Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-15
Secretary Balm Of Federation
Is Be8ieged in Trades Hall
With Food and Water Sup
ply Cut Off,
DEFENDERS SUBSlST
ON FRUIT AND BREAD
TranSvaaI Railroad Authorities
Are Maintaining Partial
Train Service in South
Africa,
10Y soaslso IouasAl svser.t rsAsro w,Esi


johannesburg. Union Of South Az
rlca, Jan. ll-The siege OF Trades
Han. where Secretary Bqn, Of the
Federation Of Trades, and band Of
supporters are defying the police from
behind barricades. was the main fea
ture Of the strike drama today
After the hail had been attacked by
police and detectives without avail
great crowds gathered and the police
were compelled to make several bayo-
net charges owing 10 the aggressive
attitude of the people, many of whom
were slightly injured with the ti-
nal bayonet charge the police cleared
the neiehborhood and a Gordon OF Of
ficers with fixed bayonets was thrown
around the hall The position of the
besieged Balm and his friends is Sc
rious as they are cut off from water.
Balm came out of the hail this even
ing and strolled nonohalantly about
the cleared space in view ot the po-
lice and re-entered the hall without
any attempt being made to arrest
him. The police commander explained
he had no intention of again making
an assault on the hall, as he consid-
cred the three hundred men in Il as
good as in Jail The besieged have
been able to get food from nearby
Restaurants.
A bomb explosion occurred today at
Benone, slightly injuring three mount
ed troopers. Several strikers arrested
near the place We're rescued by their
comrades but We're subsequently re-
arrested.
The Transvaal railway authorities
are maintaining partial service and
are attempting 10 insure an adequate
supply of food and fuel The bakers
are directed not TO strike for the
present, but they refuse to bake for
the police troops or special constables.
one firm, however, has declined to be
bound by this agreement
The miners continue to stop work
as fast as their regular shifts end.
The department of mines announces
that ii viii keep the mines running
and has no intention Of sending the
natives home
Eventually Balm and his followers
were completely isolated, being cut off
from all supplies. A correspondent
who passed the strikers pickets by
aid OF a permit found remarkable
scene inside the hail tonight The
300 inmates were an fully armed.
They expressed determination to re-
sist any attacks The windows and
doors were harricaded with boxes fill
cd with bricks Openings We're left
for rifle fire. other boxes were filled
with ammunition
The defenders are subsistng chiefly
on fruit, quantities of which are stored
in the hall They also have some
stale bread Many of the men We're
dressed only in trousers and boots. IL
was evident from their gaunt hungry
faces that they were already suffer
ing hardships from the siege. They
lftoutly asserted, however. that the
hall would not be taken until all their
ammunition was exhausted and not a
bar OF iron was left to WELD.
From without could be heard the
clang of arms and orders directing cit
izens away from the danger zone.
A detective named Mcbride was
caught BY the pickets approaching the
doorway and was beaten