The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-08
EXCITING TIME IN LOWELL.
POLICE DRIVE 4 THOUSAND
 STRIKERS BEFORE THEM.
Serious Clash Narrowly AveTted-Wo- man Figures Prominently in She Dis turbnnce-Essays the Role of Joan of Arc, Leading a Great Body of Men Through the Streets Until the Police Are Encountered.

Lowell, Mass, April "A body of po- lice officers, marching in solid front from curb to curb, drove a thousand noisy Greek mill workers through the streets of Lowell for nearly a mile to- night and prevented what might easily have developed into riot growing out of the return to work of number of ring spinners in the Lawrence hosiery who left work week ago yesterday in sympathy with the strike order of the textile council.
 To-night's disturbance in front of the gates of the Lawrence corporation was the first breach of the peace since six of the seven big mills ordered struck by the textile council shut down, throwing approximately 17,0O0 persons into idleness. The police realize that it was a narrow escape from serious clash between strike sympathizers and themselves, for once orders were given to the officers to draw their night sticks. The crowd fell back and the danger was passed for the time-being.
 A woman figured prominently in to- nights demonstration, and she essayed a role somewhat after the manner of Joan of Arc, leading a great body of men through the streets to the point where the police were encountered. Confusion then came and the unknown woman was lost in the crowd.
 To-day was the Creeks national hol- iday, the anniversary of the Greek Fed eration, and in the colony, and espe- cially in coffee houses, the occasion was celebrated in lively but. as far as the public was concerned, a peaceable way up till late in the afternoon. Trouble had it's inception in an attempt of the Greeks to hold mass meeting on Mar ket street, in the heart of the colony. The police stopped this, because the crowd of two or three thousand was ob- structing free passage and further be- cause such gathering was not permis- sible on thoroughfare. One of their priests did succeed in addressing them. speaking in the mother tongue and ad- vising them to be opaerIy, law-abiding and to hold out for the ten per cent. in- crease.
 The Greeks dispersed by the officers took the advice of the latter and went to the South Common, where the mass meeting was held. From the same spot as President Roosevelt addressed an immense throng last summer Greek orators urged the men around them to keep up stiff fight for the ten per cent. increase. Constantin Anton, the Greek society president, said to his countrymen:
 Don't go to work until you get your rights. Stay out as long as any one stays out. and don't let any one go to work until you all go to work-until you all get your raise"
 1 Enthusiasm was shown by the loud cheering. After the mass meeting broke up the Greeks and the people who by this time numbered thousands, drifted downtown, and finally, as if by com mon consent, they headed for the mill section, chiefly towards the Fremont and Suffolk and Lawrence corporations. Superintendent Moffatt, of the city po- lice, however, had anticipated some sort of a gathering, for word had gone about that at noon a large number of striking ring spinners had returned to l the Lawrence.