Evening star., 1912-01-15
MILITIA CALLED OUT
Rioting Marks Cotton Strike
at Lawrence, Mass.
MOB STORMS. MILL GATES
Driven Back by Civilian Soldiers at
Point Of the Beyonet.
NUMEROUS ARRESTS ARE MADE
Thirty Thousand Employees Idle Be-
cause Of Shutdown Over
Wage Question.
MOB STORMS. MILL GATES
NUMEROUS ARRESTS ARE MADE

orders before the gates of the great
textile mills of Lawrence became SO
frequent and menacing this morning
that two companies of militia were
called from the armory to assist the
police in controlling the turbulent
foreign operatives. The uproar at the
mill gates was so great that seven of
the big plants were shut down. Sew
eral shots into the air were fired by
the police and some arrests were made.
During the raids on the mills a dozen
or more operatives were injured. but
none seriously.
1t is estimated that nearly 10000
hands are idle. half of whom are ac-
tually on strike. and the others forced
out by the stoppage of the machinery.
Caused by Wage Cut.
The trouble. which began last Friday,
when a mob stormed several of the
mills and injured employees and prop
erty. Is due to general reduction in
wages. necessitated. the manufacturers
say, by cut in the working time from
fifty-six to fifty-four hours a week by
new state law governing establish
ments where women and minors are
employed.
The mills closed are the Prospect.
Washington and Wood, controlled by the
American Woolen Company and employ
ing 15.OO0 persons; the cotton mills of
the Arlington. Everett & Pemberton COR
poration and the mills of the Lawrence
Duck Company, employing 5000 more.
Other wooien and cotton mills. the en-
ployes of which aggregate $780, are run
ming on small scale. 1t was believed
that practically every mill in Lawrence
would be forced to close.
The trouble this morning began with an
attempt by the strikers to rush the doors
Of the Wood worsted mills and the Pros
pect woolen mills. The attempts at both
places We're repulsed by the. police. who
used their clubs freely and made several
arrests.
Attempt to Storm Doors.
| The greatest crowd gathered at the
Wood mill before the hour Of opening.
In spite OF pickets. who, were on duty
as early as 5 am. about thousand
hands reached their places in the mill.
There strikers who had evaded the po-
lice and watchmen. brandished clubs to
force the operatives out. The disorder
was SO great that the mills were shut
down.. Meanwhile strikers made two at
tempts to storm the outer doors. Two
OF the rioters were arrested.
When the Wood mill was closed the
strike sympathiSers marched to the Pros
pect mills and assaulted the gates. They
resisted strepnously the attempts of the
police to force them back. Vincenxo
Lamarest, who. the police say. was one OF
the most violent lin the crowd, was ar
rested charged with assault. He carried
revolver and twenty-five cartridges q
long dirk knife and q stiletto.
Another crowd Of over thousand gath
cred at the Washington mills, where they
had several minor scrimmages with the
police. A heavy snowstorm apparently
Quieted the men, and most of them dis
Strikers in Fighting Mood.
At the Pacific cotton mills a body of
strike sympathizers had worked them
selves into lighting mood. and had
just emerged from an assault on the
mill gates when the Washington mill
crowd arrived. Soon all was in an up
roar. The mob raided coal cars on a
siding. and. seizing the chunks of coal.
bombarded the windows of the Pacific
weave shed. Six operatives inside were
hurt. but none seriously. The police
then charged the mob and fired in the
air. ~
The shots did not scare the strikers,
and orders were then given to turn on
the water in the mill hose. At this
time two companies Of militia under
Sapt nanOlStl were OTOeTeO out Tor
service, and the riot act was read.
Charge With Fixed Bayonets.
Capt Randletts orders to the crowd to
disperse were not Immediately obeyed
and he ordered the half hundred militia
| men to charge with bayonets set During
| the charge many of the bayonets were
pressed against the crowd. but the militia
were careful not to inf1ict wounds Two
| rioters were hurt, but not seriously
| Battery C.. light artillery, was ordered
out half an hour later. After unlimber.
| ing their guns the battery cleared the
| thoroughfare without much trouble
Additional police were requested from
| Boston, Lynn, Lowell. Hcverhill, Salem
| 1890 am.
/ In all fifty arrests were made during
/ the forenoon.