The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-03-09
School Superintendent Armstrong
Pursued by a Mob.
RESCUED BY SIX SOLDIERS
Many Americans Stoned Trouble Arose Over
False Charges Made Against Arm.
strong by DIsObedent Girl
PuOil.
Pupil.

SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO. March
S-A serious riot occurred here yester-
day At o'clock in the evening Ave
aTtillerymen and a corporal OF artil-
lery, named Hiscock. left their guard
! pos, without orders and charged across
the plaza into a street in which mob
Of people had assembled. The soldiers
fired volfey into the air, dispersed the
mob and rescued School Superintendent
Armstrong, who was besieged by the
mob In a house situated about block
from the city center
For hours previous to the rescue Of
Superintendent Armstrong the city had
been overrun by a riotous crowd Of
probably 1901 persons, who shouted
Down with the Americansl" and other
similar cheers.
The excitement originated in a trivial
school incident, involving Superintend-
ent Armstrong, which illustrates the
excitable nature Of the Porto Ricans.
The superintendent reprimanded a girl,
10 years Of age for disobedience, and
forcibly but harmlessly marched her to
the front from the rear of the school,
room. Her dress caught in a desk and
was torn. and the girl reported to her
mother that she had been kicked and
abused This excited the girls mother
and sensational stories were circulated,
with the result that when the school
children were dismissed a number OF
boys gathered together and paraded
the sreets. They were Joined by many
others and full-grown men, and 1t be-
came necessary for the police to es-
cort Superintendent Armstrong from
the schoolhouse to his home. The SUI
perlntendsnt and policemen were stoned
as they passed through the streets,
and. as the crowd constantly increased
in size the Americans sought refuge
in the Independence building. num-
ber of persons from the crowd succeed
ed in entering the building but were
elected by employees and others.
BY o'clock, after matters had as
sumed such a threatening aspect, Cover
nor Allen ordered the mayor to dlsperse
the mob, notifying him that he should
ask for government assistance II
he was In need Of it. The mayor, how
ever, paid no attention to the gover-
nor's notification although the city po-
lice were powerless, not being in any
way respected by the rioters whom they
did not attempt to disperse,
At $50 .. m. the offices were closed
and Martin c. Brumbaugh the commits
sloner Of education of Porto Rico, asked
for police protection of his Office and
hotel
A treasury clerk, who was one Of the
men who elected the rioters from the
Independence, was attacked, stoned
and disarmed by mob.
The insular police. who have no jur-
isdiction in the city except in cases OF
emergency and at the call of the mayor
and governor, were not called upon un-
til o'clock. At that time the artillery
men previously referred to took the ini-
tiative without orders and dispersed the
gathering.
In the meantime the city police had
fired about 100 shots, mostly in the air,
for there were no casualties.
Several other Americans, besides the
treasury clerk, were stoned from roofs
and balconies.
At o'clock last night the city pre-
sented its usual tranquil appearance.