The sun., 1901-08-19
'RIOT ABOARD STEAMER
Paterson Roughs Cause Reign Of Ter
ror on General Slocum.
POLICE TAKE SEVEN TO JAIL.
DisxrscefuI Actions OF MIL Hands
bresk UP Excursion TO Rockaway
beaek--strenuous Methods Of
Captain ana Crew.

New York, Aug. 1S.--With the ring
leaders of a partially quelled riot inn
prisoned In the forward lower cabin
and others of a party of Paterson silk
( workers who were excurslonists on the
steamer rushing from side to side of
the vessel calling for help the steamer
General Slocum came Mt full speed to
the landing at Rockaway Beach, her
whistle blowing to call the police.
Captain William H. Yan Shaick from
his post In the pilothouse explained
the situation quickly to a mounted po-
liccman waiting Mt the pier. The police
man galloped at full speed to the sta
tion house, and in few minutes pa
troll wagon with a detail Of IL men was
ready to receive the rioters.
Oyerawed by the sight of the police,
the men who had tcrrorized the women
and children on the steamer during the
trip from the Battery to the seaside re-
sort skunk away. AS the passengers
filed off the gangplank three men were
picked out by Mute william Somerville
and arrested along with four men who
had been oyerpowered by the captain
and crew.
They were taken before Magistrate
Healy of Far Rockaway and locked up.
But one of the number succeeded In
obtaining bail
When the General Slocum sailed
from her berth ut the foot of West One
Hundred and Twenty-nlnth street, she
was scheduled TO call at the Erie rail
road station dock at Jersey City and
take ON 800 silk workers from Paterson
who Ind arrived on special train.
The party was composed of employees
in the Dougherty 4 Wordsworth silk
mills of that city.
Before Jersey City was reached sew
eral hundred people had embarked on
the General Slocum for a days outing,
and at the Battery there was another
excursion OF about 100 employees OF
the Prudential Life Insurance compa-
ny of Newark, y. j.. to add to the list,
making 1.300 in all.
Many Fights Were In Progress.
AT once the disorderly Paterson
roughs started in to annoy others on
board not of their party, and before the
Narrows was reached hnlf a dozen
fights were in progress In as many por-
tions of the steamer.
Armed with empty beer glasses, the
Paterson gang paraded the ship with
cries of I'VE are going to run this
steamer" Their attacks We're coupled
with abusive language.
Captain Van Schaick came rushing
from the pilothouse, and to his com
mands for quiet the rioters answered
with shower of missiles. Then the
captain gathered his forces, and aided
by some of the male passengers on
board who Were OH the side of peace
and quiet. the roughs We're pushed
down the stairway to the main deck.
The riot had lasted from the time the
to within ten minutes of the landing
ut Rockaway, full hour.
| After the rioters had been taken of
the passengers We're compelled to walk
In single file down the gangplanl
through Il Gordon of police. willie Cap
tain Van Schaick nnd Mate Someryill,
pointed out the ringleaders, who were
arrested.
! In court they pleaded guilty to /;
charge of disorderly conduct and wer,
committed to the Queens county iai
for five days each.
Captain William ii. Van Schaick sait
to II reporter: Il have been master d
the General SlocuIn for II years, bu
this is my first riot. Before that | wa
commander of the steamer Grand Re
public, and the last disturbance on tina
steamer, remember, was caused by
crowd of eXcursionists from Paterson.