The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-08
SCORES ARE
INJURED IN
STRIKE RIOT
Fifteen Hundred Police
men Patrol Chicago
Stock Yards.

Chicago, Dec S.-A tempo
rary Injunction prohibiting
members of the Amalgamatcd
Meat Cutters and Butcher
WOrkmeH's union from "pick-
eting or otherwise mOIesting@
workers in the stock yards was
granted in superior court by
Judge Dennis Sullivan today
The petition for the injunction
was filed by Swift & company,
and 81 other packers.
Chicago, Dec. S.-Fifteen hun
dred policemen were sent TO the
stockyards early this morning
when, long before daylight, several
groups of persons, including a few
women, gathered about the yards.
Only a few hours before 200 police
men had fired into thousands Of
strike sympathizers who attacked
plant employees and finally the po-
licemen.
Last nights toll of casualties in
cluded nine seriously injured and
mounted police charged into the
crowd with drawn batOns.
All saloons in the neighborhood
were closed today by order Of Chief
OF Police FitzmOrris. The chief
said that the trouble would be
stopped at any costs.
WOmen Throw Red Pepper.
The women are more difficult to
deal with than the men" Chief
Fitzmorris said this morning.
They carry red pepper and throw
it in the policemen'S eyes. Tacks
have been scattered through the
adjacent streets in an effort to stop
the motor policemen. But we're go
ing TO control the disorder in this
strike We may have to use every
available policeman in the city and
then call upon the reserves, but
wen do it."
When the strike went into effect
here on Monday there was little
trouble and the situation remained
quiet until last night when work
men began to leave the yards The
few hundred strikers on picket
duty and a few hangers on inter
cepted their passage to the car
lines and policemen endeavored to
make lanes through the crowd.
Police Overwhelmed.
without previous warning large
numbers of persons began TO aug
ment the strike esympathizers uu-
til they overwhelmed the few hum
dred policemen on duty. and riot
calls were sent in. When rein
forcements arrived the crowd was
finally scattered and the streets
cleared at midnight. No further
trouble was expected at the time
and the heavy guards were par
TALLY withdrawn.
However, by two o'clock this
morning the strike sympaJhizers
began wandering back and the
number increased so quickly that
the regular 500 policemen on duty
were increased to 1900
Efforts TO verify a rumor that
negro was thrown in BUbbly creek
and stoned until he was drowned
could not be confirmed.
Ask Injunction.
Action was expected today on a
petition for an injunction against
the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butcher Workmen of North Ameri-
ca. by % packers, who allege that
intimidation of workers has been
practiced by the union.
The larger packers say they are
working about 80 per cent of nor
nal while the smaller firms have
given out statements that their out
put is curtailed 10 so or 60 per
cent of normal.
Forty men were cut and bruised
this morning when strike sympa-
thizers stormed an elevated train
carrying packer employees to the
ward. All windows in the train
were broken by missiles which
were thrown at it
Many Fights Today.
Numerous fights between groups
OF workers and strike sympathiz-
ers were reported this morning by
independent packers, outside the
wards These were quickly quelled
bv the police. Five hundred patrol
men are assigned for duty at the
wards, and 100 mounted policemen
are scattered through the district
in pairs.
When the strikers discovered that
the stock yards proper was circled
with police, number of them went
to the Omaha Packing compa ly,
several blocks distance, where re-
ports were made that a number 0f
the workers had been slugged. \
squad of police dispersed the stdik-
ers before any workers were in
jured.
Blame sMOonshine.7
81 do not anticipate further
trouble such as we had last night"
said Captain William Russell to-
day. Chief FitzmOrris hit the nail
on the head when he closed all the
saloons. That, in my opinion. was
the cause of last nights rioting.
The strikers, getting filled win
'mooushine,' became rowdy and the
fighting swept over the entire dis
triCt. Nearly every man who was
injured or those We took into Gus
tody had been drinking"