The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-08
RIOT IN PHILADELPHIA
Mobs Visit Homes of Former PoIiti-
ca! Bosses.
DURHAM'S HOME Is STONED

Leaders of Mayor Weaver's Party, After
Hearing Gov. Folk Speak. Go to Pray
and Are Joined by Stone Throwing
HoodluIns-Boss McNichol's Son Held
Ep-Newspaper Threatened.
Philadelphia, Pa.-Led by City party
agitators, one thousand men and boys
marched from the Academy of Music,
where Governor Folk of Missouri, un-
der the auspices of the refOrmers, de-
livered his address on cleanliness in
municipal affairs, down upon the house
of Boss Durham, 141O Spruce street, at
night.
Folk filled the Academy to overflow
ing and there were hundreds outside
who could not get in. After the meet
ing was over City %agitators mounted
the steps of the Academy and called
-fef- volunteers to march upon the
houses of Durham and McNicho!.
They got together about two hundred
men and began the march singing
"Blest Be the Tie That Binds" Be-
fore they had gone a block hundreds of
men, many Of whom were drunk, and
all d%isorderly, joined in. Arriving be-
fore Durham's house the speakers took
their turn on the steps. denouncing the
boss and calling on him to leave town.
Then the two hundred faithful dropped
to their knees in prayer and sent up
applications for Durham. The disor-
derly portion then began to throw
stones. Not a policeman dared to in
terfere and the whole street was at
the mercy Of the mob.
Just as it was beginning to get Seri-
GUS the r%ingleaders called for the next
move. q march on the home Of Boss
McNichol. Arriving there, the speakers
took their station on the steps. Nc
Nichols young son, returning home,
arrived just at that time. He was held
by three men while the leader ad-
dressed a speech to him.
"This should be in JAIL" shouted the
fanatic. '"Your father is a thief, crook,
liar and hater Of God. If we did right,
We would tear every stone of your
home down and scatter his bones to the
winds. You are a son of a crook. You
are tainted"
The boy struggled to get free, and
shouts Of protest were heard from the
crowd: Its a shame" LET the boy
60" "It is not his fault"
Sins of the father shall! be visited
on the heads of his children Shrieked
the fanatic.
McNichol's son managed to wrest
himself from his captors, and struck
the speaker in the face.
Instantly the crowd made a dash
fos him, and he stood up against the
door, defying them. In the meantime
the disorder in the crowd increased. A
number of men, sympathizing with
the boy, rushed to defend him, and the
fight became general. The boys father
was not at home.
Just when the agitation was at its
height and the fight became fierce if
teen policemen came. They had orders
not to use force against City party
sympathizers. The crowd was induced
to move on, and it marched down
upon the Office of the Philadelphia In
quirer, the only paper in Philadelphia
supporting the Republican organiza-
tlon.
Denunciation there was fierce. The
crowd filed Market street from side to
side. Finger Of God is on this build
ingw shouted the chief speaker.
Just at this point q ripe tomato
struck him ~squarely on the head, and
from another crowd, rapidly gathering.
rose counter shouts for the Republican
organization. Another fight began. and
one solitary policeman had his hands
full trying to protect the plate glass
front of the building.
At last it was rumored that'the In
quirer people were preparing to turn a
fire hose on the crowd, as they actually
were, and under discreet leaders the
mob marched away.
"Dare to treat this meeting unfairly"
shouted one Of the speakers, "and
well tear down the building"
Then the mob moved away to the
machine headquarters in the Betz
building, where, after similar scenes
of disorder, it diSbanded.