Year: 1878

| The question, is there a society of Com.
munists in this city? is being pretty freely
discussed of late by our citizens and the va
rious local papers Some are of the opinion
that there is, and others state that it is but
| the production of an idle brain.


Some time ago the STAR gave an account
OF the rumors in reference to this, and also
the statements of the leading Socialists, who
unanimously secuted the idea.


The subject, however, has again beer
brought before the public by the action ot
the ''Lehr and Wehr Verein" yesterday, near
the Four-mile House. on the Reading Road.


Last Saturday night quite number OF
the above association met at the Teutonia
Hotel Nos Is and II East Ninth street. of
which Mr. Wenzel Breinl is the proprietor.
From statements gathered from various
sources it seems that nearly sixty members
were present.


The subject of the evenings discussion
was the action of parties in this city in at
tempting to organize a battery of artillery
for the city's protection. 1t was also an
nounced that contracts had been made with
a Cincinnati firln to furnish the Society with
breech-loaders in any quantity for S. each.
AT the meeting that night it was also re-
solved to meet Sunday morning at o'clock,
| and in body to proceed out to the Four
mile House for practice in shooting
AT the above named hour about twenty
five members of the Lehr and Wehr Verein,
armed with muskets, proceeded to that
place, and at once made preparations for
that object. The shooting by some of the
members showed that some efficiency had
been gained, while that of others was not so
satisfactory The guns used were the old
Springfield muskets.


The target shooting gave rise to the cry
that the Commune was established i'll this
city.


A representative of the STAR called at the
Teutonia House this morning to get some
information on the subject.


The proprietor was absent, but his bar
keeper reluctantly gave the following:


He said it was true enough that the Lehr
and Wehr Nerein held their sessions at
that place. None but members were ad-
mitted to their sessions. That two
sentries were stationed at the doorways
was untrue. He continued that short
time ago the Society numbered only few
members, but now they had about sixty
members, all armed. He did not know
what was transacted at their meetings as
general thing, but he knew that last Satur-
day night the subject of organizing bat
terry for the defense of the city in case of a
strike or riot was discussed, and the action
of the originators bitterly condemned.


He said that the idea of Communist So
ciety being formed here was preposterous
That was merely the outgrowth of the
minds of some people who have nothing
else to do than raise sensation. When the
members of the above society saw
the statements in the papers this
morning, they all laughed at the ridiculous
items. He said that reporters would some
times come up to the members to inquire
about this thing or that, then some wag
would give them such statements as pub
lished, merely for the joke of the thing. The
society, he continued, was merely on the
principle of the others of this city The
kick about the Wehr Verein was simply
on account of the fact that it was not em-
bodied under the military laws of Ohio and
that the members desired their organization
to be independent of all interference by the
Government. The idea of the Society be-
ing formed for the purpose of establishing
a Cummune here was too ridiculous to be
entartaipad