Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-31
STOPS MARCHING
OF UNEMPLOYED
POLICE PUTS END TO STREET
PARADE THROUGH CHICAGO.
LEADER is UNDER ARREST
DR. Reitman Head of the Movement
Placed Under Arrest. Wanted to
March to City Hall and Demand EN-
ployment.
ployment.

lists to bring about a "march of the
unemployed" through the downtown
streets resulted in two sharp fights
with the police in which the would-be
marchers were routed after a number
of men had been dubbed.
DIR. Benjamin l.. Reitman, the orig
inator of the plan to march through
the streets, and two of his followers
were arrested.
For several days Reitman, who is a
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 Shippy that no march
through the streets would be permit
ed. Reitman, however, continued to
defy the authorities, and thousands
of circulars were distributed through
the downtown saloons AMI lodging
house district calling on all the men
out of work to assemble on the lake
front. The chief of police early in
the day reiterated his statement that
the march would net be permitted,
and directed that all the police force
be held in reserve at the various sta
tions.
A few minutes before o'clock a
crowd commenced to gather on Mich
igan avenue in front of the Art In
stitute, and in a few minutes a col
umn which was really a series Of
bunches of four and five men was
formed, and headed by Reitman they
started west on Adams street. The
marches proper did not number more
than 200 at any time, but many hum
dreds of people followed them along
the sidewalks and added to the confu-
sion.
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 under the command of As
sistant Chief Of Police Schuettler, who
after a command to disband had been
disregarded ordered his men to charge
the marchers The police came on a
run and the column was instantly
broken up. Several men were knock
ed down, and the police not attempt
ing to make arrests, used their clubs
freely in quickening the footsteps Of
the fleeing unemployed"
Followed closely by the officers,
the marchers darted into the crowd
of shoppers along State street and
several women we're 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
getting away from the police went
south in State street, aiming to form
another column as they went. At
State street and ackson boulevard
they had formed the semblance of
another parade, and taking the middle
Of the street they marched along six
abreast. just before reaching Clark
street they were met. by another de-
tachment of police under Lieut.. White
md Mooney. Another order to dis
,and met with no response, the march
RS attempting to shoulder their way
long. The police instantly charged,
swinging their clubs right and left.
The marchers fled wildly, some run
ling in the doorway of the Union
league Club, while others sought
iafety in the postoffice building. 9th
rs turned south into Clark street, but
we're quickly captured and placed un-
Ter arrest. Reitman showed some re-
istance and he was handled in Wig
,rous style. He was felled by blow
rom policeman's club and his cloth
ng torn. When he regainei his feet
e shouted:
"Let me go, let me so; I know the
hief Of police
As soon as it was known that fight
ng had taken place in the stfets
yhief Of Police Shippy called in the
eserves from the nearby stations and
Tithin a few minutes the central po-
ice station was filled with officers.
heir services, however, were not
eeded.
Later in the afternoon another
rowd gathered on the lake front, but
was broken up by a few officers
emit for the purpose by Chief of Po-
ce Shippy.