Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-08-14
FULTON IN A FURY.
Delegation From Rock Island
Met With volley Of Bull
lets and Stones.


And MANY ARE BADLY HURT.
Angry Hob Meets the Visitors 1t the De-
pot and starts it, AuFde r0us work ~
Son - Foot 10 Sst In the Little Burg
ma rshsl Bennett May DIE LAvIsss.
ness ReIGns Supreme.
A more bloody and disgraceful
scene was probably never before en-
acted within the confines of the state
Of Illinois as that which occurred
last evening at Fulton. A delega-
ton Of Rock Island citizens who
went to that town for the purpose Of
removing the records OF the Modern
Wooomen were met with q volley of
bullets, stones and clubs. Many
we're severely injured. and it is
feared that fatalities will result.
The Rock Island people, of whom
there were about five hundred, left
for Fulton on a Burlington special at
AIS with an order from Head Clerk
c. w. Halves, issued after the
dissolution of the injunctions
restraining the order from re-
moving its headquarters to this
city, to bring the seal and records to
Rock Island. The delegation was
composed of merchants. professional
men and artisans-all good and
peaceable citizens-who had not the
least suspicion of what was to occur,
and consequently had made no
preparation. The train, pulled By
engine 17S, consisted Of three
coaches. q baggage car and two
freight cars. Herbert B Mitchell was
at the throttle, Alex Rasmussen
was the fireman. A. F. Barber con-
ductor, and Vic McKibben and H. j.
Beaman the brakemen. Paper
badges were placed on the lapels of
the coats of each of the Rock ISL
anders on the way up so that they
could be distinguished from the peo-
pie at Fulton. The train arrived at
$50.
The sidewalk and streets leading
from the depot to the Woodmen
Office was lined with men, each one
Of whom was armed with clubs,
bricks and rocks, and many OF them
with revolvers. There were about
one thousand in the Fulton mob, or
double the number of Rock Island
people. who filed out of the cars in
accordance with orders, and started
for the head Office building.
Fulton Stars . Riot
No sooner had the Rock Island
people laid foot on Fulton soil than
they were assaulted. They pushed
their way to the office building, one
delegation stopping at the front
door, another at the rear, while q
third began to carry out the books.
The Office force assisted the Rock
Islanders in moving, having been
instructed to do SO by General Attor-
ney johnson and Attorney William
Jackson, who left for Fulton
on the 4 o'clock Milwaukee pas
senger, arriving nearly an hour
in advance OF the special
train. Mr.. johnson stood on a shed
at the rear of the building and di-
rectec the people who were carrying
out the orders of Head Clerk Halves.
Here he became the target for all
kinds Of missiles, but he remained
needless of danger until he
had finished giving directions.
The Rock Island forces were in
charge of M. H. Sexton, with r. j.
Cary and w. c. Maucker as as
sistants, and these leaders proved
gallant and brave throughout.
Fultonites, many of them having a
revolver in each hand, surrounded
the visitors and placed the guns
under their nose, and when they re-
fused to drop the books blazed away,
but only one shot took effect, the
mob at first attempting to brighten
the Rock Islanders back by discharg-
ing blank cartridges.
But they had revolvers loaded with
the real article. also; and we're pre-
pared to use them when it became
necessary. People came from Clln-
ton and Lyons in response to the
sounding Of the Fulton whistles. The
Lyons fire department came, too. The
Fulton people had two hose carts at
the Office building. but did not sue
coed in doing effective work with
the water, the hose having been cut
in several places with an Ak which q
brawny handed Rock islander Sc
cured. Pat Cary admonished fell
low who was at the head of one hose
cart to refrain from throwing water,
and was felled by q blow with the
brass nozzle, which inflicted an ugly
wound in Mr.. Cary's head.
The mob battled with the visitors
at both embraces OF the building and
in the street. The Rock Islanders
fought pluckily. They did not re-
sort to the use of weapons, however,
until it was necessary for them to do
SO in order to protect themselves.
Men carrying books we're struck
across the head with clubs. The
clerks in the Offices lead the move
toward the train and several of them
were knocked senseless at the foot of
the rear stairway Of the building.
The Rock Island men protected one
another like brothers. The Fulton
t.