Milford chronicle., 1906-05-04
MANY MAY DAY
RIOTS IN PARIS
Thousands of Soldiers Held City
Against Strike Mob.
OVER 1000 ARRESTS MADE

Paris, May 2-The long dreaded
May Day failed to bring the revolution
which infammatory journals predicted
but none the less it brought scenes
Of extreme violence. The labor dis
triets, which thousands of troops con
trolled with difficulty. and even cen
eral portions of Paris, have taken on
the appearance of a siege, with regi-
ments of infantry and cavalry camped
about the Arc de Triomphe, the bourse,
the Bank of France and the great rail
way station, while military sentinels
paced before banks and private estab-
lishments. The main thorOughfares in
the residential portion of Paris remain
tranquil In the west end, far removed
from riotous scenes, people were dis
posed to treat the events d the labor
quarters as harmless efferv6scence. 1t
was, however. much more than that
Throughout the afternoon dragons.
Republican guards and cuirassiers
charged disorderly masses, sweeping
the Place de la Republique and the
broad boulevard de Magenta. Toward
nightfall cavalry charged with drawn
swords and many persons were wound
ed on both sides. The manifestants
overturned omnibuses apd threw up
hasty barricades. over 1000 arrests
were made.
At no time did the demonstration
reach the magnitude of a revolt but
was rather a leaderless tumult in
which the serious labor element, strug-
Cling for a principle, was hopelessly
confused with violent agitators, anar-
chists, revolutionists, roughs and a
large number of the curious. The work
men never succeeded in forming pro
cession or ever in assembling more
than scattered bands. Their chief ac-
tion was a reunion of several thou
sands in the labor exchange, at which
a resolution was adopted not to return
to work until the eight-hour day shall
have been accorded.
The worst hours of the day were
towards evening. when the police prac-
ticalIy lost control and. were compelled
to rely on the mounted troops. The
latter. forming in lines 20 yards across
and Is yards apart. swept around the
Place de la Republique. driving the
disorderly crowds into the surrounding
streets. Most of the mob sought ref
uge in the boulevard de Magenta and
at the Quai de Valmy which became
centres of disorders. Here trumpets
sounded repeated commands to dis
perse, and the cavalry galloped into
the crowds, trampling and injuring
many A body of foot guards became
surrounded by manifestants and was
rescued with difficulty by the cavalry
with drawn swords. A considerable
number were wounded.
Throughout the disorders the au-
thorities succeeded in executing their
original plan of holding the disturb
ances strictly within the limits of the
labor district and not permitting them
to press towards the wealthy CONNER
cial and residential sections. The
banks were closed.
Reports from the provinces show
that there were violent demonstrations
at Marseilles, Brest, Bordeaux, st.
Etienne. Lyons and ROuen. At Mar
seilIes professions carrying red flags
and creating violent disorder came in
collision with the troops, and num-
Der of persons were injured. At Bor-
deaux professions paraded the streets
singing revolutionary songs, and the
cavalry charged them, wOunding many.
At Lyons a crowd of manifestants at
tackled the street cars, breaking the |
glass windows, whereupon the dra'
goons charged the rioters, wounding a
large number. There were lesser dis
turbances at many points.