The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-23
Shooting Occurs When Attacks
Are Made on Street Cars
By The Strikers
GENERAL STRIKE MAY
Be CALLED IN THE CITY
Soldiers Fall 10 Hold Back the Mobs
and Many Conflicts Occur In Which
Blood Flows From wounds
of the Rioters

Philadelphia, February 22.-Three boys
were shot and probably fatally injured
while several received less severe wounds
today in riots which followed the reslilnp-
tion of service by the Philadelphia a Rapid
Transit company. The shooting occurred
in attacks on cars in the northeastern
section.
Market street, the principal business
thoroughfare In the heart of the city,
was the scene of disturbances during tho
entire day. Cars were stoned and two
policemen were roughly handled BIZ
mob of several thousand persons. doz-
EN- arrests were made and the prisoners
put In trolley ear. This was stormed b.
the mob and two of the prisoners e.
caped. Preparations were made by the
authorities 10 call upon the entire force
of state militia if the police tomorrow are
still unable to cope with the situation.
President Murphy of the Central La
Dor union still regards a general Strike Of
all trade unions in the city as inevitable
although Organizer Pratt is reported to b,
opposing the move. delegation of Ia
Dor leaders left for Washington today 10
ask Senator Penrose to use his influence
fer peaceable solution of the trouble.
Members of the State Fencibles, an in.
dependent military organization. about
200 members, were placed on duty today.
armed with loaded muskets. They were
detailed in the Kensington Mill district
in the northeast, which is a hotbed of
union sympathizers. In their first skiri1.-
ish they were badly beaten by mob
who paid no attention 10 rne drawn bsyo-
nets and snatched the muskets from the
hands of the young militiamen. Members
of the state Fencibles, according 10 Maxor
Reyburn, acted as though they were on "A
picnic. allowed girls in the min distri,,
10 wear their caps and cut the brass but
tons off their clothing
AT one point a group OF rioters cap.
tured member of the Fencibles and car
ried him several hundred feet from his
post, where they stripped him of mis- coat.
hat and cartridge belt and gun. and threw
them into a sewer
Ihe probably fatally injured Doys were.
John Hughes, IS years old. shot in tne
neck.
John Walter. aged 10 years, and w. r.
Collins, aged 20. shot in the eroins
Hughes received his injury late In the aft
crnoon when a mob attacked a car at
Germantown avenue, below Westmoreland
street.
Fifteen policemen, quartered in the
barn of the Philadelphia Rapid Transit
company at Ridge avenue and York
street, narrowly escaped death tonight
When the entire northwest corner of the
building was blown away with dynamite
The explosion occurred just as {. o. Pratt
was about to address a meeting of ear
r1en at a hall at Ridge avenue and Dau-
phin street This building as well as
others in thevicinity. was shaken by the
shock of the explosion.
How the dynamite was placed In the
car barn is a mystery
The State Fencibles. after being
harassed and beaten all day by a mob
OF thousands of strike sympathizers along
l.ehigh avenue, were withdrawn at night
fall.
rhe militia had been powerless against
the mob but half dozen mounted police
had ridden up and down. driving the riot
ers before them during the afternoon
Only two cars were run on this line
during the afternoon and both were badly
shattered by stones. Policemen in this
locality were fired upon by a strike SYM
rathzer who had concealed himself in
St. Simeon's church at I.ehign4 avenue
and Hutchinson street. This enraged tho
guardians of the peace and they returned
the fire. hitting w. r. Collins in ne
groin. He was removed to the Episcopal
hospital
Director of Public Safety Clay tonight
expressed himself as being satisfied with
the way the police have managed tc
handle the mobs up to date.
According TO statement issued to-
night by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit
company the amount of damage done to-
day and the number OF assaults conlnft-
ted by mods were greater than on any
.t<xr,e 1.
territory covered by the cars of the COM
rany was considerably less.
Two hundred and ninety-ive cars were
demolished, making total of 100 cars
which have been put out of service since
the beginning of the strike last Saturday.