Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-03-07
OFFICERS TELL OF RIOTS
Lawrence City Officials Before the
House Committee.
WOMEN LEAD THE CROWDS
Cars Were stoned and several Per-
sons Hurt---chief Sullivan says
HcN knows Man Who
Killed Woman.

WASHINGTON. March 6-Mrs. Taft.
wife OF the president OF the United states,
seated behind Representative Henry OF
Texas. chairman OF the rules committee
Of the house. and beside Victor Berger,
socialist member OF congress, listened at
tentively for three hours today to testi-
mony relating TO the strike Of mill work
ers at Lawrence Mass. Several times
she and Mr.. Berger conversed. This was
the second day on which Mrs, Taft had
appeared at the hearing.
Attirod In a modest dark blue street
dress and brown plumed hat, Mrs, Taft
entered tho crowded room. accompanied
by her niece. Miss Anderson.
They walked unassisted around the
crowded room surrounding the witness
chair and. passed the people.lned against
the wall.
As the testimony progressed she APP
peared very much interested and defied
the cigar and cigarette smoke that filed
the room.
Il was learned today that another
visitor at the hearing yesterday was Miss
Anne Morgan OF New York, daughter of
]. j. Morgan. She stood in the crowd
surrounding the witness room for some
.timo and left unannounced,
e. y. Lynch, commissioner Of public
safety of Lawrence. resumed the stand.
lie first told OF lending personal financial
assistance TO some parents who were per-
suaded not to send their children from
Lawrence.
did the city authorities and citizens
make any effort to settle the strike ?"
asked Representative Hardwiek.
Yes. sir; the city government commits
sloners met with the strike committee and
tried to arrange a meeting with the mill
owners. The mill owners refused to deal
with the organization, but would with
their own men"
The commissioner said he personally
saw one riot about the mills Il saw a
crowd hurting rocks st the mills"
Looked Up the Law.
What section Of the statute authorized
you to order the police to prevent citizens
leaving Lawrence?' asked Representative
Stanley.
1T Vas looked up at the tlme-the
statute ! think was that preventing child
rens departure without parents con-
sent"
did you instruct the police to get writ
ten consent OF their parents?'
Yes"
What If the parents vas present at the
depotT'
well. that would be different If We
knew they were the parents"
''Did ysu Rad that Law you say you
have on the statute books Of Massachu-
setts on which you acted in this matter?"
Il did not"
did you order the police to Jail the
chIldren?" .....
Il left that to the man who had police
experience"
Captain John ]. Sullivan, acting chief
marshal Of Lawrence. was asked about
the stabbing OF an Italian boy.
Soldiers were going across a trestIe
bridge" he said. when this boy rushed
at one Of them A second soldier prodded
him with bayonet. No report ever was
made TO the police OF this case.
mo one knew what was In the boys
mind. but the supposition ls-he Intended
TO push the soldier through through the
trestle. The boy was taken to a hospital
and recovered"
Sullivan said one morning the strikers
planned to form an endless chain
parade, locking arms to prevent persons
who wished to go to work from reach
ing the mills.
Although they did not do this" he
continued. ''they did nIl several Of the
streets leading to- the mills. / am sure
there were 500 people in those mobs
Late in the day the strikers began
pulling the trolleys off cars all along the
line. The cars were stoned and people
driven out. l saw one man pick up two
chunks Of ice and hurl them. 1 arrested
him and was pelted with Ice. An American
who struck me In the head. particularly
hard blow. was the only man hit saw
there also a carpenter wounded, assaulted
by strikers. after they had dragged him
from the car"
Sullivan Tells of Riots.
The crowds were usually led by wo-
men and children. They were always in
the front rank and some times women
(ContInued On Second Pare1