Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-07-23
SHERIFF WIRES DAVIDSON HE IS
UNABLE WITH HIS FORCE TO
CONTROL SITUATION.
AGlTATORS STIR UP TROUBLE
Company Refuses to Treat with Men in
Struggle Growing Out of
Petty Quarrel.
SALE OF FIREARMS IS STOPPED.

kENOSHA, Wis, July o. Spe-
cial. 1Three men were shot and a score
injured in the riots at the plant of the
n. r. Aliens Sons company here this
morning, and a call upon the governor
for troops to maintain order was sent to
Camp Douglas at o'clock
The call was made by Sheriff William
f. Gunter, who informed the governor
that in his opinion it was impossible for
the local officials to protect the property
and lives of the people employed at the
tannery. Arrangements are being made
to bring troops here by special train and
1t is expected that the city will be under
martial law late this afternoon.
SITUATION GROWS WORSE.
At 2 o'clock Gen. Otto Falk of Mil
waukee, who was dispatched by Gov.
Davidson to take charge of the situation,
said that he regarded the condition in
henosha as serious, but that he did not
| know what he would do in regard to call
ing for troops. He held that the condi-
tons seemed to indicate that other pro-
lection besides that of the local officials
was needed, and it is generally expected
that he will call out the troops before
night. Troops are said to be ready in
Milwaukee to leave for Kenosha and
Gen. Falk declares that he can have the
troops here within two hours notice.
Just after l O'Clock at the county jail
when a band of the strikers sought to
take the leaders of the strikers from Jail,
they met Determined resistance on the
part of Sheriff Gunter who drove them
from the Jail at the point of a shotgun.
CONDITION IS ALARMING.
The condition is alarming. Great
crowds of strikers are parading the
streets, many of them are armed. Eff
teen hundred men have joined the ranks
of the strikers and while all of them
are not making demands upon the COM
pany for increase i'll wages, they are
acting in union. SocialiStic agitatOrS are
swarming into Kenosha and these aided
by the Polish and other foreign saloons,
are constantly pouring oil in the flame.
RIOTS AFTER TURN-DOWN.
The riots this morning started with
the opening of the big plant. At the
time a committee representing the Strik-
ers was in the general office of the COM
pany seeking to make a settlement of
the difficulties, but the managers of the
company called all negotiations off and
the committee was escorted out of the
office at once. while the officials and
the deputies who had been in attendance
at the meeting armed themselves for
self-protection.
The first riot occurred at the big CEN
trail entrance on Grand avenue, where
one of the strikers was shot. The bullet
passed through his hip and it is feared
that he is badly injured. His name is not
known to the officials of the company.
He was taken to the KenOsha hospital.
A minute later q riot was started at
the corner of North Chicago and Union
streets and this rusulted in another man
being shot through the left side. 1t is
claimed that he was shot down by one
of the strikers who believed that he was
firing on deputy. None of the men do
ing the shooting were arrested. One
man was struck down with a coupling
pin and was later taken to the county
Jail and held on a charge of rioting.
POLICEMEN SENT TO HOSPITAL.
The police were unable to do any
thing with the strikers and they kept
busy clubbing officials for more than half
an hour. During the repeated assaults
Policeman Nelson Of the city force, and
Deputy Lewis Morehouse of Sheriff Gun
ter's force, were both struck down and
both are in the hospital seriously injured
The company has declared that they will
hold no further parley and every depart
ment of the big plant has been closed
down and turned over to the state for
protection.
The local officials have declared that
il is impossible for them to protect prop
erty, and il his message to Gov. David
son. Sheriff Gunter declares it up to
the state to send proper protection.
The situation is decidedly critical.
People of the city have refused to be
sworn in as special officers, fearing their
lives would be in danger. The sale of
revoIvers and other weapons has been
ordered stopped in the stores of the city
and it is now expected that the strike
IL tC.j ho-1
and the evening. Thus far the proper
ty of the company has not been badly
damaged, but the buildings have been
stoned and windows broken.
A third man was shot at IL o'clock.
The injured include about twenty strik
ers and a number of police officers and
deputies. The men shot were Tony Mon
kon. Peter Sobocobic and Charles
GLENN Acting Chief of Police New
house was badly bruised but it is not
thought seriously injured. Gov. David
son has placed the situation under the
charge of Gel. Otto Falk of Milwaukee
and he arrived on the noon train.
CAUSE OF STRIKE.
When the plant opened on Wednesday
$50 men employed as yardmen refused
to go to work demanding the removal
of Rudolph Schneider, a foreman. They
asked an increase in pay of 80 cents
week. Ine COMPANY dSIeeu " IdhSLeI
Schneider to another department and
grant the demand for an increase IN
wages The strikers then demanded an
increase of a dollar week. This ended
the negotiations and the strike order
went into effect.
The Allen tanneries have been the
scene of some of the most bitter labor
troubles ever known in Wisconsin. At
the time of the last strike two years ago
1900 men were out of work for many
DAYS and the company was badly dam
aged by rioters. One man was shot and
many were dubbed by the strikers.