The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-04
Compelled to Fight Their Way
Through Strike Sympathzers
While Guarding Meat Wagons.
SCORES OF PERSONS INJURED
STRIKERS RANKS SwELLED BY DE-
PARTMENT STORE DRIVERS.
Attempt to Deliver Goods Followed
by a Riot-Show Windows Brok-
en-Ten Firms Crippled.

CHICAGO, June 3.-Chicago's police were
given a strenuous life to-day by the strik-
ing packing house teamsters From day.
light this morning until long after dark
the bluecoats were kept busy dispensing
trouble makers, who congregated along
the streets and in every conceivable man.
ner placed obstacles in the way of meat
dealers who endeavored to move their
supply wagons with nonunion drivers. In
spite of the striking teamsters and their
friends. thirty-three wagon loads of meat
were delivered from the stockyards to
downtown stations. Before the task was
accomplished. however, score of police
men and rioters had been injured and fully
fifty persons had been placed under arrest
Several of the injured were in such a seri-
Gus condition that they were taken to hos
pitals. Two of the injured may die
When the procession OF wagons left the
packing house district they were guarded
by heavy detail Of police. AS soon as the
wagons emerged at the entrance of the
yards fully 500 nraged strike sympathizers
made a rush TO overturn the conveyances:
The policemen drew clubs and after a hard
struggle succeeded in scattering the mob
A fresh start was made, but before the
wagons reached the downtown district the
mob, augmented by hundreds of sympa-
thizers, made another attack. In the fight
that followed revolvers were drawn. No
person was shot, the police instead using
their clubs indiscriminately and a dozen or
more people were hurt before the march
could be resumed When the central por-
ton of the city was reached clashes be-
tween the police and the crowd became
numerous. Street-car traffic was an impos-
sbility and IL was necessary for several
squads of police to charge the crowds with
batons before the wagons had reached the
various downtown houses.
The most serious riot OF the day took
place III South Clark street in front of the
stores of Irwin Bros. and Wagner, Winslow
& Co., wholesale dealers, using meats from
the big packers. Wagons from the yards
were driven to these stores and were being
unloaded when a crowd of spectators and
strike sympathizers began hooting and in
terfering with the nonunion drivers. The
disturbance drew a mob Of nearly two
thousand people TO the scene. The police
who were guarding the wagon tried to
preserve order, but were not sufficient
The two Irwin brothers seized ak handles
ana, In company with the police, beat the
crowd back. In the melee, one man, Isaac
Bean, was thrown down a stairway and
had his back broken. A passing street car
overturned a patrol wagon on the way TO
the riots and dumped the police into the
street. score or more people were ar
rested but were released again
Two revolver battles marked the rioting
that attended the progress OF the meat cara
van from the yards TO the city stores. After
the riot at the Irwin Brothers place the
wagon train moved on. interrupted con-
stantly by a growing mob of men and boys
AS Peck and State streets was reached. a
detective on horseback. annoyed by blows
and jeers. drew a revolver and fired. A lit
tie further on, at Peck place and Michigan
avenue, in front Of a new building. the
drivers were assailed by quantity of
bricks and mortar. One driver fired three
times into the. crowd, but as far as could
be learned, no one was injured. Other
riotous encounters took place along the
street traffic was. blocked and street-car
lines tied up. In other sections OF the city
attempts were made to move meat but be-
cause OF the large gatherings OF people TO
watch the trouble. wagons were put back
TO warehouses and unloaded.
While disturbances were going on over
strike. the ten big State-street department