Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-02-26
MOB DISARMS
SOCIETY TROOPS
Philadelphia Strikers Attack
State FencIbIeS.
VIOLENCE IS INCREASING
One Man Killed, Several shos and
Many dubbed In Riots IN Quaker
city-Msy Ask Governor to Send
State Militia.

ShJ-m~1 NeN SoNefn0F 70 Seno
State Militia.
Philadelphia. Feb. 23.-The Phils
delphia Fencibles. the society troops
spent the night IN their armory. sew
ing patches on their olive drab pants
and applying witch hazel to their
bruises. Their introduction as q punt
tive force into the street car strike
brought about the most desperate riot
50 far. and the Fencibles were saved
from a savage hammering only by
ths courage Of a German ex-cavalry
odicer who commanded a squad OF ten
mounted policemen
All Philadelphia Is laughing over
the rout OF the 'Invincibles," as they
proudly termed themselves. but the
bloody fight at Germantown and lie
high avenues that resulted from the
employment OF the Fencibles was no
Joke, A dozen men were shot. at least
100 were dubbed. women were knock
cd down and trampled upon. children
were injured. aud for two hours there
was a fierce battle between the police
and 10000 strike sympathizers that
ragged for ave blocks along German
town avenue
The announced intention OF the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit company
60 run cars along Germantown ave.
nue.. and the ne IS that the Fencibles
were coming to safeguard the cars.
attracted crowd Of 10000 people.
who strung themselves along German.
town avenue and massed heavily IN
LCbigh a fine wide street
Up came the Fencibles with should
cred muskets. their officers rafting
out orders faster than very young vol
uuteers could comprehend easily. All
along the avenue for blocks YOU heard
"Oh. Mamie amt he pretty? Do YOU
'srose he knows which end Of that
gun 10 shoot with?" Harmless tests
soon became snecring Insults The
soldiers looked as n they wished they
were anywhere but the place they
were stationed
Presently. as if the whole movement
had been carefully organized. squads
Of young men and boys stole up be-
hind each far separated soldier and
stole cartridges from his belt. snatch
cd at his hat or tried 20 Jerk his mus
kgt out ~ his hands. Here and there
a militiaman lost his temper and
struck out with hts fist OF the butt
OF bis gun. In no time at all there was
a scufing all along the line
Women Attack FeneibIes.
Suddenly. near Huntingdon street.
a woman screamed and attacked one
OF the soldiers with her fists. scratch
irG at his face Real trouble broke like
a thunder clap. Boys and men sprang
on the soldiers. fifteen or twenty 10 a
soldier. bore them down. took their
muskets away from them. tore their
coats on their backs. struck them In
tho face with clinChed fists and rolled
them In the dirt The crowd. now con
vcrted into a mob. wedged Itself be-
tween the militiamen. and the Fenci-
bles were utterly helpless TO defend
themselves. IF the order had come 10
them 20 shoot they couldn't have
obeyed. Many OF them had lost their
guns aud there was hardly a man IN
ten who had a single cartridge left In
his belt
The intersection Of Germantown and
LeEigh avenues was surCine mass OF
men and women. In which YOU could
zee every now and then a hayonet
pointed at all kinds OF queer angles.
Service hats were whirling in the air
as the crowd snatched them from the
heads OF the youthful soldiers. Women
emerged from the rim az the crowd.
holding up brass buttons that had been
cut from uniforms.
Then came the rapid clanking OF
horses feet Acting Sergeant Buehler.
riding al the head OF ten mounted
men, hit the mob at fun gallop Bueh-
Ter spread his squad in a fan SHAPED
formation and drove square into the
heart OF the press. There was no
longer the Suggestion OF humor. The
Joke had turned into bloody reality.
Every time n mounted policeman
swung his club somebody. man or wo-
man. went down with a broken head
or paralyzed arm.
AS he swung past a church near I.e-
high avenue Buehler's club struck a
woman on the side Of the head She
dropped with a scream OF pain thar
was heard above the roar OF fighting.
young man sprang on the steps OF
the church and fired a revolver at
Buehler's head. The bullet missed
anG the young man fred again and
again. until his pistol was empty. A
foot policeman leaped up the steps
and beat. the youth down with heavy
blows from his club
The Fencibles meanwhile were with
drawing themselves by main strength
from the fight. They were worse than
useless. BY ones and twos they
wrencbed themselves out Of the batter.
ing. squirming mass and assembled
finally near the barn from which they
had marched so jauntily. The fight
continued long after they left
All through the crowd men had
drawn pistols. And the next instant 2
revolver would let go with a bang and
bullet would go whizzing toward the
sergeant or one of his squad A boy
named Francis Kolb was shot In the
side. In the thick OF the fight a Ger
maDtown car rumbled up. The mob.
still lighting with Buehler's mounted
men and a squad OF ffty foot cops.
tnlnQd ifa affanffon fo tho cor Win