The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-03-15
A RIOT IN SAN JUAN
1900 Persons Crying down With the
Americans.

hAANA iNhhps
San Juan de Porto Rico, March s.
A riot occurred here yesterday. At
O'Clock in the evening five artillery
men and a corporal of artillery named
Hiscock left their guard post without
orders and charged across the plaza
into a street in which mob of people
had assembled. The soldiers fired a
volley into the air, dispersed the mob
and rescued School Superintendent
Armstrong, who was besieged by the
mob in 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 800 persons, who shout
ed, "Down with the Americana" and
other similar cries.
The excitement originated in a triv-
ial school incident involving Superin-
tendent Armstrong and 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 %
desk and was torn and the girl report
ed 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 dis
missed number of boys gathered
and paraded the streets. They were
Joined by many loafers and full grown
men and it became necessary for the
police to escort Superintendent Arm
strong from the schoolhouse to his
home. The superintendent and police
men were stoned as they passed
through the streets and as the crowd
constantly increasedin size, the Amer
leans sought refuge in the Intendencia
building. A number of persons from
the crowd entered the building, but
were elected by employees and others.
A treasury clerk who was one of the
men who elected the rioters from the
Intendencia, was attacked, stoned and
disarmed by mob.
BY O'Clock affairs had assumed
such threatening aspect that Cover
nor Allen ordered the mayor to dis
perse the mob, notifying him that he
should ask for government assistance
if he was in need of it. The mayor
however, paid no attention to the gov
ernor's notification, although the city
police were powerless, not being il
any way respected by the rioters. The
police did not even attemptto dispersC
them.
The insular police, who have NJ
jurisdiction in the city, except il
cases of.emergency and at the call o
the mayor and governor, were no
called upon until six o'clock. b.
that time the six artillerymen took tn
= initiative without orders and dispersed
the gathering. In the meantime tn
= city police had fired about 100 shots
= mostly in the air. There were n,
casualties.
Several other Americans, beside
! the treasury clerk, were stoned fror
} roofs and balconies. At o'cloc
A last night the city presented its usua
t tranquil appearance.
t Governor Allen deplores the inc
= dent, and particularly the action {
the artillerymen. Corporal Hiscoc
e has been placed under arrest and
a now in the guardhouse. 1t is probabl
! that he will be tried by court marti al
The teachers who have been ques
e toned upon the subject have mad
: statements agreeing with those {
+ Superintendent Armstrong, to the ef
S feet that the girl was not harmed.
It 1t is probable that four-iifths {
e those who took part in the rioting di
S not know why they were mobbing II
!, Americans. The rioters mostly b,
e longed to the unemployed workmen
o the population.