The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-05-09
PATRIOTS BREAK UP
ANARCHIST MEETING
Reds Attempt to Hold a Conven-
ton at Gary, Ind.
FORTY MEN ARE ARRESTED
Police and Ex-SoIdiers Battle With
$500 ners-Demonstration
Is Stopped and Red Ties Are
Stripped From the Men.

stripped From the Men.
Gary, Ind, May 5.-Seven thousand
bewhiskered, red-necktied professional
anarchists gathered in Gary to make
good their promise of staging parade
and street demonstration.
There was no parade; there was
nothing SO dignified as a "demonstra-
dOn." There was, however, free-for-
all street fight, climaxed with 40 OF
the anarchists in Jail and the remain
ing $3.50 necktieless, even cOllarless
and in same instances shirtless.
Fifty police armed with riot guns, 20
deputy sheriffs with automatic pistols,
several hundred returned soldiers
restless for q fight and a volunteer or
ganizatiOn of Gary citizens met the
them up.
Two Battles Staged.
There were two distinct battles dur
ing the daylight hours. The first oc-
Cured at noon and definitely decided
the anarchists against conducting
their raid.
The second developed at p. M,
when a throng Of the "proletarfat" re-
fused to dispense when directed by the
police. A total of 40 men was arrest
ed after the pair of fights.
The police, soldiers and citizens who
flung themselves into the fray came
out of the affair with no wounds show
ing. Many of the "reds" were badly
beaten.
Scatter for Bandages.
After the two engagements the an
archists-few of whom could speak
word Of English-scattered in search
of liniments and bandages.
In spite of the casualties, 1t was
agreed the social function of the
reds convention" would be carried
out as scheduled in the evening. This
was to be a dance. Police, soldiers
and the citizens committee having
tasted blood, announced that they, too,
would participate in the nights GEN.
tertainment."
Leaders of the l. w. W. movement
tiOnal convention in Chicago Satur-
day. Anarchists had arranged to fea-
ture a demonstration. The "shOw"
was given wide advertisement, but at
the last hours the promoters decided il
would be safer to ''try it first on the
dog"
Gary, Indiana's industrial center,
was selected, chiefly because of it's for
eign-speahng population. All those
concerned with the overthrow of the
government were invited. Morris Lie
herman, Russian druggist in Gary, was
in charge of local arrangements.
Mayor w. Ell. Hodges issued proc
lamation promising to break up any
street demonstration that might be at
tempted. Mr.. Lieberman and his as
SiStantS on the arrangements commit
tee laughed sardonically.
"The proclamation be damned"
they are understood to have announced
in fervid Russian.
Stream Toward Hall.
A stream of the anarchists finally
formation and rambled around to the
Fourteenth street hall, where, it was
announced, the opening session of the
convention" would be held immedi-
ately and the parade commenced d.
rectly afterward.
There came, however, George Rap
ish. q Serbian, who owns the hall, sub
scriber to Victory bonds and maintains
I'm his home a large framed Autograph
of Woodrow Wilson. Single-handed
Mr.. Rapish drove the convention from
his door.
II ambled down the street and
found it's way into the Roumanian
hall in Adams street. The delegates
who couldn't wedge their way into the
meeting room girdled the building in
whiskers and red, red ties. The po-
lice. deputy sheriffs, soldiers and citi-
zens' vigilance committee, led by Col.
Charles n. MalOney, attacked.
Those within the hall were not mo-
Tested Immediately. The police took
stations at every door and window
and mentioned that they would ''bide
their time"
few of the anarchists without
tried to offer resistance when their
neckwear left them. These were
promptly walked on. A score were
loaded into patrol wagons and ridden
to the jail.
The meeting adjourned AS each
anarchist passed through the door he
was relieved of his red buttons, red
ribbons. ties and badges. There was
little show of resistance.