Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1885 — MONTREAL’S MOB. [ARTICLE]

MONTREAL’S MOB.

The Canadian City the Scene of a Fearful Anti-Vaccina-tion Riot. A Howling Mob Wrecks Health Offices and Public Buildings—Residences Fired. [Montreal special.] Montreal was the scene of a violent riot this evening ns the result of the movement for compulsory vaccination. Tho FrenchCanadians have shown strong opposition to compulsory vaccination since the start, and trouble has been feared. The English were determined, however, that no more delay would be allowed, and decided at onco to carry compulsory measures into force. A branch office was started in the East End, and orders wero given 10-day to begin the thorough vaccination of all persons in the French- Canadian quarter. At an early hour this morning the office was opened. A crowd at once began to assemble, aud the building was soon surrounded. Several French-Canadian citizens addressed the gathering, which was becoming more and more riotous, and advised pacific measures. A squad of police was called out, and toward afternoon tho mob dispersed, threatening, however, lo return in tho even ng. They kep. their word. At seven o’clock to-night the building was surrounded by a noisy, threatening crowd of French-Canadians, whe began operations by storm ng the Health Offloe, smashing all the windows, aud creating a general havoc. Tho mob next went to the residence of Dr. Laberge, of the Medical Health Office, stoned it,aud shouted defiance. On marched the mob, gathering in numbers as i£ went, its objective point being the City H ill. The authorities had by this time got wind of the mob’s intentions, and the fire-bells sounded a general alarm, calling tho whole police force from the various stations to tho Central Station nt tho City Hall, The mob arrived, however, before the police had mustered, and took possession of the streets around the hail. Showers of stones wero ra ned upon the building, nnd many windows were shattered. The police were still in the stations, and, ns usual, a delay occurred before they were ordered out. When they first reached tho street they had only their small wooden batons, which wore utterly useless on the mob, which continued its work of destruction, moving completely nround tlie building. An order was given to arm the foroe with muskets, but the men, strange to suv, wore kept standing in the station while the mob continued its work outsido. Several of the policemen and tho Mayor’s brother armed thcmßelvos with revolvers and blazed away from the door of the station, silencing the mob on that side. On the other side, however, the work was kept up, and the health offioer got a Revere Dandling. A large number of people were here undergoing vaccination, and had to fly from the mob. In the midst of the din a cry was raised, “To the newspaper officer and in a few minutes the crowd, now numbering several thousand, had formed into li e and wero on tiie wuy. The mob marched down the principal streets, singing and shout ng, and made for the office of the Mornivf) Herald, a large fivestory bnilding on Victoria Square. Their number was considerably increased on their way, and they surrounded the newspaper office several thousand strong. The building, which occupies a prominent position, was brilliantly 1 ghted up, and formed a good mark for the rio era. The widows were soon smnshed, and the rioters took full vengeance upon the paper, which has been the most active and plain-spoken about the French- Canadians. For over half an hour the mob had it all their own way, the police remain ng inactive in the station while the work of destruction was going on. While engaged at the newspaper office the riotera gave expression to various threats, and said they would show the English whether it was they or the French who would rule the city. Tho English were roundly abused, and a number of violent scenes occurred. When the police did arrive on tho scene the mob again formed and marched back through the streets to the East End, where they held a mass meeting, nnd after several inflammatory speeches proceeded to the homes of several of the doctors and stoned them. The rioters before dispersing went down to one of the objectionable vaccinator’s houses and fired it. The fire brigade were hastily summoned, and extinguished the fire before any damage was done. When the riot was at its height the cries were frequently raised. “Bum the city! * and “Down with the English I” That such a thing as the small-pox should serve to awaken race hostility is indeed remarkable; but the faotis that it has been the cause of more bitterness than even the most serious subject of quarrel. To state the case very simply, the French in Montreal have been harboring and breeding the small-pox with apparent indifference to the loss of life it wa s causing, and comp ete indifference to its effects upon the English population. The English have sufiered to a small extent from the ravages of the disease-poor Sir Francis Hlncks fell a victim to it through infection carried to his house by a servant—but their business losses as the resnlt of the prevalence of the epidemic have been most serious. The French would not vaccinate, were reluctant to lend themselves to any sanitary measures, bnt preferred to fight the disease, if at all, by pious observances and ceremonies. A gentleman on the Citizens’ Committee to-day proclaimed that there were at least 4,000 cases of small-pox in the city. The opening of the Thenter Royal has been indefinitely postponed on account of ihe epidemic. The health officials nre encountering the most determined opposition in their work of placarding, especially in the East End of the city, and several arrests have been made.