The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-04-17
FIRE ON THE RIOTERS.
The Troubles in Brussels End in a
Battle.


30 persons were wounded. Three died
later at the hospital The fighting
is described as worse than any of the
disorders and riots in 1893 and 1899.
The mob, which had assembled in the
Rue Haute, near the Maison du Peu-
pie, pelted the gendarmerie with
bombs containing sulphuric acid and
attacked them with butcher knives,
shouting at the same time Long live
the revolution and the republic!" The
gendarmerie fred at will into the
mob and the fire was returned from
revolvers in the hands of people in
windows.
The bloody repression of the disor-
ders has created painful impress
sion among all classes here, although
1t is appreciated that the majority of
the victims of the encounters do not
belong to the better class of work.
men. Saturday for the first time the
police really fired their rifles loaded
with ball cartridges. Previous to this
they had used their swords and their
revolvers, the latter being usually
loaded with blank cartridges.
Scene of the Riots.
It must be explained that the Mai
son du Peuple is situated on the up
per slope of hill, that the central
boulevard and most of the business
portion of the city lies at the foot of
this hill, while the royal palace, the
law courts, the chamber of deputies
and the ministeries stand upon the
ridge of the hill. The quarter around
the Maison du Peuple is the worst
in the city. 1t is perfect rookery
of low class buildings, intersected by
steep and narrow streets and mall
odorous alleys. In the vicinity of the
Maison there are some small squares
in which the rioters gathered Satur-
day evening until they were dispersed
and the squares occupied by detach-
ments of the civic guard. The mob
was mainly composed of the rough
population of the quarter, who
jeered and reviled the police when
they were forced along the streets
by the cordons of officers.
A Deadly voIIey.
The serious trouble began when
number of roughs from safe dis
lance fred revolvers in the direction
of the cordous. The gendarmes then
charged with drawn swords. After
firing at the crowd with revolvers
loaded with blank cartridges they
were greeted with hail of missiles,
such as stones, bottles and heavy
iron rivets. This happened in several
streets. 1t was worse in the Rue
Haute, where the occupants of the
houses rained missiles upon the
heads of the gendarmes. An officer
of the gendarmes then shouted to the
crowd to dispense. No notice was
taken of this order. Then, for the
first time in many years, the gend-
armes fred their Mauser carbines
loaded with what are called strike
cartridges, which contain a bali, but
a minor charge of powder. The
gendarmes fired only one volley, but
when the mob scattered several
bodies were lying on the ground.
Two were mortally wounded and died
while being conveyed to the hospital.
Over 20 narrow streets and blind
alleys lead into the Rue Haute, and
when the gendarmes charged after
the mob other rioters issued from
these alleys and fred revolvers at the
backs of the policemen until the lat
ter were obliged to leave three of
their number at the mouth of each
alley they passed These guards
stood with their rifles pointed down
the alleys, ready to shoot. Other
gendarmes, who were stationed every
few naces. covered the windows in
the Rue Haute with their rifles.
Three Dead.
It is impossible to ascertain the ex-
act number of the victims of Satur-
days rioting. Many who were slight
" injured had their wounds dressed
in pharmacies or went home. The
director of the hospital of st. Pierre,
however, told a representative it
was said Sunday afternoon that three
rioters had died in the hospital and
that another one there was believed
to be mortally injured. Thirty 9TH
ers who are badly hurt were received
at the hospital Saturday night.
Among the injured are many impru-
dent spectators of the rioting who
were caught between two fires as the
gendarmes frequently combined their
movements and charged the mobs
front and rear at the same time A
doctor who was returning home after
having visited patient was caught
between two bodies of charging
gendarmes and had his nose cut off
with sword.
More Riotipg.
Brussels, April 1.-THE threaten
ing aspect of mob near the Maison
du Peuple at IL o'clock Sunday night
caused the police and gendarmes to
charge it. Five of the demonstrators
were wounded. One of the injured
men will die. He received bayonet
thrust in the back. Sixteen arrests
were made during the evening. This
big casualty list for comparatively
insignificant encounter is taken as ev-
idence that the gendarmes who in
flicted the injuries are disposed to
handle the groups without mercy.
Factory burned.
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