The sun., 1903-05-23
WOMEN LEAD A LABOR RIOT.
ITALIAN TRACK LAYERS DRIVEN
OUT OF SECOND AVENUE.
What for Nobody KnOws-1hen the Coppers
Had Their Inning and Beat Merry
Tattoo on Many Head-Army OF Blue
coats In the NliN-up-RiOters Fined.

Had Their Inning and Beat Merry
Tattoo on Many a Head-Army OF Blue
coats In the MiN-up-RiOters Fined.
A crowd of about eighty Italians. urged on
by an impulse which has not been explained
attacked workmen laying tracks for the In
terurban company at Second avenue ana
Second street yesterday morning. and. with
women helping, and even taking the initla-
tive, caused a small riot that brought re-
serves from five police stations and l25
sleuths from Police Headquarters. num-
ber of worhmen were hit by stones, but none
was seriously hurt Some of those who
started the trouble were we'll dubbed by
the police. though. and there were many
sore heads in Mulberry street last night
The lnterurban company Is getting
ready to run electric cars on the lower part
of Second avenue, and much of the route
is already finished. The three blocks below
Third street are almost done. and men we're
at work yesterday laying asphalt and filling
in the space between the tracks.
These men have nothing to do with the
strikers on the subway and had no idea
that any trouble was brewing until crowd,
which had come up the avenue from Hous-
ton street, suddenly rushed upon them
Some of the rioters snatched the picks
and shovels from the workmen; others
picked up chunks of broken asphalt and
began to throw them at the men working
on the tracks.
In the crowd were number of women.
who threw aside their shawls, and, yelling
to the men to come on, grabbed shoVeis
and attacked the workmen. There was a
lot Of excitement in a minute as none vi
the workmen knew what was the matter
! They got out of the way and showed but
| little fight. Most Of the men attacked were
| Italians An Irish gang was ht work
| block away, but they were not molested:
| Policeman Thomas J Lang OF the rll.n
! street station was on post IN That nelghDor-
| hood and, as he saw the trouble begin
| rushed into the middle of il He was sur
rounded Immediately, and he says several
| Italians drew knives and acted as though
! they intended to do him up.
Lang backed up agnlns, a railing keeping
the crowd in front of him. and yelled to
a passing expressinan to drive around 10
| the station and get the reserves. The man
did So He also told the sergeant there
such a story of the riot that Police Head
ourters was notified and every policeman
on reserve within a radius OF mile was
sent to the spot in hurry.
Meanwhile, Lang, had been having
troubles He snys that the crowd looked
pushing it in the face of Pelimro Rosso OF ia
| Elizabeth street, who seemed 70 be the
! leader of the mob. told him that IL he didn't
keep still he would gss filled with holes,
! Then the reserves came. Their orders
! were to use their clubs and clear the neigh.
borhood. and they did. They also arrested
Rosso, Angelo Batino Of is Marion street
Antonio Senito of l85 Hester street Tony
Lamori of 1857 Allen street, Morris Fein.
berg of IA Suffolk street, James Bovar OF
1877 Chrystie street and two women, who
said they were Stephanie Gavanno Of l32
Chrystie street and Rose Laretto of the
same address
In the Yorkvile police court the police
wanted to present the prisoners under
the riot act, but Magistrate Brcen said
that would probably need the assistance
| of the District Attorney. so charge OF
disorderly conduct was made.
The leader, Rosso. and prisoner who "as "a
caught fourishing razor were hned sl'
was no evidence against him. and the others
including the women, were fined s. each