Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-07-20
TRAIN ATTACKED.
a Special Central X. X. Train ATTACKED
by Big Crowd Thursday and
Capture of Non-union
Workmen Made


Train, carrying number of non-union
men TO this city, was attacked by large
crowd OF men, boys and women, and
bloodshed was the result.
Ihe unhappy incident was the first
violent outcome of the present glass;
workers strike.
since Sunday the striking glassworkers
nave been apprised of the coming to
d idgeton of a number of non union
glassworkers, and since that time all the
roadways and railways leading into this
city have been watched by large num-
Der of striking glassworkers.
Wednesday there was considerable ex-
cltement among the men, it being gener-
ally rumored that early this morning a
large number of the non-union men
would be brought into town on the
Central railroad. All night long MANY
people were strung out along the Central
tracks from the junction to the Central
station on Cohansey street. Just before 7
O'Clock Thursday morning the approach
OF train was noticed coming over the
Central road, and Immediately the warn
ing was passed along the line.
Tne train was made up of locomotive
a d one passenger coach, and as it
whlrled by the Central Junction, volley
OF stones were thrown. This lombard.
ment continued until the train reached
point just north of the station where it
was brought to standstill.
AS the train reached the curve near the
Cumberland glassworks, it was obliged
,lo
could see that upon the car were fifteen
or more men, presumably glassworkers.
two women, Elmer Shoemaker, and O
ID. King, the latter of the Cumberland
Glass Com oany. AS the train slack ened
ats speed, men running along by the car
attempted to board it. Mr.. King was
standing by the front d )or and he says
man with drawn revolver leaped upon
the platform, and was promptly knocked
off by King. Another man was knocked
off the train and hurled headlong down a
deep embankment
AS the train continued to slow up,
others continued to board the train, and
in twinkling the car was filled with ex-
cited mon, and rocks and stones contin-
ued to be hurled through the broken win
dows. Several persons in the car were
badly cut about the head and body, one
young man being seriously wounded.
The non union men who were being
brought here on the train were badly
frightened, and were crouching down
uuder the seats to prevent themselves
from being injured by the flying missiles.
the two women were SO terrified that
they were hysterical. Mr.. King was in
jured by flying stone.
The train halted near the water tank
and it was Immediately surrounded by
surging crowd, and there was the widest
excitement. The cheers and calls of the
crowd, now being swelled to larger pro-
portions every minute, could be heard
long distance, and brought other people
to the scene
Cohansey street was literally alive with
people hurrying to the scene, and for a
time pandemoniam reigned.
The non-union men were induced to
leave the car, and quickly announced
that they would join the strikers ranks
and would not 60 to work. This an
nouncement was met with widest and
most enthusiastic cheers and the work.
men were triumphantly marched to
headquarters by the strikers committee,
and for some time afterward the room in
Robbins block rang with the cheers of
the excited men.
In the meantime Officer Smith arrived
on the scene, and with more or less diff
Guilty cleared the car of people.
Nobody was left in the coach but Mr..
King and couple of other men who
/ had assisted in conducting the party here.
One of these was badly injured, and was
bleeding from wounds about the head,
face and legs made by the flying stones.
The car looked as if it had passed through
cyclone. Every window was brok en-
cut, and some of the woodwork was
spNntered. Broken glass was lying all
over the floor of the car and along the
rails.
1 The train was run back to the Junction
\ out of the way of the up train from Bay.
side. Later an officer was sent out there
and brought in one of the young men
q who had been injured.
nv News of the trouble spread over towr
e like wildfire and people hurried up te
q the station to see the trouble.
n Henry r. Fort, the veteran hackman
was up there with his coach, and some O
Il the crowd thought he was there to carry
ID the men to the Cumberland Works, an6
in u moment his hack was overturned
Il but fortunately not much injured.
Mayor Appellate was Immediately no
titled of the serious outbreak, and he or
dered the officers who had been on duty
all night to come on again, and swore il
several sp cial officers. Among thos
VI he called upon were Chief Kinkle, Asst
M Chief Heller, John Baumgarten and Benz
Morris, of the Fire Department. All Q
these mon are now doing duty.