The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-03
Where Fifty Policemen, Maddened by Showers
of Stones, Used Clubs and RevOyers.
Exciting ARRAY Halsted Street. Which Was Blocked
by Teamsters, and an Ugly Melee at Night
Many Arrests Made.

CHICAGO. June 2.-Riot and bloodshed
marked the progress Of the teamsters' strike
to-day. There were numerous fights be-
tween the police and the strikers and their
sympathizers. Street car traffic was
stopped while the fighting went on, the
police and employees OF the packing COM
panies were stoned and at one place when
surrounded by a dense crowd of men and
women, the police. fifty strong, under the
command of Lieutenant Collins, maddened
by the numerous stones with which they
had been pelted. drew their revolvers and
charged full into the crowd, which showed
no disposition to retreat and fists, stones
by the strikers and the police used their
batons and the butt ends of revolvers free
iy. When this fight was over there were a
number Of strikers needing surgical atten-
ance. None was dangerously injured as far
as known, however and the wounded strik-
ers were carried off by their friends.
The fighting began on the West Side
shortly after noon and in different parts Of
the city continued practically all of the
afternoon. The most serious trouble of the
day occurred in Crosby street in the dis
trict which is known in police circles as
under the command of Lieutenant Collins,
was escorting a number of wagons loaded
with meat to the distribution stations down
town. A large crowd followed the wagons,
shouting and jeering. and now and then
officers in the direction of the men on the
meat wagons. The line of wagons escorted
by the police was frequently stopped by
other teamsters who would manage to pull
across the street just in the proper place
to prevent the meat wagons from making
any progress. The police would order the
men away and in a few minutes the per-
formance would be repeated much TO the
delight of the immense crowd that was fol-
lowing on.
STONES AND STICKS.
Finally one teamster refused TO pull his
team out of the way of the meat wagon
and the police placed him under arrest.
Then the fight commenced. In an instant a
shower of stones. mud and sticks fell
around and upon the officers, bruising some
OF them badly. Lieutenant Collins ordered
the march of the meat wagons to be
stopped and at once charged the crowd.
The sight of policemen on the aggressive
is nothing new to the inhabitants of Little
He'll" and the crowd refused to bulge
when the police came on. A large number
of women who came to the aid Of the strik-
ers were the fercest fighters OF the lot
One officer was knocked down with brick
and his companions then drew their clubs
and made war with such energy that in
few minutes the street was filled with men
with bleeding heads.
The mob was led by a large man who
came from the gashouse near Crosby street
and who continually called to his followers
TO kill the coppers first and hang the
scabs afterward." Finally a big policeman
got to the man from the gashouse, and
when ii was over the leader was carried
off by his friends with his head and face
covered with blood. The police made no
attempt 10 arrest him. for they had their
hands full with the hundreds of men and
women who crowded around them and
fought viciously with anything they could
lay their hands upon. The crowd increased
so rapidly that Lieutenant Collins soon saw
that his men would be overpowered unless
he took vigorous action at once. He or
dered the men 10 fall back slowly toward
the wagons, and the crowd seeing in this
action a token of victory, pressed in with
shouts, and the volleys OF stones came
more thickly.
The police fell back until they had formed
a compact mass close 10 the wagons, and
then at Collins's order they drew their re-
volvers and charged the crowd once more.
This time the fight was more desperate
than before. and IL was over in much less
time. The police struck down numbers OF
men and used their clubs and revolvers
with energy. and in three minutes the
crowd was broken and in full flight. Form
ing his men around the wagons once more.