Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-05-17
Guardsmen At Albany Shoot
Into a Crowd With
Deadly Effect.
SITUATION is SERIOUS
Street Car Strike Resulted Last Even.
ing In a Triple Tragedy and
Worse May Follow.
Additional Troops Have Been Order.
ed to the Scene and Further
Trouble Is Feared.

Albany. \. Y. May I7.-Three mel
fatally wounded. hundreds of other,
with broken heads and cut faces. ear,
running merely as arsenals with M
patrons. the city under martial law
with its citizens in frenzy of ex
element and the city authorities ant
leaders of the strikers trying to ge,
the railway company TO come to al
amicable settlement, is the situation
growing out of the street ear strike.
Those fatally wounded are William
Walsh, Il merchant, anu Leroy Smith
a merchant, both shot by national
guardsmen. and William Marshall. a
non-union motormen, skull fractured
Others most seriously injured are
George Booze. citizen, cheek ripped
open by bayonet; William Rooney, cit
izen. shot by national guard, and Gil
bert Hall, non-union motorman, shot
by mob.
The bloodshed came last evening af-
ter a day of peace. From early morn
ing the crowds had melted away be-
fore bayonets and shotguns; cars had
been operated under heavy guards,
and there WAS an impression that the
spirit of turbulence was waning
There had been some minor demon
strations, particularly in North AL
bany. but not shot had been fired.
and as the day passed the running
of ears attracted but little attention.
The volley fired on Broadway by a
squad of 23d regiment infantrymen
in which Leroy Smith and William
Walsh, well known citizens, fell NOR
tally wounded. changed all that. 1t
stirred anew the feeling of hatred as
the exciting tidings swept through the
city. and the guardsmen were bitterly
denounced.
Neither of the men had been guilty
OF an offense, but We're caught in a
crowd some member of which had
stoned the guardsmen. and by mis-
chance We're hit. The disturbance was
not serious one, and murder" is the
title applied by infiamed public senti-
ment to the shooting. The guardsmen
seem to have followed their duty as
soidiers. for they were under orders to
shoor ~ n~-rufsevs. the brfgne Y,res-a
pect of "A settlement of ,ne strike has
not served to allay the growth of vim
dictive feeling, and if the present sit
aution continues, acts of bitter revenge
and violence may be expected. 1t
was on the last run of the soldiers on
the cars that the tragedy of the day
occurred. The cars We're on Broad
stantly swelling crowd was gathered
cr T,;D
workday folk had been released by
the whistles that sounded through the
manufacturing district, and they were
pouring into the crowd. Near Colum-
bia street a truck blocked the way
of car. and, urged on by the crowd,
the driver refused to move on as
speedily as desired. Some one in the
crowd was very noisy, and there was
much confusion. The car finally
and another stone was hurled at it.
There was a sharp command, and as
the car slowed down four shots We're
fired from il. Leroy Smith lounged on
the steps of his store: William Walsh
his business neighbor from across the
street, was his immediate companion.
and small crowd hung about near
them. 1t was into this crowd that the
guards fired at range of less than 20
feet. Smith and Walsh were both
shot in the abdomen, and fell where
they stood.
Five hours of conference last night
with all the warning elements repre-
sented failed TO settle the strike The
strikers waived all the demands for
the removal of the non-union men.
The executive committee of the United
Traction company are considering the
proposition today and may accept 1t
and settle the strike. Meantime Major
General Roe intends to take every pre-
caution and has ordered out the Ninth
regiment of New York 1t will ar
rive here this afternoon. 500 strong.
and il the strike is not settled. will
assist in opening up the other lines
Of the traction company in this city.