The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-16
McrcilessIy Bombarded with Cannon
Firecrackers, Rotten Eggs and Veg
etabIes, Thrown by 600 "Tfgers.,
DISPLAY OF ROUGH RIDING
STUDENTS CHARGED BY THE ANGRY
COWBOYS AND INDIANS.
Shower of stones Met with Crack OF
May Die, and Others Badly Hurt.

D.,
students and Pawnee Bills wild West"
employees INDUCED in pitched battle to-day
and continuous and serious rioting was pre-
vented only by the presence of men with
cool heads and the action of President Pat
ton. OF Princeton University, later in the
day, in calling mass meeting of all the
students.
For fifty years it has been an unwritten
law of Princeton that no circus parade
must pass through the streets. Every show
proprietor, in making his dates, has always
left Princeton from the list for ii had been
a matter of common knowledge that the
students would enforce the unwritten law.
This morning Pawnee Bills wild West"
combination violated the traditions and pa
raded. The result was the fiercest battle
Princeton has seen in many years.
When posters were hung up few days
ago announcing the advent of Pawnee Bill
il was at first considered joke. Finally,
when 1t became known that the MANAGE
ment of the show was really in earnest, the
town authorities, fearing trouble, advised
the circus men not to attempt a parade.
This advice was unheeded. AS a result Of
to-day's fight one man is unconscious and
may die and a number of students and en-
ployes of the show are nursing wounds re-
ceived in the fray.
That the show would be upset at night
seeraed certainty until late this afternoon,
when President Patton called mass meet
ing of all the undergraduates and the fac
ulty and the result Of the meeting indicates
that the show will leave town unmolested,
but 1t will have lost money, for word was
passed through the town that no one was
to enter the tent. and the townspeople who
were In sympathy with the students, were a
unit in refusing to attend.
Things were proceeding in the usual
course at the university when the parade
started. The procession reached the college
campus without trouble, but passed down
Nassau street at bad moment, for just
the bands music was heard the students
were in the act of passing from the first
morning lectures to the second. The towns
people were out in force and waiting for the
parade and the great majority Of them
were massed near the campus. Word passed
along the line, and within few minutes
coo Or 100 students had assembled on Mas
sau street. Cannon crackers left over from
previous celebrations. eggs purchased at
nearby stores and vegetables bought or
confiscated from the stores, were assem-
y.
these missiles armed themselves with clods
of turf hastily torn from the lawns The
trouble started with the band wagon. Cam
non crackers were thrown under the six
horses and made them frantic. The musi-
clans were on top of the wagon. serious
runaway might have resulted had not one
of the leaders stumbled and fell, dragging
down the other horses with him. The stu
ment with eggs and vegetables.
On the return the parade wheeled into
John lane and the students made grand
rush to head of the procession. Again the
employees of the circus were rotten egged.
The cowboys and Indians finally charged
the students and used their whips freely.
That was the turning point of the affair.
Stung by the whips and bruised by the
riders running into them, the students be-
came ugly and in a moment the missiles
that were annoying but not dangerous were
replaced by stones. and the fight became
serious Revolvers were drawn. but fortu-
nately the owners were wise enough 10 fire
over the heads of the enemy. Some of the
Mexican or South American cowboys un-
sluns their bolas and used these with great
effect, the lead IN covered ends being ex-
ceedingly effective. The cowboys charged
the crowd several times and rode down
those who could not get out of the way.
In this manner Edward Dillon, a colored
man. was knocked down and kicked
in the head by pony and his skull frac-
tured. A student was injured by a pony
trampIing upon him. Another was wounded
by bola and another was struck by an
Indian with one of the snake whips. Many
students were less seriously hurt. The cow
boys and Indians were also badly bruised
and hurt.
A mass meeting of students was called
this afternoon, attended by the whole under
graduate body, at which President Patton
spoke In condemnation Of the attack on the
parade and positively forbade any student
TO so TO the show grounds tonight. At the
same time the college authorities arranged
TO have the proctor and a large force of as
sistants on duty there.