The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-14
500" employees IN A RIOT
Attack Company's Building in an
Attempt to Obtain Wages
AFTERMATH CT A STOCK BUBBLE

Men, Unpaid, Grow Desperate and Eat
Mob of 1000 Woodsmen of Mixed Ma.
tionalIty Held Town at Its Mercy.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.-The Cana
dian 500 after the most exciting day
in its history was left practically at
the mercy of q mob Of more than 1000
Finnish, Norwegian and Italian woods.
men and miners, who were recently
discharged by the Consolidated Lake
Superior Company with two months
pay due them.
At midnight all the lights in the
Canadian 500 were suddenly extin-
guished, and Immediately the fire bells
began ringing an alarm. The greatest
confusion prevailed.
The rioting grew out Of promise to
pay off all the men, although the Con-
solidated Lake Superior Company's
officials who made this promise ad.
mitted that they had no knowledge OF
where the money was coming from to
satisfy the men.
The trouble for the most part was
confined to the grounds occupied by
the works Of the company, where an
immense throng Of woodsmen gathered
to get tickets cashed.
Upon being told there was no money
for them they became ugly, and big
rock that crashed through one OF the
windows Of the Offices was followed by
a cloud Of missiles Of all descriptions,
which demolished every window In the
building and drove the officials inside
to places Of shelter.
A rush upon one Of the doors was re.
pulsed only after two policemen were
seriously injured and number Of 9TH
ers more or less hurt. The policemen
welded their clubs, and several shots
were fired by occupants Of the building
into the crowd.
The injured member of the mob were
taken away by their fellows, and no
details could be obtained.
Three or four streams of water from
fire hose seemed to drive the crowd
away temporarily, but it returned
later and forced an entrance into the
ground floor of the building, where
movable pieces Of furniture were de-
molished.
An assault upon the stairs to the up
per floors was thwarted by number
of officials, who confronted the rioters
with drawn reyolvers. The rioting by
this time had become general, and
about noon, in fracas on one OF the
downtown streets. two Frenchmen
were shot by the officers. Both were
Seriously wounded. This row grew
out Of an attempt Of some French
women to rescue one of their number
who had been placed under arrest.
The shooting inf1amed the mob to a
high degree and only big display of
force prevented fiercer riot on the
spot.
The local company of militia was as
sembled at 2 o'clock, ball cartridges
were issued and orders given to fire to
kill If commanded to do so. The ap-
pearance of the troops on the streets
caused more confusion.
About o'clock the leaders of the
men held conference and demanded
that the company provide lodgings and
food until their wages were paid. In
an effort to appease them the officials
turned over one of the large boarding
houses operated by the company to the
men, and this building is now head
quarters for their operations.
A big meeting was held at night and
speeches Of the most inf1ammable kind
were permitted without interference
by the police
A vigilante committee of the young
men of the city has been organized to
protect the house of the Mayor and
Mr.. Shield. president Of the company,
from attack by the rioters.
The greater number Of the mob were
ignorant Italians, Firms. Norwegians
and Frenchmen. the latter perhaps the
hardest Of all to handle. All have been
drinking, more or less, although the
bars finally obeyed the order to close