New-York tribune., 1906-10-31
RIOT UNDER RIVER BED.
POLICE IN TUNNEL FIGHT.
Desperate Battle 7cith Forty York
men in Sitting atmosphere.

Far under the bottom of the East River the
police fought desperate battle with rioters last
night in the dense air of the Belmont tunnel.
The police, unaccustomed 10 the deadly pressure.
for time fought losing battle. but at last
reduced the twoscore of frenzied laborers TO
submission The result a dozen badly
wounded men.
II was a scene that would have delighted
Dante: soil grimed men reeling and stumbling
et one another in the sCbterranean electric
glare every sound intensified MANIFOLD by the
heavy air the multiplied roar Of the patrolmen's
revolvers adding TO the fiendshness OF the
tuuuIt Rocks few in every direction
The police Of the East 51st street station.
called 10 suppress the riot. found in Lock
Of the Belmont tunnel more than forty work.
men. mostly foreigners in battle. After peace
was restored Santo Mazzelio. of No 403 East
pe,h street was taken TO Bellevue Hospital suf-
fering from fracture Of the skull. five broken
ribs. internal injuries and severe cOntusions Of
the body He will die. Michael Schulsly, OF
No 81 First avenue. was locked up, charged
with fclonious assault. More than a dozen Of
the other workmen in the lock were hurt. but
refused TO go 10 a hospital.
According to Joseph Muro. the foreman Of
Lock s. Mazzelio and Schulsl5y got into
gument There had been hard feelings between
and Mauro tried to separate them. The other
workers in the lock began to take sides Mauro
50 id that he would stop the fight and several of
the men pounced on him and dragged him
away.
Mauro managed TO get to his feet. and per-
suaded the men 70 let him GO saying that he
would not stop the fight. Mauro realized his
difficulty. as Lock is the furthest under the
river and cut off completely from Locks and 2.
The foreman went 10 the lock telephone and
called the police.
Patrolmen Welzel Swanston and Tobin were
hurried 10 tho tunnel. They were lowered down
the shaft into Lock I. and. regardless of the
high pressure in the third lock hurried to It,
The patrolneu drew their revolvers and
6ered the men 10 put up their hands and retire
- the furthest end of the lock one man in the
crowd throw rock at the officers. Others fol-
lowed. and the tumult began again. Finally
Patrolnlan Tobin raised his revolver and fired
IN the air.
III kill the first man who raises finger"
cried the plucky officer Ieveng his gun at the
crowd.
The threat had the desired effect, and the forty
men gathered into a group at the furthest end
Of the lock
The patrolmen. not used 10 the high pressure
felt their senses reel. The workmen realized
the situation and started to close in again
the officers.
We'll kin you, Wen kill you. Let us fight
this thing olrt among ourselves cried man
in The group.
IT, advanced the group again with
their revolvers pointed into the crowd and again
The crowd OF workmen retreated
Mazzelio and Schulsky, who. it is charged.
were the first TO start the fight. did not break
away on the arrival Of the police. Finding that
they had the others under control the patrolmen
advanced on the last two fighting men. Just as
they we're being pulled apart Schusky picked up
a heavy wrench and hit Mazzelio over the head
with il causing, the police say fractuce of the
skull.
The patrolmen had great difficulty in getting
the wounded and SchUlsky out of the lock.
When Schulsky was placed under arrest growl
went up from the group of workmen huddled in
the corner. They started TO advance again, but
were ntimidated by the revolvers in the off,
GERS hands.
The police will try to arrest some of the other
men