The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-17
TERROR AT ALBANY
THREE FATALLY WOUNDED AND
MANY BADLY HURT.
TROOPS FIRE ON CITIZENS.
A QUIET DAY CLOSES WITH GREAT
EXCITEMENT.

MiIitiamen Lose Their Heads and
Car Was Stoned-TerribIe Excite
ment FO1lows-Walsh Is Dead and
Smith May Die-Another Regiment
Called Out.
Albany, N. Y, May 16.-Three men IA
tally wounded, hundreds of others with
broken heard and cut faces, cars run
ming merely as arsenals with no patrons,
the city under martial rule, with its citi-
zens in a frenzy of excitement. and the
city authorities and leaders of the strk-
ers trying to get the railway company to
come to an amicable settlement was the
situation when darkness put an end to
the strife growing out of the street car
strike tonight.
Those fatally wounded are William
Walsh, merchant, and Leroy Smith, a
merchant, both shot by National Guards
men, and William Marshall, a non-union
motorman, skull fractured.
Others most seriously injured are:
George Booze, citizen, cheek ripped
open by bayonet.
William Rooney, citizen, shot by Ma
tional Guard.
Gilbert Hail. non-union motorman. shot
by mob.
The bloodshed came after a day of
peace.
From early morning the crowds had
melted away before bayonets and shot
guns. cars had been operated under heavy
guards and there was an impression that
the spirit of turbulence was waning
There had been some minor demonstra-
tions, particularly in North Albany, but
not shot had been fred, and as the day
had passed along, the running of cars at
tracted but little attention. The volley
fired on Broadway by a squad of the
Twenty-third Infantrymen, in which
Leroy Smith and William Walsh, we'll
known citizens, fell mortally wounded
changed all that. 1t stirred anew the feel
ing of hatred as the exciting tidings swept
through the city and the guardsmen were
bitterly denounced.
Rash Work of Guardsmen.
Neither of the men had been guilty of
any offense. but were caught in crowd
some member of which had stoned the
guardsmen and by mischance, were hit
Inc 0lSluIDdDC6 was not a serious one
and murder is the title applied by in
famed public sentiment to the shooting
The guardsmen seem but to have followed
their duty as soldiers, for they were un-
der orders to shoot if assaulted. The
bright prospect of a settlement of the
strike has not served to allay the growth
of vindictive feeling, and If the present
situation 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 were on Broadway moving north
ward, and a constantly swelling crowd
was gathered about union depot The first
of the work-day folk had been released
by the whistles that sounded through the
manufacturing district, and they were
pouring into the crowd Near Columbia
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 threw a stone,
but it went wide of its mark. The crowd
was very noisy and there was much con-
fusion.
Looks Much Like Murder.
The car finally moved forward into the
next block, and another stone was thrown
at it. There was a sharp command and
as the car slowed down four shots we're
fired form it. 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 guardsmen fired at a
range of less than twenty feet. Smith
and Walsh were both shot in the abdomen
and fell where they stood.
A third man, william Rooney. was
slightly hurt by glancing bullet. Some
of the guards stepped from the car and
reloaded their pieces. The startled crowd
fell back at the first shot and a moment
later the guards sprang aboard the car
and were rapidly wheeled from the
scene. Smith and Walsh were hurried
away to hospitals for surgical care and
an angry mob swarmed into the street to
curse and denounce the guardsmen.
Smith is member of the shoe manu-
featuring firm of Smith & Herrick, and
citizen of wealth, respecta bility and
prominence. He is member of the AL
bany Club and a whist player of national
reputation. He is 50 years OF age and has
family. Walsh is the head Of a plumbing
house and well known in business circles.
Neither men had any part other than as
spectators of the demonstration that pro-
voked the shooting.
The remainder Of the cars made the run
to North Albany and back without trou-
BILE and when they reached Quail street
barn were housed for the night.
When the cars were all in, the guards
in the street were recalled.
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