Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-27
WORST TROUBLE EVER
AT STRIKE IN NORWICH
Police Are Stoned by Strikers and
Three Are Struck-Necessary to
Fire Revolver to Keep Crowd at

One of the worst experiences the
local police have had in quelling strike
disturbances was that of Wednesday.
when the striking Polish weavers at
the Falls mill broke lose with storm
of rocks and brickbats and bombarded
the bluecoats. who had been sent there
to put down the disturbance.
The weaving department was clos
ed on Tuesday because of part of the
number being out on strike, which
was caused, it is said, by an attempt
to grade the work On Tuesday night
a window in the mill was broken and
on Wednesday morning there was
trouble when an attempt to hitch up
the company's team was made. The
horses were unhitched and the driver
had a lively time for while. This
was the beginning of what was to
come There were employees at work
in the cloth room, where the cloth
from the Shetucket and Falls mills is
finished. When the mill was opened
at 1890 to allow those employees to
return for the afternoon. there was a
stampede of the strikers to keep them
out. Policemen Brock, Henderson and
Driscoll and Supernumerary Keenan,
were at the mill looking after the mill
property and had no easy task in
keeping the crowd outside the grounds
The action of the police in keeping
them from the grounds was not to
their liking and q number began to
throw whatever they could get their
hands on and a rain of missiles was
coming their way. In the front ranks
were women with children in their
arms.
The shower of stones became SO
great that it was necessary for Po
and empty it, he having been struck
in the leg with large stone which
knocked him to the ground. The
crowd dropped back some. then. but
was still ugly. The walk in front of
the mill property was literally COW
cred with stones which had struck
the fence and fell to the walk Pc.
1iceman Brock had his hand cut and
his lips cut in scuffie with a woman,
while SupernumeTary Keenan, re-
ceived hard blow in the arm from a
stone. Both the other policemen had
revolvers, and with them managed to
keep the crowd back.
Being informed that a number of po-
lice were being sent to their assistance
in putting down the disturbance, the
policemen did not attempt to make any
arrests AS soon as the crowd learned
that help was coming, SOME of the
leaders began to get away and 1T was
then that Policemen Henderson and
Driscoll secured two of those who had
taken a prominent part, and there was
another fusilade. Drawn revolvers
alone kept the crowd back while they
were taking them up the ravine. For
tunateIy there was a team passing,
which, upon being hailed. took the
police with their prisoners to head
quarters. A crowd of the strikers and
sympathizers then hurried down Yam
tic street to Washington. hoping to
intercept the police with the two men
but they did not figure on the team,
but had they overtaken the police it
is the opinion of the Officers that they
would have lost their prisoners. do
whatever they would
The policemen returned in an auto
bus with six policemen under charge
of Captain Linton. by whose direction
they acted i'll making arreses upon
reaching the mill. those prominent in
the stone throwing being secured. Six
prisoners We're hustled into the auto,
and We're soon at headquarters. and a
return visit made. but they had quiet
ed down then and. others who were
wanted had disappeared. In the eve