The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-13
5 KILLED; Is HURT
IN HAMMOND RIOT
Strikers Slain in Battle With Po-
lice at Plant of Standard
Steel Car Company.
1000 EX-EMPL0YEES Fight
Aliens Attempt to Stop Americans
From Returning to Work and
Fighting Starts When Police
Force Entrance to Factory.

Hammond, Ind, Sept. 10.-Riots at
Steel Car company's employees here
reached their climax in furious street
battle between 1000 strikers 9ld
force of police and special guards.
Four men were killed outright and
a score or more wounded. One OF the
injured died a few minutes later and
eight officers are in the hospital in
serious condition. The others, whose
exact number could not be learned,
We're spirited away by the strikers
as they fell back before the storm OF
bullets. Governor Goodrich may order
out the troops.
The fight was caused by an attempt
of 1000 or more strikers, mostly for
eigners unable to speak English, to
prevent 200 American workers from
returning to their jobs. Trouble had
been foreseen and officers were station
ed to suppress it. The strikers ignored
orders to dispense, and began hiring
bullets and throwing bricks at the po-
lice, striking several. Capt Ben
Strong Of the police force finally or
dered his men to fire into the crowd.
/ Many Riots Mark Strike. &
The strike of Standard employees
started two months ago, and its prog
ress has been marked by a number of
serious riots and multitude of small
er demonstrations. A serious out
break five weeks ago, in which sew
eral persons were injured, caused Gov
ernor Goodrich to send several COM
panies of state militia to preserve or
der. The sofdfprs were sftstfsse.7g sassitlis
drawn as conditions grew ealmer, and
the last of them departed two weeks
ago.
The strike still seemed to make no
progress toward an end, and a few
days ago 200 American workers, tired
of the long idleness, decided to return
to their jobs. They showed up at the
plant Monday and were given employ
ment. Their "desertion," as the other
employees characterized their action
angered the thousand or more foreign
ers who We're still holding out, and
there were open threats to get" the
Americans.
Shortly after seven o'clock in the
morning the Americans gathered In
Highland street, four blocks from the
car plant and prepared to march in @
body to the factory. They had hardly
reached the assembling place when
the foreigners marched down on them
headed by Thomas Skuba, discharged
soldier, in full uniform. Skuba car
ried an American flag.
Skuba's forces filled the street about
the little group of Americans and eff
fectually blocked the way to the car
plant. There was an interchange OF
jeers and threats. Few of Skubas
crowd could speak English, but their
voices and actions plainly showed that
they were in an ugly temper.
Police Orders Defied.
Captain Strong then attempted to
take charge Of the situation.
|, "Clear out of the way here" he
ordered the strikers. "Let these men
through.
His answer was roar of defiance
Several bricks were hurled through
the air from the depths of the crowd
One of the missiles struck Policeman
Fred Hesterman on the arm, causing
a fracture. Revolvers also were
drawn and shots fired at the police
Bullets grazed the cheeks of Captain
Hanlon and Officer s. Homrich
Strong decided it was unsafe to trtfit
further. He gave his men the com
tmand to fire.
The officerstand guards let go vol
lev Mt the strikers feet. The latter
stood their ground and the fusilladt
of bricks and bullets from their side
Increased. The police then raised
their aim and fred directly at the
crowd. The bullets,found their marks
yNthis time and with cry of dismay
'Uuc NGUNu DuFhtu away lhVI' tdiii'hS
fed in disorder, jumping, lodging ant
iscuiTying in fright behind trees and
into cross .steets-anywhere to escape
the deadly rain Of bullets.
Two Of Dead Identified.
Only two of%the dead have thus fal
been identified They are Lawrence
Dudek and Stephen Kratz Kraft
died ut st. Margaret's hospital few
minutes after he was taken there
from the scene of the battle. Three
unidentified dead are at Burns
morgue.
The most serious wounded ar,
FSteve Evans, Stanley Koruna, JOIN
Flo, Frank Mass and Walter Rognazk
All of them have body wounds. Som
'af .llzll- Mcre. shot several times. !