Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-10
RIOTING In HAMBURG.
DESPERATE FIGHTING BETWEEN
Ex-sTRIKERs AND POLICE.
Two MEN KILLED INSTANTLY.
Nineteen Seriously Wounded, Five
of the Latter Being Policemen
Ninety-One of the Rioters Placed
Under Arrest.

HAMBURG, February 9.-Ever since the
decision of n majority of the men VINO
took part in the great strike here OF DOCK
laborers and others employed in the SNIP
ping trade to return to work, there mas
been much discomfort among the men,
and those who watched the SITUATION
closely could see that trouble was brewing
The defeat OF the strikers was due mainly
to lack of funds, and they felt very oitter
that they were compelled to return 10
work without having In the least Dene-
flied their condition. Tonight the bad
feeling among the men eliminated in
fight between q large number of the men
who had been on strike and the polce'
who for several days past had been an
ticipating trouble. Before the disturbance
was quelled two men were Killed ana
nineteen seriously wounded. Among the
latter are five policemen.
II is not known exactly how the hghting
started, but one report has 1t tnat II
originated in a dispute between some men
who were arguing as TO the correctness Oh
the decision to return to work, ana VIM
finally came to blows. When the police
attempted to intervene, the men aoah-
doned their own quarrel and combined 10
thrash the policemen, the hghtlng soon
assuming wide proportions. Another STORY
is that the police were the aggressors'
However this may be, the nghtlhg pe-
came very serious, revolyers and sabres
being freely used.
The police were rapidly getting the
worst of the contest, being greatly out
numbered by the raging mob OF rioters
whose members were quickly sweled, not
only by genuine workingmen, but by the
hordes of vicious idlers about the harbor,
who were only too anxious under the
circumstances TO engage with their natu-
raj enemies, the police. The latter at
first attempted TO get the mob TO disperse
by the use OF mild means, but these
proving unavailing sabres were drawn
and orders given to charge the mob.
DESPERATE FIGHTING.
The rioters, some of whom were
armed with revolvers, while others had
bludgeons and stones as weapons. held
their ground tenaciously, and made
desperate resistance which the police
were unable to overcome.
Eventually, reinforcements were hur-
ried to the scene in response to the
urgent call OF the ofilcer IN command OF
the police, and finally the rioters were
dispersed with great difficulty.
Later. crowds Of worlIingmen gathered
in Saint Paups, Williamsburg, and AL
tona, all Of which places are practical
~ parts of Hamburg, and threatened
vengeance on the police. The latter,
fearing that there would be another out
break, went in strong force to the
places named, and compelled obedience
to their orders that the streets be
cleared. They also cleared the streets
in the region Of the harbor. 1t is gene
rally believed that if the rioters had
been better armed, the police would not
have been able to handle them, and
that it would have been necessary to
call upon the military for assistance.
Most of the injured were removed to
the hospitals. Ninety-one Of the rioters
were arrested.
The quarters of the tOwa occupied by
workingmen were simmering with
angry feeling, and the men were loud in
their denunciations of the police. Fur
Their disturbances during the night were
anticipated, and to guard against further
outbreaks, the police patrols were dou-
b!ed
4 heavy rain Is falling, and this tended
to keep indoors many Of the discomfort
ed workingmen, who might otherwise
have taken part In the rioting.