Evening star., 1897-12-02
UNDER MARTIAL LAW
Czech Residents Of Prague Engage in
Anti-Ge rman Riots.
TROOPS FIRE ON TIE PARTICIPANTS
Much Damage Done to the Prop
erty of the Germans.
QUIET PREVAILS TODAY

PRAGUE, Bohemia, December 2-Martial
law has been proclaimed here, as well as
In the judicial districts of Karolenemthal,
Zikow, Weinberg and Smichow, as a result,
of the recent riots.
R.oting resumed here at 8 o'clock
this morning when stores and houses in two
streets of the old town were pillaged. Seven
battalions of infantry and two squadrons
of cavalry were called out to dispense the
mob.
Two additional battalions of infantry
from KoenigsgratZ and three battalions of
infantry from Theresienstadt have arrived
here.
Complaints Against Students.
The burgomaster and the municipal coun-
cillors today submitted to the governor
complaints against the German students in
connec ton with the recent disturbances.
The governor replied tha. while he well
understood recent events had caused great
excitement, he was compelled to point out
that there Was no justifc alton for the eX-
oesses in this city, and he further declared
that the utmost rigor would be exercised
IN order to re-establsh order and protect
the property of Germans. The Politik, de-
clar;ng that the present agitation was
started bE persons to whom the fatherland
ana nationality are matters of Indifference,
appeals today to all parties to restrain a
movement which might be fatal not only
to the fatherland and to its chief city, but
to the political aspirations of the Bohemian
Eiotin@ Last Night.
a dispatch from Prague last night gives
the Following description of the riots there
curing the past forty-ciaht hours: The
knowledge that the new Austrian cabinet
stands cor!mitted to the withdrawal of
those ordinances which provide for a sort
OF local option in the matter of the lam
guage used for official, municipal and state
educational purposes in Bohemia-ordi-
nances which naturally favor the Czechs
at the expense of the Germans since the
latter number but 100000 in the kingdom
oi Bohemla as against nearly 1900 900
czechs-has led to the outbreak of very
serious disturbances here. The city is ter
ror-stricken. all the shops and public build
ings are closed. traffic suspended, while
conflicts of the most serious character are
taxing place between the various mobs of
Czechs and the large bodies of troops oc-
cupying the old capital of King Wenzes-
laus.
Cavalry have repeatedly charged :he mob
while the infantry have been compelled to
fire upon the latter. killing several of the
rioters. In spite of the efforts of the police
and of the soldiers, an immense amount of
damage is being done by the popuace. Ger
man establishments being burned and Ger
man institutions, offices and residences be-
ing looted.
Property of Germans DESTROYED
The windows of the German theater.
schools. restaurants, residences and news
paper offices We're broken by Czech mobs
The troops eventually cleared the streets
Many people were injured and a number
of arrests were made
The houses of Germans were bombarded
with stones, and bowling mob which
gathered on Wenzel Platz had to be dis
persed by infantry and cavalry. The uni
versity buildings threatened by the
rioters, and have to be protected by large
bodies of police. Troops have been drafted
to Judenstadt, owing to the mob threa ten
ing to run riot there.
During the afternoon the riots increased
The synagogue windows We're smashed and
the windows of the houses of jews dis
playing German trade signs in several
streets of the Jewish quarter
Since o'clock this evening the streets
have been held by twelve battalions of in
fantry and Il squadron of hussars. All
traffic is suspended and the shops and bust
ness houses are closed.
In spite of the military large Czech mob
made descent during the evening upon
the German quarter and plundered houses
and shops in several streets The furniture
OF "a Well-known German cafe was piled up
in the street and set fire. When a de-
tachment of troops approa chcd to dispcrse
the rioters the soldiers were greeted with
showers of stone, broken glass and other
missiles. The officer in charge ordered his
troops to prepare to fire, but at the urgent
request of a police official the order was
not carried into effect.
Soldiers XIII Rioters
shortly after O'Clock mob attempted
to storm a carriage factory at ZiZhkow a
suburb of Prague on the other side of the
Moldau. The troops stationed at the fac
tory poured a volley into the crowd. 1t is
known that at least two persons We're killed
outright, and it is feared that others We're
Killed or wounded. The same body of riot
ers set fire to house at Zizhkow, but the
flames were soon quenched. In various
other parts of the city and the suburbs
windows We're smashed and German sign
boards demolished. 1t is said that the mob
was melted by articles in the Czech news
paper and by a false report that the Ger
man students had organized an attack upon
the Czech National Thcater.
At late hour threatening crowds made
repeated rushes and attempts to storm the
German newspaper Offices but by II O'Clock
the town was quiet and the troops had been
withdrawn except patrols at threa tened
points.
Firing the Police.
In Srnichow, the southwest suburb of
Prague, and a thickly populated industrial
quarter, at a late hour in the evening a
riotous mob attacked and plundered the
German National School. The rioters fired
shots at the police detachment which ar
rived on the scene to disperse them; where
upon the commanding officer, acting with
great promptitude, drew his revolver and
fired at one of the ringleaders. the bullet
piercing his arm. He then arrested tho
man, and the result of this energetic action
was the dispersal of the mob without much
further difficulty.
The German gymnasium in the Altstaed-
ter-iting, in the center of the city was
plundered by mob, which was finally dis
persed by combined charge of soldiers and
police.
HENRY GEORGE, JR., MARRIED.