The Washington times., 1911-01-03
NINE DIE IN BATTLE
WITH ANARCHISTS
Fifteen Hundred Police At
tack Barricade In Slum
District.
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Continued from First Page.)
O..
possible as they approached the fort
ress, but their utmost care could no
save them from the rattling fire of tn,
desperadoes. Within a few minutes Ser
geant Lesson had fallen with a wounC
that is believed to be fatal Detectiv,
Sergeant Chesham and Policeman Dye
were shot in one of the early attack:
on the besieged house.
Excitement in Slums.
The unparalleled spectacle created tho
greatest excitement seen in the crowded
slum district in many years, and mount.
ed police were called to drive the thou.
sands of spectators back from the dan.
ger zone, both for their own safety and
SO as not to hamper the movements
Of the police.
More than 100000 people were soon
gathered in the various streets leading
to the battlefield. AS the house in which
the anarchists were refuged adjoins a
house known as the Anarchists Club
the police suspected that the two men
they sought had accomplices, and for
this reason they proceeded with greater
caution than otherwise.
Finally IT was decided to smoke the
anarchists out and wagon loads of
straw were brought up for this pur-
pose. This attempt was to be, made
under the protection of a combined front
and rear attack upon the house, but
this plan failed, owing to the inaccessi-
bility of the house from the rear.
The police expressed the belief that
there were several women in the house.
and that they were helping the men by
loading the guns and revolvers.
Fire Engines on Scene.
simultaneously with ChurchIll's arrival
fire engines were brought into play;
pouring torrents of water through the
broken windows and doors and down the
chimneys. Even this, however, did not
materially check the fire that came from
the dismantled house.
In order TO facilitate a flank attack,
the police began demolishing the houses
in the rear of the anarchists den. Plans
for dynamiting the fortress were also
discussed, but this idea was abandoned
owing to the objections of adjoining
property owners. Owing to their in
ability to approach close to the house,
the smoking-out plan had to be given
up. Inability to reach the besieged
stronghold was also an element in dis
suading the police from using dynamite.
They would have had TO hurl the dyna-
mite some distance and the danger from
Il
charge was considered too great.
To make the battle picture realistic,
a detachment of nurses from the Lon
don Hospital, with their first-aid-to-the-
injured outfit, established headquarters
on the field.
The police finally became convinced
that the only sure way to reach the
anarchists was to destroy the buildings
in the rear of the stronghold, and they
redoubled their efforts along this line.
Picked Of by Sharpshooters.
The anarchists who had been cursing
and reviIing the police and guardsmen,
finally became silent as the contest set
tied into a. battle to the death. They
fought with the grim determination to
sell heir lives as dearly as possible.
Driven from point to point, but firing all
the time, sharpshooters among the po-
lice were unable to pick them off.
Despite the Iain of bullets from above
Home Secretary Churchill pushed for
ward with the police to the very door of
firemen had entered the lower floors and
were battling with the flames.
we NAV be able vet to get some of
them ali"e," remarked the home secre-
tarv to a police sergeant who stood be-
side him. At that time the building was
were unable to fire on the besiegers ow-
ing to the jutting caves. Suddenly
while the police pressed about the build
ing, the anarchists disappeared from
sight It was not known whether they
had fallen into the Seething cauldron of
fire or whether they had, in some mys
terious manner managed to escape. This
was at 2:5O o'clock.
It was suggested that they had COM
mitted suicide by leaping into the
flames but this belief did not become
general.
While the anarchists were firing from
the roof four policemen were wounded,
among them a superintendent.
The air was filled with the smell Of
petroleum which led the police to sus-
pect that the anarchists themselves had
also fired the house, hoping to escape
under cover of the smoke.
"If they really fired the building them |
selves II Is possible that they have COM |
mitted suicide" exclaimed Home Secre- |
tary Churchill when told that the mea |
had disappeared from the roof.
At 2:55 there was no further firing, and |
the police commenced their search of the |
building.
Police Guard Against Riots.
Eight hundred police are still forming
a Gordon around the ruins and are ex-
everybody, including newspaper
men. The police fear that owing to the
intense indignation caused by todays
outrage, anti-alien riots may be pre-
today. To prevent such, e Iery
available policeman in the city will be
dutV