Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-21
Mob Of so Men Shoot
Up Boarding House,
Syrian Strike-bIeakerS at Gam
den Have Narrow Escape.
Condition Serious in Camden Wool.
en- MiIIs-..Community Aroused.

| 1diihtsi, -.it.. AtGIti NV iNho<>
county authorities Saturday began an
| investigation Of an attack made during
Friday night upon a building in which
We're housed eight Syrans who were
brought here from Lawrence TO work
| in the Camdcn wooden mill. where Il
strike has been in progress.
y charge OF dynamite pal TALLY de
moiis,cd the boarding house where the
Syrians We're s,ceping. and several OF
them narrowly escaped death from a
tuStilade of shots fred by a mob of 30
men.
The wcavers at the Camden mills
nave been idle since the strike, and on
Tuesday last the carders. spinners and
tinishcrs strucl: in sympathy. Thomas
j. Lyons, commissioner of labor, began
an investigation of the strike last week,
with an idea of having it settled by ar
btration. but thus far his efforts have
failed
The escape OF the occupants WAS re-
markablc. Seated IL few moments be-
fore around the kitchen stove they had
Just gone into another room to inveSti-
gate the reason for gun shots heard on
the opposite side of the building. The
kitchen adJoins the rooms which were
wrecked.
In the building beside the Syrians
We're Joseph Braccy. constable, and
Henri Levidorc a machiniSt of the mill
company.
Two of the Syrians were asleep in
the second story of the building facing
window. which shows bullet holes
only few inches higher than the posi-
ton in which the men We're lying.
A window in the third story directly
over the room which contained the
sleepers was riddled. The officers
found II holes in it and the walls on
the opposite side were full of sluSs,
bullets and gunshot.
Feeling here has run very high since
the importation of the strikebreakers,
who were followed from the boat
wharf by a jeering crowd, There were
several minor clashes which served to
stir the public to a high pitch.
There We're rumors Friday night
that raid was to be made. and mill
officials, alarmed for the safety of
their employees and property, applied
to the selectmen for police protection.
The selectmcn did not consider that
there would be serious trouble, and
only one constable appeared on the
scene in advance OF the outbreak.
\ stone crashing through one of the
windows on the southern side of the
building was the first intimation of
danger to the occupants of the board
N hnnsn This fn11nwp1 NV the
iusilladc of gunshots.
The men. thoroughly alarmed, fastened
from the kitchen to learn the source of
this attack. The door of the kitchen had
barely closed on the last man when there
came an explosion which shook the
boarding house to its foundations, throw
ing one of the Syrians to the floor,
The cntir2 community was aroused and
the arrival Of other policemen caused a
cessation of hostiltics. The mob disap-
pearcd as quickly and as mystcriously
as it had assembled.
The arrival of - more Syrians Saturday
morning gave fresh cause for excitement,
but no attempt was made to modest
them.
Selectman ]. II. Hobbs was in consul
has agreed to swear i'll Il large force of
deputies to prevent Il repetition of Fri
day nights outrage.
The strikers express much regret ut tho
occurrence, which they feel will injurc
their cause more than it can aid it.
The strike began Feb. :. when JS weav'
| crS left because Of a system Of timing tt
which they objected. Tuesday practical
| ly all of the employees in the other de-
partmcnts quit. The total number Of idle
operatives is about 10,
! All of the y Syrian wcavcrs sent here
| from Lawrence to take the places of the
strikers departed Saturday afternoon roi
| Rockland by trolley car to return to thciI
| homes in Massachusetts.
| They had no desire to spend another
| night here under such turbulent scenes
| The leader of the Syrans said that they
We're ignorant that strike existed here
Their departure was the occasion fol-
much rejoicing, q crowd cheering then
when they boarded the car Tor Rockland
THE D. r. G. !. ROAD.
MOI Kpnvvinn R;obt Napoe-NAha al