The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-19
RIOT At BRIDGEPORT, CONN.,. RE.
SUITS IN MANY CUT AND BAT.
TERED HEADS.
STREET CAR MEn STONED
MAYOR MUlvIHILL AND DEPUTY
sHERiFFs ALSO BRUISED
CY MISSILES.

Bridgeport, Conn, May 18.--The at
tempt made by the officials of the
Connecticut Railway and Lighting
company to run their r with nom
union men resulted in a riot in which
at least thirty-two men were injured.
The sheriff says that another such out.
break will make the calling Of the
state troops inevitable. At the pres
emit time it Is possible that the county
sheriff will supercede the police in the
control Of the city.
Sunday morning six trolley cars
We're started out on the Barnum and
State street lines. There were large
crowds around the car sheds at the
time the cars were manned by twelve
of the 1870 strike breakers brought to
this city Saturday by the trolley com
pany. There was no disturbance ct
any kind for a couple Of hours. When
the first car, however, had completed
its third round trip and was directly
in front of the Wheeler Wilson factory,
where a crowd of at least 1000 Pc
sons had gathered, a
Bombardment of Stones Began.
Deputy Sheriffs Hendrie and Plumb,
who were riding on the car, plunged
into the crowd to arrest a man whom
they had seen throwing a stone. He
was seized and with considerable diff
ficulty, dragged fifty feet to the car.
The stone thrower was a big fellow
and struggled so iercely that a police
man who was standing ear by went
to the assistance of the sheriffs.
Immediately Mayor Mulvihill was
seen hurrying through the mob. He
rushed up to the policeman and order
ed him to keep his hands off the pris-
oner. He then told the deputy sheriffs
During the argument the stone throw
er wrenched himself free and dashed
away.
in a shower and one of them struck
Mayor Mulvihill on the head, bruising
1t badly. The two sheriffs jumped on
the car and ordered the motorman to
proceed to the car sheds, a quarter of
a mile distant. The bombardment
did not abate and the crowd on the
streets was SO dense that the motor
man had to go slowly. The stone
throwing soon became so furious that
the
sheriffs Drew Their R~evoIvers
and fired five shots in the air. This
caused the bombardment to let up a
little and the car reached the barns
and was run inside. The other five
cars, operated ON the same streets,
received the same treatment, as they
followed the. first car into the barns.
When the last car had passed within
the doors there was a crowd of 1000
people gathered in a vacant lot op-
posite and violence once more broke
loose. Brickbats, stones and every.
thing that could be thrown were
hurled at the barns and anything that
belonged to the company in the vi
cinity.
At this roint Mayor Mulvihill saw
that the r cant and nine policemen
who Were stationed at the car barns
entirely unable to cope with the
mob ard he sem for Chief Coffin OF
the fire department. After a short
consultation the latter ordered out
Engine COMPANY No. 6, with a steamer
and a line of hose. Superintendent
Riraaireham also ordered every avail.
able man to the spot to cooperate
with the firemen and soon a stream
was being played on the mob, which
slowly
Fell Back Before the Water.
One of the str~ike-breakers was assist.
ing the tiramen in holding the hose
when a well directed brick struck him
on the head and knocked him to the
ground sensaless. When the mob had
dispersed, the firemen and extra police
were ordered back to their ouerte~S
and the regular detail remained glard-
ing the car barns.
Not a man of the twelve who were
on the six cars escaped injury of some
kind. Every one of them. as they
stood on the platform Of their cars
while going into the barns. was seen
to be bleeding %profusely from the head
and face. In addition to the trolley
men injured, Roadmaster Davis of the
trolley company was severely hurt by
a stone which struck him on the head.
Sheriffs Hendrie and Plumb appar-
emily were targets for the mob as well
as the strike breakers, for each OF
them was struck in different parts OF
the body at least a dozen times. No
attempt was made to run cars at
night.
In an interview the sheriff said: 81
will have no further interference on
the part of Mayor Mulvihill. will
have 100 special men here and will do
my best to preserve peace, and if the
mayor or anyone else attempts to in
terfere he will be stopped; if neces
sary I will supercede Mayor Mulvihill
in authority"