New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-23
Pelt Berkman and Women
Speakers with Stones,
Mud and Eggs.
DRAG ANARCHIST
ALONG GROUND
1000 Attack Free Speech
Advocates Before Police
Arrive on Scene.
GIRL DEFIES RIOTERS
Visitors Driven to Train for New
York and Pelted with Missiles.
Despite Heavy Guard.

Bruised. bloody. their clothes torn
and their faces unrecognizable under
combination Of rotten eggs and
arrytown mud. Alexander Berkman
and his band of men and women an
archists and !. W. W. recruits retreated
IN terror from John D. RockefeIler's
territory last night after three hours
OF rloting. Berkman probably never
had a closer call for his life than be
mad IN the main street Of the usually
peaceful Westchester village.
a trall OF egg shells. pieces Of mems
and women's attire, turf. stones and
Wrecked headgear marked the course OF
inc visitors TO the railroad station,
where they caught train for this citv
little before midnight. But for the
prompt efforts of squad of policemen
berkman and others in his party
might have been beaten to death. so
enraged were the citizens.
mere were rumors of trouble before
bcrkman's followers left the city last
night for the heralded meeting on the
Croton Aqueduct. Chief Bowles of the
Iarrytown police had received orders
from New York to prevent any demon
stration on the aqueduct property. and
the speechmaking party arrived at the
village fully realizing that they faced
mfhculties, though there was no warn
ing that they were risking their lives.
Women with Party.
Led by Berkman, Leonard d. Abbott
and Arthur Caron, the free speech con-
tingent lost no time after the arrival
at Tarrytown, In the ranks of the
visitors were Charles Plunkett, a recent
recruit; Becky Edelsohn, Helen of
Troy Goldberg, Jennie Berger, Marie
fuster and her sister Rose, and a half
dozen other men and women. They
we're accompanied by a dozen or so
sympathizers and made straight for the
aqucdu%t.
At the corner Of Mckeel and Croton
avs. where they turned to mount the
aqueduct, they we're confronted by
Chief Bowles OF the local police and
Frank Palmer. superintendent of the
aqueduct forces, who forbade any
trespass on the city property. Berk-
man halted his squad, tipped up box
on the sloping terrace Of the aqueduct
and mounted it to speak.
Roars, howls and catcalls drowned
him out before he had uttered a dozen
words. For a minute or so he struS-
gled to make himself heard above the
din. Bowles had commanded him not
to speak, and the alteration between
him and the chief put the crowd in
the right mood for trouble. The noise
continued until Berkmsn gave up the
attempt to make himself heard. He
stepped down from the box and was
succeeded by Becky Edelsohn.
Bad Eggs for Takers.
The roars Of the crowd had drawn
more than thousand persons to the
scene by the time Becky began her
talk. There were constant Interrupt
tions, but no violence until Berkmsn,
dissatisfied by his inability to get
hearing, tried again to make a speech.
This time the shouts were combined
with showers Of sand and mud, which
filled the eyes and mouths Of the
|. ". W. people.
Berkman held his ground until
pieces of sod began TO whistle around
his ears. Becky leaped on the box
again and spoke for several minutes.
Once more Bcrkmsn tried to get a
hearing. The crowd evidently was pre-
pared for this. AS he mounted the
box a clod Of turf took him full in
the mouth and half dozen rotten
eggs broke and dripped down the front
Of his coat
There was a clutching Of handker-
chiefs among the women with Berk-
man, but no retreat The showers Of
mud, sod and eggs continued. Berk-
man, between protecting his eyes and
mouth from the Jumps Of earth and
aromatic hen fruit, was making little
lrogress. To make their mark palmer
some in the crowd trained automobile
lamps on Berkman, while the sharp-
shooters peppered him and his sup
porters.
A clod Of turf struck him in the face
and he lost his balance on the box.
stepping down.
Becky Edelson instantly leaped on
the box. New volleys from the crowd
rained on her until her face was black
with a nauseating mixture of earth
and bad eggs. Her spirit, however, was
untamcd.
you traitors." she yelled. "You
stand here on American soil"
Girl Struck in Face.
"How's that for American soil?"
some one shouted, as clod struck
Becky in the face.
Arthur Caron arose to protest /
against the treatment to the women.
lie got a stone in the face that cut
his cheek badly. Becky continued her
talk with occasional interruptions from.
her companions until nearly II o'clock.
By that time the attitude OF the crowd
had become so threatening that il was /
decided best to move.
Berkman and Caron, with the others
trailing behind. started down the main
street toward the station. The crowd
pressed around, heaving stones, turf