouble with strikers to occur at any
moment The entire proceedings he de-
nounced as an outrage. The men had been
working at his shop all day and could have
been arrested without trouble and without
the assistance of a striker, he said Mr.
Taylor thought it looked like Long had
planned the arrest in such way as to
cause a riot. He thought Long had in
formed the constables it would be hard for
them to make the arrest without he were
present TO point out the men, and then had
gone to fellow-strikers and arranged for
them to be present and take hand in the
hight which he foresaw would follow.
Superintendent Colbert says no blame can
attach to patrolman Rafferty,. As he APP
preached the corner he saw a large crowd
assembled, and. when constable Tolin
stepped up 10 him he did not recognize him
In the darkness and mistook him for one OF
the strikers. He was on the lookout for
some such pan on their part. The superin-
tendent was surprised to learn the consta-
bles tried to arrest the men while they We're
on their way from work, when they might
have been arrested at the shops during the
day without trouble. The cases will be
heard next Saturday.