The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-02-02
FIRST TINE IN 50 YEARS
THAT CONNECTICUT MILITIA HAS
BEEN CALLED OUT.


Then II Was to QuelI Disorder by a Mob
of New York Tnugs-GeneraI Brad
Iey's Capture at Charles Island and
Fairfleid-Express Train Ina Charge Of
Frank Hermnnce Held Up.
1t will be thirty-three years next
April since the militia of this state has
been called upon to quell disorder. On
April y, 1870, there was to be a prize
tight at Charles Island off Milford. A
crowd of thugs came into Connecticut
from New York, held up the conductor
on one of the trains of the New Haven
road, mobbed the storekeepers, looted
the stores and eating establishments Of
Milford, and ran the town in regular
cowboy style. The sheriff of New Ha-
ven county was on hand, but was ut
terly unable to cope with the situation.
A telegram was received in this city
early in the morning by General Ed
ward E. Bradley, who was then colonel
of the Second regiment. There was no
alarm system at the time, and Colonel
Bradley sent messengers TO his scouts,
who in turn toured the city and noti-
fed the militiamen to assemble at their
armory.
The mobilizing of the soldiers was in
deed carried out eXpeditious.y, for at
$3.50 o'clock in the morning the military
was drawn up at the old depot on
Chapel street ready to embark for Mil
ford. Arriving at that place, the troops
We're divided into two battalions. The
first was under the command of Gen
eral Bradley and the second under the
late Stephen r. Smith. The latter sue
ceeded to the colonelcy of the regiment
and was later promoted to brigadier-
general.
Bradley's command approached the
island in a southerly direction, while
Smiths made a detour to the southeast.
Smiths command was the first to ar
rive at the shore, and many of the
thugs showed fight The water was at
half tide, being about knee deep from
the mainland to the island. At the ap-
pearance of the soldiery the crowd
made a break for the shore and treated
the order to halt half in jest. Soon SUI
percilious sneers and swashbuckler
braggadocio changed to sullen submits
sion. Bradley came up with the right
battalion, gave orders to load muskets
with ball cartridges, the men pressed
forward into the water and the New
Workers were driven back onto the is
land. Then followed a grand roundup.
All the handouts in the possession of
the New Haven police department were
&oIy oil t11Y+ xyrI,o fIo
Charles Island took place there were
not enough to go around. There were
over one hundred prisoners, all told.
These included several newspaper COR
respondents and one or two detectives.
These were afterwards released While
at Milford word was received by the
colonel in command that a train was
held UP at Fairfield. A section of the
crowd boarded the train at Bridgeport
and when it got under way knocked
down the conductor, fought the train
men, robbed passengers and refused to
pay fare. The engine was uncoupled
and the train left on the track. Word
was dispatched to Bridgeport for the
assistance of the two companies sta
toned there, and also word was sent
to the head officers Of the New Haven
road for an engine to take these troops,
with Bradleys battalion at Milford, to
Fairfield. They disembarked about
three-eighths of a mile from Fairfield.
The Bridgeport division, under the
command of Major Brinsmaid. proceed
ed double-quick up the track, while
Bradley's division made a detour over
the hill, arriving in doube-quick time
from the opposite direction. They took
possession of the train and arrested
those who were disorderly and refused
to pay their fare. These latter prison
ers numbered about three hundred and
were taken to Bridgeport. The train
was an express in charge of the late
Frank Hernance.
Bradleys division returned to Mil
ford. whence he ordered the Charles
Island prisoners taken to New Haven.
The militia with their captOrs arrived
in this city late in the afternoon, dis
embarking at Water street, near the
old custom house. The soldier boys
received a grand ovation. Their route
through State street up to the center
was almost impossible, so great was
the throng. Eighty three of the pris-
oners were found guilty and sent to
Jail.