The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-02
A HOW LING
Marlboro Mob
Gathered.
A MAN AND WOMAN
Followed by 5000 Persons
Police on Hand.

Marlboro, Dec 1.-The most exciting
scene enacted in Marlboro since the
great strike of 1878, occurred here this
| evening, when a crowd numbering sew
eral hundred followed Burgess z. Put
nam and a woman who he was escort
ing to a drug store, and remained there
several minutes until they thought
that both had escaped to their homes.
Both were workers in the NIiddleseX
factory and were on their way home
when the trouble occurred
AT 43O o'clock a crowd of several
hundred wendell its way to the Mid
dlesex factory to see the operatives
come out from work. Superinten lent
Eager executed a flank movement on
the strikers sympathizers, and allowed
his employees to go out from their work
at 4,3O o'clock, half hour earlier than
| the usual time.
| Eight policemen, under command Of
| City Marshal Chester w. Curtis, was
on guard in front of the factory, but
! their services were not needed at this
time, as only a few spectators were on
hand. Some of the employees took a
car which bore them away without in
cident until the corner of Main and
East Main street was reached. Here
the car had to wait until another one
passed.
The crowd of the strikers sympathiz-
ers arrived about this time They saw
the hated operatives in the car, and
Immediately raised the cry of "Scab!"
This lasted only a few moments, and
the car was soon lost in the distance.
The crowd then turned about and was
walking up street, when Burgess Put
nam, one Of the Middlesex employees.
was seen a short distance ahead es-
corting a lady who was also known to
be working in the factory against
which the union is making such a
strong fight.
The cry of "Scab!" was Immediately
raised, and soon the man and woman
were surrounded by large crowd
Both made their way along with much
difficulty. The crowd increased to
such large proportions that it began to
look dangerous for both Putnam and
his companion. No violence was
shown however, but the cry of ''Scab!"
was kept up with undated vigor
Thinking discretion to be the better
part OF valor, the two operatives fed
into Burdett & Barnard's drug store,
where they took seats with their backs
to the window. The crowd continued
to increase in size until there must
have been over 1000 in front of the
store.
The detail of police that were on
duty at the Middlesex factory soon ar
rived on the scene, and Immediately
commenced the work of keeping the
crowd moving. The sidewalks and
streets were blocked with people, and
traffic was well nigh suspended. Ev-
cry now and then the cry of "Scab!"
could be heard from those outside. and
the words. Bring them out!" caused
the involuntary prisoners a little unea-
siness.
After wait Of three-quarters of an
hour, during which Putnam and the
young lady held the crowd, a coup
d'etat was consummated. The young
woman went into the rear of the store.
She was followed by Putnam.
Those on the outside thought the
couple had escaped by a rear door, and
began to dispense. At this 1uncture.
City Marshal Curtis and superintend-
ent Eager drove up in a sleigh, and al
volume Of Kisses were heard.
No further trouble occurred, and after
a charge of disturbing the peace was
discussed by the police, the crowd dis
persed.
What the outcome of the affair VIM
be is problematical.
Rumors are flying about thick and
fast that the state police win be sum
moned to this city
1t now seems probable that A. A.
Goggin was lost in the Portland disas-
ter E. F. Goggin a brother, visited
Brockton and Taunton today, and
learned that C. F. Wilson of Brockton
and A. A. Goggin visited one Dewey inl
Brockton Saturday forenoon and bade
Dewey goodbye, saying they would
sail for Portland in the evening. They
also babe one John Hardness good bye.
telling him the same story 1t is now
feared that Marlboro had three vic