Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-04-29
Strike "Warfare" at Chicago Nav
Have Been Begun with a
Murder Case.
POLICE OFFICER Is RUN DOWN
Deed Is Done by Union Bus Driver
and Victim May Die.
Pickets Make State of Siege at the
Struck" Stores and Barns
Mob Stampeded by
Shooting.

Chicag 60, April 2S.-OrganiZed labor's
reply to organized capital was the
spread of the transfers strike. By
night 1000 drivers had thrown down
their reins and joined the ranks of
the strikers. But fortified by fine
system of preparation for the struggle,
the Chicago Employers association
met every advance of the opposition
with checking move. If the union
leaders succeed in their purpose they
will have precipitated the largest team
sters' strike the city ever knew. To
keep things clear it should be stated
that this strike, inaugurated Wednes-
day afternoon, is because the en-
ployers refused to discharge men en-
ployed when the teamsters quit in the
sympathetic strike against Montgom-
cry Ward & Co., and reinstate the
strikers.
Violence Begins Right Away.
Violence followed Immediately on the
heels of the declara ton Of the strike,
and reports of conflicts and injuries
early began to come to the police. John
Ceresa, driver Of an omnibus, was
the first violent striker to be arrested
and about the only one. 1t is charged
that he ran down and severely injured
Sergeant William Cummings, one OF
the city police detailed at Clark and
Washington streets to guard a Mont
gomery Ward & Co. wagon. The po-
liceman's ribs were crushed and his
skull was broken. The injured police
man was taken to the Alexian Brothers
hospital, where it is said his condition
is serious.
Pickets Swarm About "struck" Houses.
Pickets swarmed about all the stores
and barns owned by the 'struck"
firms. No wagon was allowed to pass
unless it was guarded by enough po-
licemen to force passage. Barns and
stores were really under a state of
siege. Non-union drivers were slugged
wherever it was thought safe, and
stoned right under the eyes of the po-
lice, those throwing the stones almost
invariably getting safely away. 1t re-
CURED a strong guard of policemen to
enable any of the "struck" firms to
deliver goods to customers, or to re-
Ceive goods from the railway depots
or other places.
May Have to Call on Uncle Sam.
More firmly to cement the fighting
spirit of the employers and point out
the necessity for absolute solidarity
in dealing with the menace of union
ism, the Employers association enter
tanned 100 prominent wholesale and
retail merchandise luncheon at the I'm
lon League club and pointed out the
status of the grave situation. 1t was
pointed out that if the exigencies of
the occasion required it, appeals would
be made to the mayor of Chicago, the
sheriff of Cook county, the governor
OF Illinois and the president of the
United States to obtain protection for
the transactions of business.
Mob stalnpeded by Revolvers.
The first case of shooting in this
strike was reported from West Har.
rison and Desplaines street. Twenty.
five colored nOn-union drivers in the
employ of the Employers Teaming
company were being transferred from
the barns of the J. " Farwell COM
pany to Carson, Prize, Scott & Co.'s
barns on the west side, when some one
threw a brick at the non-unionists.
some OF whom drew revolvers and
fired evidently into the air, as no one
was hit of the thickly packed moo,
which went into wild scramble for
safety.
n