The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-09
Little Girl Told a FnIsehOOd and the
6RiGraT'' of the City Raised
n Disturbance.
FIRED A V0LLEY
SCATTERED THE CROWD AND RES
CUED THE sCHOOLMAsTER.
Nobody Injured, but the Soldiers May
BE Court-Martia1ed for Acting
without Instructions.

SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, March s.-A seri-
Gus riot occurred here yesterday. At 6
o clock in the evening five artillerymen and
a corporal of artillery, named Hiscock,
left their guardpost without orders, and
charged across the plaza into street in
which mob of people had assembled. The
soldiers fired a volley into the air, dis
persed the mob and rescued School Super
intendent Armstrong, who was besieged by
the mob in house situated about block
from the city center. Four hours previous
to the rescue of Armstrong the city had
been overrun by riotous crowd of prob
ably 1,500 persons, who shouted, Down
with the Americans and other similar
cries.
The excitement originated in a trivial
school incident involving Superintendent
Armstrong, and illustrating the excitable
nature of the Porto Ricans. The superin-
tendert reprimanded a girl, ten years of
age, for dsobedience, and forcibly, but
harmlessly, marched her to the rear of the
schoolroom. 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 number of boys gathered
together and paraded the streets They
wef- joined by many loafers and full
grown men, and 1t became necessary for
the police to escort Superintendent Arm
strong from the schoolhouse to his home
The superintendent and policemen were
stoned as they passed through the streets,
and, as the crowd constantly increased in
size, the Americans sought refuge in the
Intendencia building. A number of per-
sons from the crowd succeeded in entering
the building. but were elected by the en-
ployes and others.
BY o'clock affairs had assumed such a
threatening aspect that Governor Allen or
dered the mayor to disperse the mob, noti-
flying him that he should ask for govern
ment assistance IL he was in need of It.
The mayor. however. paid no attention to
the Governors notification. although the
city police were powerless. not being in any
way respected by the rioters. whom they
did not attempt TO disperse
At $50 D. m. the offices were closed and
Martin c. Brumbaugh, the commissioner of
education of Porto Rico, asked for police
protection of his office and hotel a treas
ury clerk, who was one of the men who
elected the rioters from the Intendencia,
was attacked. stoned and disarmed by
mob The insular police who have no juris-
diction in the city, except in cases of emer-
gency and at the call of the mayor and
Governor, not called upon until 6
o'clock. At that time the artilerymen.
previously referred To, took the initiative
without orders and dispersed the gather
ing. In the meantime. the city police had
fired about one hundred shots, mostly in
the air. for there were no casualties Sew
eral other Americans besides the treasury
clerk. We're stoned from roofs and balco-
MES At s o'clock last night the city pre-
sented its usual tranquil appearance.
Governor Allen deplores the unfortunate
occurrences. especially the action OF the
artillerymen. Corporal Hiscock has been
placed under arrest and Is now In the
guardhouse. 1t is probable he will be tried
by court-martial.
The teachers who have been questioned
| on the subject have made statements
| agreeing with those OF Superintendent
| Armstrong. TO the effect that the girl was
| not harmed.
| 1t Is probable that four-fifths OF those
| who took part In the rioting did not know
| why they were mobbing the Americans.
The rioters mostly belonged to the unem-
ployed workmen OF the population.