The Penn's Grove record., 1900-04-20
TROOPS ORDERED OUT.
Sent to Croton Dam to Subdue
Italian Strikers.
BLOODSHED AND DEATH RESULT.
The Strike at Croton Dam Assumed .
Serious Aspect-The Sheriff Appealed
The Cause of the Trouble-First Trial
of Strength Between Opposing Forces.


The Cause of the rr~ouble-First Trial
of Strength Between Opposing Forces.
NEW YORK CRY (specia).-The strike !
among the Italian employees on the new
Croton Dam for an increase of wages
sumed such alarming proportions that
nearly six hundred troops, over half Of
them calvary, were ordered to the scene Of
the strike TO preserve order and protect
property.
The contested ground In Westehester
County is three miles from the Croton Land
ing station OF the New York Central road.
It is to the east OF the road in the Croton
Valley. At his point the dam that Is to
,heck the Croton water and form an i'm
mense reservoir Is being built. On each
side of the narrow stream hills rise to the
height OF more than 200 feet.
Tho trouble was due to q demand OF the
men for greater pay. They had been
working ten hours n day for S1.25 a day,
and they demanded $40 for eight hours
work. There were employed on tie works
about 400 Italians and about 200 mel Of
other n~ationalities. The latter were en-
ployed largely in the more responsible
places and took no part in the strike.
4AO RAkhI1Pat l0oa0A oROeS0A-eA
the strikers was Marcelio Rotello.
The troops ordered to the Croton dam,
almost as great in numbers as the strikers,
were made up thus:
Squadron A, the crack cavalry company
OF Manhattan.
Troop G, a similar body, OF Brooklyn.
Two companies OF infantry of the First
Mount Vernon.
Sheriff Malloy came to New York City at
the request OF Major-General Roe, COM
manding the National Guard, and after a
series of conferences with all the parties
interested made a formal demand upon
General Roe for the assistance Of the MIL
itia.
General Roe had previously commune
Gated by wire with Governor Roosevelt,
and the latter was quick In his response,
directing the head of the National Guard
to grant the demand Of the Sheriff IL one
was made
Ths cavalry force numbered $50 men and
officers. Each man carried a sabre, a re-
yolver and a carbine. Captain G. /. Debe--
doise commanded Troop G, Of Brooklyn,
and Major Oliver B. Bridgemaa command
ed Squadron A.
The Seventh Regiment Of this city was
ordered out and sent to the scene OF action
The first blood over the strike was she'd
when an unknown man sho. and killed
0O16toab AAJ3 - -
Separate Company, OF Mount Vernon. The
Sergeant was making the rounds with q
corporal's guard relieving the sentries.
An air gun was the Weapon No report
was heard. Shot through the abdomen.
Sergeant Douglass fell to the ground ex-
claiming to his little command:
"Boys, I've been shot; load quickly and
hrel'
A voiley rang out from the muskets Of
the militia men. No answering shot came
back from the unseen enemy. Sergeant
Douglas was taken back to the camp and
he died within ten minutes after arriving
there.
Strike leaders declared that the men were
In favor OF peace and would offer no
violence. The shooting closely followed a
peace declaration by one of the leaders.
For the last five weeks 1t is said th
Italians had been getting ready for any
trouble hat might grow out Of .
strike, and had bought arm and ammuni-
ton. From Sing Sing they obtained
rifles and pistols, and from nearby towns
they purchased ammunition. They also
bought three cases OF reyoivers from
a gunsmith In Sing Sing. While it was
known that they had arms, it was not
thought they were as we'll supplied as they
are until the first test of strength was
made between them and the deputy sher-
IFS.
This test came when 1t was decided to
send an engine for coal. Coal was needed
to operate the pumping works at the dam,
which have to be kept going day aud
night, and at 7.30 a. m. orders were given
for an engine to go down and bring up
some cars Of coal lying ready. The strikers
saw the engine come out, and thinking
that the coptractors were about to try to
start up without making a settlement with
them, they swarmed out OF the houses on
the hill and down the hillside toward tue
works. They came armed with clubs,
stones, shotguns and revolvers.
Engineer Jacoby had no sooner got his
engine out than 1t was surrounded. They
threatened to kill him then and there IL he
tried to run the engine. The handful of
deputy sherifs who were present were
powerless to drive on the crowd. and they
and Jacoby decided to give up the at
tempt. Jacoby left the engine and then
the Italians retired to the hilltop, but left
a guard on watch to prevent a further at
tempt.
On the hill where stands the c~ompany's
Office was q little knot of men. One OF
their number. with a pair OF field glasses,
took In the picture and counted the rifles
and revolvers In sight,. In the group was
Sheriff Molloy, of Westchester. When he
saw the Wincbesters and the showing in
arms made by the strikers he said:
'eThfs thing calls for troops. Ny N Q n
cannot cope with a situation like this"
After the incident had passed and little
Italy hill was patrolled by a few strikers
word was received there would be no dep
relation committed unless there was an
attempt to put men to work. The Sheriff
left for White Plains to consult Governor
Roosevelt by phone in regard to calling
out troops.
As he left the dam to drive to the Croton
Landing Station he passed through the
Bowery, where one or two Italians were
leaning on rifles outside saloons, chatting
about the trouble as though it were moth
ing,