Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-06-10
POLICEMAN SHOT IN
PHILADELPHIA STRIKE
Rloting Begun by mobs When
New Men Appear.
HOSPITALS HAVE 200 INJURED
Women and Even Children Join in
Attacks That Overwhelm the Po-
lice-"We'H Kill You If You
Pull That Gun"

ice" w T. II IAll4 AOA ~ AOA
Pull That Gun"
Philadelphia, Pa. - Many furious
riots, in which n policeman was ia
tally shot and 200 or more persons
were injured, followed the attempt of
the Rapid Transit Company to run
cars for the first time after nightfall
since the strike was inaugurated on
May 20.
One hundred or more persons were
| so badly hurt that they were taken to
hospitals, while the others were car
ried away to their homes by friends.
The most serious disorders were in
the Kensington district, where many
mills are situated. There were also
ugly clashes between the police and
the populace in the foreign quarter,
in the southern part of the city.
Although the police force had been
increased by thousands by the swear
ing in of special men and the peace
officers were rushed in small armies
to each fresh outbreak as 1t was re-
ported, they were powerless against
the fury of the mobs.
Women and even children Joined
the men in savage onslaughts against
the crews and guards, consisting Of
policemen and firemen, of the cars
sent out. Motormen and conductors
were pulled from the cars and terri
bly, beaten. The crazedC mobs lifted
the cars from the tracks and skewed
them crosswise of the tracks. Several
cars we're set on fire, calling out the
fire department, which was at high
tension all night, not knowing to
what excess tho nlobs might go, and
short-handed because Of the assign
ment Of many fremen to duty on the
cars.
The rioting began oon after night
fall, and at the first alarm the trac-
ton company put a large force of men
ut work running cars into the barns.
By this means scores of cars were
saved from destruction, whole or In
part.
The mob spirit appears to have
been aroused by the arrival in the
afternoon Of n consignment OF
strike-breakers numbering 400 men.
The strikers and crowds had been Or
derby all day. The only outbreaks
were Of such trifing nature that the
city officials and traction officials
LlkOuSul IllC SlllhG WhS Ou LllC WduS.
Mayor Reyburn announced that the
backbone Of the strike had been
broken. and that it would be v e in
a. day or two.
i The appearance on the cars Of 100
of the imported strike-breakers was
the direct cause Of the disturbances.
As the workingmen and mill hands of
that section went home from work
they saw these men. Mobs assem-
bled on every corner, and "Scab!"
vas shouted at the car crews. Later.
stones were thrown and car windows
broken all along Kensington and
Frankfort avenues.
When six cars in a row turned the
corner OF Front and Berks streets, a
mob OF 5000 began to stone them.
Five policemen were on each car.
They sprang Off and faced the throng.
Like j whirlwind the crowd advanced
from al sides, driving back the po-
1icemen and boarding the cars.
A mob Of S000 attacked a car at
Fifth street and Germantown avenue.
The motorn'an was ducked in a horse
trough until he was unconscious. AS
a squad OF policemen advanced the
cry went UP, If you pull a gun We'll
kill you"