Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-08-28

FULTON, Aug. 27.-Outrageous
as appeared the demonstra-
A. tion of the frenzied Fulton
ties Thursday night. judging
from the frs. reports. the full extent
Of the lawlessness INDUCED in was
not realized until an ARGrs repre-
sentative made a careful investiga-
ton OF the facts today. It Is the
impression Of the people of Fulton
evidently. that in order to hold the
head office of the Woodmea, they
must make . disord derby demonstra-
ton in armed force at least once with
in every 4S hours. Thursday evening
about O'Clock they gave their latest
exhibition. the excuse given therefor
being that another special train from
Rock Island. with 500 armed men
aboard. was about to take advantage
OF The dissolution of injunction No.
8, and was en- route to Fulton to cap
ture the head office records.
A few minutes before 6 o'clock the
fire whistle blew the alarm 1t also
blew signal for assistance from
Clinton and Lyons. Inside of 5
minutes the Fulton especial police, {"
about $50 in number. under the
leadership of their captain, Fred K.
Bas,ian, all armed with shot guns
and revolvers. had surrounded he
office, and were stationed at the de-
pot awaiting the arrival of the
dreaded Rock Islanders.
Orders 10 let no one past the doors
OF the Woodmen office were enforced
to the letter. Men with shot guns
guarded the doors in the front and
rear. In the Office at the time were
Maj c. w. Halves, Frank B. Halves.
James Mcnamara, j. Frank Munger,
W. K. Crandell and couple of boys.
Hid Up . Mail Messenger.
W. K:Crandell, when the alarm
was sounded, was leaving the Office
and was carrying an armfui of mali
10 the postuifice. He was overtakep
before he got block away by several
Of the "police," under the leader
ship Of one Tom Hines and was or
dered to return to the office.
This is simply the days mail am
taking to the postoffice," said Gran.
doll
Don't give a d." said Hines;
"you can't take anything out of toe
Woodman Office. You come RICH,
back, take the stuff up stairs and
stay there" And Craudell prudently
did go.
The alarm vas continually being
sounded in the meantime and large
numbers of armed men were hasten
ing across from Lyons and Clinton.
At the time Crandell was returned
to the office with the mail, Head
Clerk Halves. who had been in his
Pr'vate office busy at work. came
out to ascertain the cause OF the
commotion and the reason for the
presence of the armed mob around
the office.
Maj. Halves was soon enlightened
for as he attempted to leave the Of
fee and go out on the street, he
found the door was locked from the
outside and all in the office were
prisoners. Maj. Halves demanded
that the door be opened at once. bat
the demand was not complied with
In the meantime the 6:lO O'Clock
Burlington train, enroute to Rock
Island, pulled in. The armed mob
at the depot at once boarded the
train, expiaining that they were
looking for one of the Woodmen
clerks who had taken the great seal
OF the order and WAS endeavoring to
go: away to Rock Island with it.
The mob accompanied the train to
Clinton, acting in a boisterous man.
ner, flourishing guns and otherwise
intimidating the passengers on the
train.
James Mcnamara from the window
of the Woodmen Office had in the
M antime requested Policeman
Garrett O'Connor. who was pa
rading in front of the Of
flee with double-barrel shotgun,
to send Mayor Schwab to the Office.
When Mayor SchwAb put in an ap-
pearance, Maj. HAYES demanded an
explanation for the Incarceration Of
himself aud office employees in the
Office and the reason for the Assem-.
bling of an armed mob around the
building.
Don't know much about it." said
Mayor Schwab, but l don't think
the door hiss been licked"
"Are tho armed men with stars,
noticed about the building. special
police Of this city and On duty by
your authority as mayor" was asked
They are special policemen sworn
In to protect the property of the
CITY," said Mayor Schwab, evasively.
Msj. Halves then demanded of him
that the doors be unlocked that the
armed guards be removed thereirom,
and that. if necessary, protection be
given the employees present in the
office to thei, respective homes. Maj.
Halves also notified the mayor that
be would hold the city Of Fulton re-
eponeible for the irdignity to which
all in the office were subjected. by
L