The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-17
Al Crotun Dam When Bullet Was Fired That
Struck Him 10 the Stomach.
SEARCH FAILED TO DISCLOSE SLAYER
Leader Of the Strikers Had Said There Would
Be No Trouble All Was Quiet Until
Night Closed In.

Croton Landing. N. Y. April H.
With the arrival of troops at the
Cornell dam yesterday. quiet was re-
stored, and last nighb there was no In
dication OF an outbreak by the strikers.
At present the Fourth and Eleventh
Separate companies are in camp in the
Croton Valley. and the cavalry is re-
ported to be at Ardsley, where they
cam be- called for I'm case OF trouble.
Aside from the demonstration In the
early morning, yesterday was a quiet
one with the strikers. The morning
meeting was held before 6 o'clock. and
the strikers. finding that no effort was
going TO be made TO work on the dam.
dispersed before s a. m. They, hung
about the Bowery and waited for news
from New York. About IL a. m. tel
egram was received by one OF the lead
ers from Consul Bianchi. advising them
10 be quiet, and informing them that
the militia was on Its way to the dam.
The telegram had good effect Many
Italians who live on Little Italy Hill
left the Bowery and went to their
homes. There was no sign OF a weapon
among them half an hour after the re-
ceipt OF the telegram from the consul.
After noon the train from Yonkers.
carrying troops, arrived here. There
was q blowing of horns. and while the
troops were resting at the station, 40
armed Italians, carrying an American
and two Italian flags. crossed from
Little Italy Hill to sthe Bowery. They
were cheered by the men in the Bow
cry. Ten minutes after their arrival
at the Bowery there were no weapons
I'm sight.
TROOPS ARRIVE.
AT 2:05 p. m. the troops arrived at
the dam. With the approach TO the
Bowery the order was given to load,
and here the nervousness of the men
betrayed itself. One man in the rear
guard let the hammer fall on the car
fridge. Ii exploded and the bullet went
somewhere to the other SIDE OF the Gro
ton., The shot startled the men and
two men in the advance guard ner-
vously pulled the triggers OF their rifles
and bullets tore holes in the earth 10
feet in front of them. The impression
was that someone had fired on the
troops and there was a halt. For
tunately, the accidents did not alarm
the strikers, AS the troops swung into
the marrow lane called the Bowery a
strange sight met their eyes. About
200 men were on the board sidewalks,
women were hanging from the win
dows and crowded on the troops. About
90 Italians with mandolins and guitars
were seated on the walk playing a
lively tune. I'm the centre of the street
woman about 60 years old, called
Bowery Kate, was dancing. In one
hand she held half OF brick and In
the other club. The advance guard
passed by her and she Z in back OF
them, marching along. The Italians
laughed and continued to play. On the
hills were half a hundred or more Ttal-
ians. who clapped hands as the troops
came into the works.
CAMP PITCHED.
Officers after inspection of the
ground decided to pitch camp in tho
valley. The tents were set up and a
line or pickets was thrown about the
works and on the hill where the
strikers reside patrol was estab-
lished at Bowery Bridge and admission
inside the lines was denied to all but
persons with passes. A cavalryman
from Ardsley reported at p. m. that
the troopers would be up this morning.
Everything is quiet and the company
says 1t will make no attempt TO begin
work until Gen. Roe says so.
The strikers leader Angelo Botella.
last night declared there would be no
trouble. He said: 1--WE do not pro-
pose to fight soldiers. We are behav-
ing and we gave the soldiers a fine well
come with our mandolins and guitars
1t is said that FIR owens, who
preached sermon against violence
previous to the arrival of the troops,
talked to the strike leaders and coun-
selled them to do nothing to causi
trouble. The company It is said prob
ably will start work on Wednesday,
SOLDIER SHOT DEAD.
Sergt. Robert Douglass of the 11th
Separate Company OF Mount Vernon
was shot dead by an unknown assassin
while he was relieving guard at Q
O'Clock last night. The soldiers are
frantic over the cowardly crime. The
point where the sergeant fell is known
as Post 10, which was in charge of Corp
Mcdowell. Ii is situated on top of the
hill near Little Italy, where armed
strikers were seen drilling or marching
about early yesterday morning, brand
ishing rifles and shotguns. The spot
Is high over the huge pile OF masonry
and from IL one can command a view
of the country for niles on each side
up and down the Croton valley. Doug
lass was talking to Corp. Mcdowell
and the other members OF the guard
when he suddenly clapped his hands TO
his stomach and said: Load BOYS.
I'm shot" and then fell To the ground
1t was pitch dark. but Mcdowell and
others fired a volley into clump of
bushes nearby without hitting anyone.
No one saw the flash or heard the
sound OF the shot which killed Doug
lass Meanwhile the men picked up
the fallen sergeant and carried him
down the hill on a stre'cher. Lieut..
Glover with "A squad OF MN went IN 10
. n n.