Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-31
CLUBS USED ON
ARMY OF IDLE
Pol &C and "Unemployed" Paraders
Have Clash In Chicago.
BROKEN HEADS RESULT
Crowd Was Only Routed When Leader
Was Knocked Down and Placed
Under Arrest.

An attempt of the socialists to bring
about a march of the unemployed"
through the downtown streets of Chi.
cago Thursday, resulted In two sharp
fights with the police. In which the
would-be marchers were routed after q
number Of men had been clubbed. DR..
BENJAMIN L. Reitman. the originator
Of the plan to march through the
streets. and two of his followers we're
arrested.
For several days Reitman. who 10 o
socialist, had been making announce
ments of his intention to hold a pa
rade of "hoboes" and unemployed"
despite the warning given him By
Chief of Police Shipp that no march
through the streets would be permit
ted. Reitman, however, continued to
defy the authorities and Wednesday
night thousands of circulars were dis
tributed through the downtown saloons
and lodging house district calling on
all the men out of work to assemble
at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon on
the lake front. The chief of police
early in the day reiterated his state.
msnt that the march would not be
permitted and directed that all the
police force be held in reserve at the
various stations.
At few minutes before o'clock q
crowd commenced to gather on Michi-
San avenue IN front of the Art Insti-
tute and In a few mizates column
which was really q series of buaches
of four and Ave, ana, headed by Reit-
man. they started west on Adams
street. The narchers proper did not
number more than 200 at any time.
but many hundreds OF people followed
them along the sidewalks and added
to the confusion.
After marching a block west on
Adams street, Reitman countermarch-
ed to Michigan avenue, passed north
to Madison street and then marched
west two squares on Madison street
Here he encountered a strong squad
OF police, who, after a command to
disband had been disfegarded, ordered
his men to charge the marchers. The
police came on a run and the column
was instantly broken up. Several men
were knocked down and the police, not
attempting to make arrests, used their
clubs freely in quickening the foot
steps of the fleeing unemployed"
Followed closely by the officers, the
marchers darted into the crowd Of
shoppers along ate street and seve-
raj women were pushed to the side
walk during the confusion. No ar
rests were made and nobody was Sc
riously injured, although the police
dealt vigorous thumps with their clubs
on the backs of the marchers.
A number of the marchers. after get
ting away from the police. went south
ON State street, aiming to form an
other column as they went. At State
street and Jackson boulevard they had
formed the semblance Of another pa
rade and, taking the middle of the
street, they marched along. six abreast.
Just before reaching Clark street they
were met by another detachment of
police. Another order to disperse met
with no response. the marchers. at
tempting to shoulder their way along.
The police instantly charged, swing
ing their clubs right and left
The marchers fled wildly. some run
ming in the doorway Of. the Unioa
League Club, while others sought safe
ty in. the postoffice building. Others
turned south into Clark street. but
were quickly captured and placed un'
der arrest.