The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-04
Becomes Serious ii. its
Extent
SERIOUS POLITICAL CRISIS
Imminent Over Lac Government Bill
Looking TO Perpetuation OF Catholic
influence I'm the Parliameut-Wfld
Scenes In the Assembly-Riots IN the
Streets-Repeated Conflicts Between
b Rioters a nu .he Gendarmss SOL
dfers CalIe0 For.

Brussels, June 29.-The storm of YER
deputies today. The socialists hurled
anathemas at NJ. J.. Van Den Peere-
/ boom, who endeavored to explain the
action taken by the police yesterda-,
and the socialists persistently interrupt
ed and insulted the premier, ~reproach-
ing him with being responsible for yes
terday's conflicts between the people
n the police.
Although a vote censuring the gov
! eminent was rejected by 81 to 81, the
! tumult in the m was so great
that the president suspended the sit
ting. The socialists then led a cheering
| crowd, shouting "Vive la Republique!'
to the park, where a conflict with gen.
darmes occurred. Thence the mob
proceeded to the public square,, the
shops closing as the rioters approached.
Van Der Velde, the socialist leader,
was making a speech to the crowd as
this Dispatch was sent.
Later it was announced that King
Leopold had a long conference with
MN. Van Den Peereboom, Bergerem
and Beernaert. The latter has been
summoned from The Hague. 1t was re-
ported that NJ. Van Den Peereboom
would reign. When the chamber reas-
sembled tonight, NJ. Destree. socialist,
called attention to the riots which had
occurred since the adjournment in
which he was struck by a gendarme's
sword, and demanded the mans pun
ishment. Thereupon the chamber at
once returned to a state of tumult. The
socialists, surrounding Van Den Peere-
boon, with clinched fists, denounced
him. As the tumult increased, the
chamber rose.
In the meantime the StraatS uora
filled by a shouting mob, which event.
ually gathered in front of the war min
lstry, where a Gordon of police n gen.
darmes, with drawn swords, attempted
to disperse the rioters. Orders have
been issued prohibiting street assem-
blies tonight
AT the conclusion of a great meeting
in the town hall this evening thousands
attempted to cross the Grande Place
in which the town hall stands. The
gendarmes charged with drawn swords
and the crowd retaliated with stones.
Shots were fired on both sides. Three
persons were wounded and a police Of
fcer was severely stabbed with a shoe
makers knife.
The rioters on being dispersed assem-
bled at another point. A large crowd
gathered in the Rue Royale, tearing up
the paving stones and using these as
missiles. Finally the civic guard was
ordered out to relieve the police.
Despite these attempts to suppress
the disturbances, rioting continued to
a late hour, many persons being injur-
ed. A feature was the general tearing
up of paving stones to be hurled at the
! police and guards. A tramway conduc-
tor received two bullet wounds.
Ultimately the troops were called out.
About thirty-five arrests were made,
many Of those who were taken into
custody being in possession of revolv-
Z QrS The nl1hlin nrncoo,rt.sr with hie
entire staff, remains on permanent duty
at the Hotel de Vile.
The bill of Van Den Peereboom seeks
to perpetuate the clerical domination of
the country. It provides for a proper
tional representation in districts elect
ing more han three members. The lib
erals and socialists realize that it's eff
feet would be to maintain the Catholic
, representation in the smaller consti:u-
encies and practically to exclude the
! liberals and socialists from the larger
districts.
A new Bearnaert ministry is predict
ed as theO outcome of the agitation. In
any event the crisis is one of the most
serious that has occurred in Belgian
history.
The liberals being in a hopeless mi
nority in parliament, abandoned the
idea OF fighting the bill by parliament
tary methods, and started a campaign
Of obstr uction.
Today the city wore a completely
revolutionary aspect. Tram cars were
overturned n used as barricades. The
commander of the civic guard asked 10
be supplied with Is, 1000 cartridges. The
street lamps were smashed; the rioters
pricked the horses Of the gendarmes
with needles and many of the animals
fell with their riders. Several inoffen-
sive on-lookers were injured by the
swords OF h police. 1t is rumored
that Their are some women and chill
dren among these. AT a late hour this
evening it is rumored that a wounded
tramway conductor a succumbed Il
his injuries, but the report is as We,
unconfirmed.
The scenes in the chamber quite beg
gard description. Van Den Peereboon
was dubbed murder" bandit AND
minister of civil war" by the social.
lists, h declared that they would ap.
peal to the king.
Many n Lover