The Washington times., 1905-10-15
CHAPTER XIV.
Captain Farnham Sees Active Service
Again.


Farnham lost no time in calling upon
the mayor to fulfill his engagement. He
found his honor a little subdued by the
news OF the morning. None of the
strikers of the day before had gone
back to work, and considerable acces-
sions We're reported from other trades.
The worst symptoms seemed To be that
many shops were striking without or
ders. The cessation of work was al
ready greater than seemed at first con-
templated by the leading agitators
themselves. They seemed to be losing
their own control of the workingmen
and a few tonguey vagrants and con-
vets from the city and from neighbor
ing towns, who had come to the surface
from nobody knows where. were begin
ming to exercise a wholly unexpected
authority. They were going from place
to place. haranguing the workmen.
preaching what they called socialism.
but what was merely riot and plumber
They were listened to without much re-
sponse. In some places the men
stopped work; in others they drove out
the agitators; in others they would
listen awhile, and then shout, Give us
a rest,' or Hire a hall,'' or Wipe off
your chin," But all the while the
crowds gradually increased in the
streets and public places; the strike, if
1t promised nothing worse, was takInp
the dimensions of great, sad, anxious
holiday. There was not the slightest
intention on the part of the authorities
TO interfere with IL, and to do them
justice. 1t is hard to see what they could
have done. with the means at their dis
posal- The mayor therefore, welcomed
Farnham with great cordality. made
him a captain of police. for special duty,
on the spot, and enrolled his list of re-
cruits of the night before as members
OF the police force of the city, expressly
providing that their employment should
cost the city nothing. now OF hereafter
Farnham again made his rounds of the
city. but found nothing especially note
worthy or threatening. The wide town.
in spite of the large crowds in the
streets. had a deserted look. A good
many places of business were closed
There was little traffic OF vehicles. The
whistle of the locomotives and the rush
OF traiDs-sounds which had grown so
familiar in that great railroad centre
that the ear ceased to be affected by
them-being suddenly shut of. the ST.
lence which came in their place was
startling 10 the sense. The voices of the
striking employees, who retained pos
session of the Union Passenger Depot,
resounded strangely through the vast
building. which was usually a babel of
shrill and strident sounds.
On the whole, the feature which most
struck him in this violent and unnatu-
raj state of things was the singular
good nature of almost all classes. The
mass OF the workingmen made no
threats; the greater number of employ
for an arrangement. though no one
could say how it was to come The day
passed away in fruitless parleys. and al
night the fever naturally rose, as is the
way of fevers-
When nightfall came. the crowd had
become so great in the public square
that Farnham thought ii might be better
not to march his improvised policemen
in a body uptown. He therefore dis
patched orders to Kendall TO send them
up with their arms. singly or by twos
and threes. TO his house. By O'Clock
they were all there. and he passed an
hour or so In putting them through q
rude form of drill and giving them the
instructions which he had prepared dur
ing the day. His intention was 10 keeI
them together on his own place during
the early part of the night. and II, to-
HarQ All Setlntd lultAs As
scatter them as patrol about tho
neighborhood; in case of serious distur-
bance anywhere else to be ready to take
part in restoring order
About o'clock a man was seen com.
ing rapidly from the house to the real
garden. where Farnham and his com
pany were. The men were dispersed
about the place; some on the garder
seats. some lying on the grass in tho
clear moonlight. Farnham was a nttl,
apart. talking with Kendall and Gross
hammer He started UP TO meet the in
truder: Il was Mr.. Temple.
whats all this?" said Temple.
The manly art of self-defense." sait
Farnham. smiling.
II see. and l am glad to see 1t too
answered Temple. warmly. "One OF m,
men told me an hour ago that in th'
Tramps' Lodging House. last night. 4
was the common talk that there woulC
be a rush on the houses in this regioT
tonight went 20 the mayor and tried
to see him. but he was hiding. ! think
went TO the chief Of police. and he wa'