The star and Newark advertiser., 1908-04-08
RESERVES
IN HAND-TO-HAND
FIGHT WITH WOMEN
Boy and Girl Badly Hurt in Eff
fort TO Reach Terror.
Stricken Parents.
SEVERAL ARRESTED FOR
SENDING WRITTEN THREATS
Seventh Avenues Principal
Sends Pupils Home-Scare
Spreads to Other Schools.

Absurd rumors of Black Hand threats
to blow up school buildings preciptated
a panic at the Seventh Avenue Public
School today. and in the struggle nun
dreds of terror stricken mothers of the
district tried to enter the building as
the 1,200 children We're being dismissed,
two of the pupils. a boy and girl,
were terribly crushed.
The reign of terror was partially
communicated to the State and James
Street Schools and also to the Frank
lin School, and only heroic measures
prevented a repetition of the Seventh
| Avenue School riots.
| The scene at the schoolhouse today
bad never been purallelcd in the city of
Newark, and recalls The dread .sthroat-
cutting riots" of the Manhattan public
schools of the East Side.
| In the crush at the exits which fol-
| lowed the sight of the police reserves,
| who had been summoned to the build
| ing by the principal, S-year-old Attilio
Cicone, of eiarside street. went down
! in the struggling mass of children. His
face was bruised and tranlpled and his
right eye injured. He was taken to ST.
Michael's Hospital.
! Antoinnetti Buglio, 13 years old, of 20
Garside street. fell at the exit as her
mother reached forward to drag her
from the throng. She was badly
crushed about the body.
Small Boy starts Panic.
| The seed for the panic was in reality
scattered yesterday. One of the SMALL
er hOys. whose name Principal Me-
Larry refuses to reveal, told stories oil
the fearful doings of the Black Hand
aud how they had threatened to blow
down all the school buildings in the
| city. He had heard it from his cousin,
who was older and knew. Principal
| McLaury was soon on the trail of the
little romancer, but it was too late. The
trouble had already been started.
The children were vaguely uneasy
through the afternoon and when they
went home at night the story of the
| threats were spread broadcast.
! Afraid to Enter school.
Fearing trouble Principal McLaurY
arrived at the building early today. The
children were restless as they arrived.
When the last bell rang, at $3.50 a. M,
some of the larger boys remained
across the street saving they We're
(
/ No sooner were they all in and the
+ principal had instructed his teachers
as to their method of procedure in case
OF trouble than the first delegation of
+ the mothers of the district arrived
/ Their fears We're allayed, apparently,
/ and they were sent away. Ten minutes
later another delegation arrived They
in turn, were convinced that there was
no danger.
/ When Principal McLaury started on
his tour of the building he left Janitor
1 Phiton at tho front door with instruc
tons that no women were to be allowed
to enter When he returned forty
women were clamoring for admission
sends Call for Police.
A telephone message to the Second
! Precinct police station brought two po
licemen. The sight of the policemen
on their way TO the school was the
signal for the entire district. Women
poured out of their houses and ran to
| the school There was no longer doubt
in their minds. The terrible formless
thing which threatened their children
began to take many shapes, and there
was nothing left for them but to save
the children while they could
A message WAS HutNhlS StilN " tlip
station to Captain Brown for the re
serves.
Captain Brown responded in person
with his men After hasty confer
eice with the principal he advised that
the children be dismissed. Instructions
| were sent to the teachers that each
grade be dismissed in regular order,
quietly.
Fight to Reach Door.
4 Meantime the horde of women at the
doors were struggling with the police
mon for entrance. Strange old world
cries of terror filled the air. and the
women even fought with each other in
their efforts to reach the door.
The sight OF their children coming
down the stairs turned the crowd Of
anxious mother into craxed moh.
In the struggle some few of those in
4 front managed 10 get through the line
Of policemen, and the front Of the ad-