Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1886 — DYNAMITE IN CHICAGO. [ARTICLE]

DYNAMITE IN CHICAGO.

An Organized Attack by Criminal and Vicious Men Against Life and Property. Anarchists and Socialists Execute a Deeply* Laid Plan to Destroy and Kill. • . ■ . . * ' m ' *•*••-*■ • Fifty Policemen Wounded, Many of Them Fatally—Many of the Mob Slain. Bloody Scenes Almost Rivaling the Paris Commune In the Streets of Chicago. The result of the pernicious and inoendiary doctrines which have been for several years preached in the streets and halls of Chicago by alien and criminal agitators, says a Chicago paper of Wednesday, was seen last night, when a dynamite bomb was thrown into the midst of a squad of policemen who were performing their sworn duty, and sixty of them were dangerously wounded, some fatally. That it was an organized and premeditated attack admits of no doubt, and the outgrowth of the riot at the McCormick reaper-works on Monday, when some anarchists were most justly punished for an attempt to destroy property. Monday night, after that not was quelled, the following circular was scattered around the city: • “Revenge! Workingmen, to arms 1 Your mastors sent out their bloodhounds, the police; they killed six of your brothers at McCormick’s this afternoon. They killed the poor wretches because they, like you, bad the courage to disobey tiie supreme will of your bosses. They killed them because they dared to ask for the shortening of the hours of toil. They killed thorn to show you, ‘free American citizens,’ that you must be satisfied and contented with whatever your bosses condescend to allow you, or you will get killed! You have for years endured the most abject humiliations; you have for years suffered unmeasurable iniquities ; you have worked yourselves to death; you have endured the pangs of want and hunger; your children you have sacrificed to the factory lords; in short, you have been miserable and obedient slaves all these years. Why? To satisfy the insatiable greed, “11 the coffers of your lazy, thieving masters. When you ask them now to lessen the burden lip sends his bloodhounds out to shoot you, kill you! “If you are men, if you are the sons of your grandsires, who have shed their blood to free you, then you will rise In your might, Hercules, and destroy the 'hideous monster that seeks lo destroy you. To arms 1 we call you ;to arms! “Yoon Brothers.-” Tuesday afternoon it was followed by the following, which was thrown broadcast throughout the str'eets of the city: “Attention, Workingmen 1 Great mass-meet-ing to-night, at 7:30 o’clock, at the Haymarkot, Randolph street, between Desplaines and Halsted. Good speakers will be present to denounce the latest atrocious act of the police—the shooting of our follow-workmen yesterday afternoon. The Executive Committee.”

In response to this, a large crowd of anarchists and socialists assembled at the point indicated, and were harangued by a trio of blatant communists. Their talk was of a most reckless and incendiary character. One, Sam Fielden, a socialistic Englishman, was the last speaker. Said he : "We who come here to address you aro socialists; rebels to the law! Legislation will never help you, never! Martin Foran went to Congress in the interest of labor, and yet he tells you that no legislation can be had for the workingman. Can’t we? When the rich man understands that it is not healthy to live among a lot of discontented workmen we shall be able to get legislation and not before.* Fielden continued in this strain until 10:20 p. m„ when 160 polloe officers left the Desplaines Street Station and marched north on Desplaines. He stopped when the first line of officers was ordered to halt opposite the wagon from which he spoke. A thousand men had meanwhile gathered. The police marched toward the crowd in platoons, headed by Inspector Bonfleld and Capt. Ward. The line of the first division of officers filled the street from side to side. The police marched into the crowd, sweeping it to the pavements, and pressing it before them. When tho front column reached the speakers’ wagon Inspector Bonfleld ordered “Halt 1* Capt. Bonfleld cried: “In the name of the State of Hlinois I command this crowd to disperse I* As the words left his month a spluttering spark of fire arched through the air from the opening of the alley and over the speakers’ Wagon. It was the burning fuse of a dynamite bomb. It was well aimed in its deadly mission. It fell directly in the middle of the street, and between the first two double columns of police. The instant that it struck the ground it exploded with a terrible, sullen roar. It did its deadly work well. Twenty-nine mangled men fell groaning to the ground. The bomb broke the ranks of the officers. A gatling gun could not have cut a wider swath. A scene of horror followed, the details of which may never be known. The officers were demoralized and broke ranks. Many huddled together in the street and stood their ground. Others fled after and with the crowd. They needed no order to fire. In an instant every man’s revolver was in action, and every man shot to kill. For an instant after the explosion, the crowd seemed paralyzed, but with the revolver shots cracking like the tattoo of a mighty drum, and the bullets singing in the air, the mob plunged away into the darkness with a yell of rage and fear. It was almost an indescribable scramble for life. Scores of men were knocked down by those behind them, and trampled upon like cattle in a car, unable to rise. Over twenty wounded persons were picked up and borne away. Those oh the inner circle of the crowd were at the mercy of the police, and were shot down. Tho police pursued the mob for half a block up and down Randolph street. No man was spared. All who were overtaken by the officers were shot down and clubbed. In a moment after the explosion the streets were cleared, but within a radius of 100 feet of the. spot where the bomb had fallen fully sixty men lay wounded on the ground. The center of the street seemed full of writhing, groaning men. calling for help. Under the iron stairway on tho northwest corner of the street two citizens lay, one insensible, the other moaning feebly and unable to rise. Down the basement stairway, under them, three men lay. Propped against the lamp-post on the comer was a wounded man, and at his feet, in the gutter, another. Across the street, on the northwest comer, three men lay in the gutter. At the head of the basement stairway one lay silently. Another sat up, holding a bleeding leg and begging the officers not to kill him. Reclining on the stairs below them were two suffering men, and in the area-way below, three more. East and west on Randolph street wounded men lay in doorways. Within five minutes after the firing had ceased eight men lay in the alley, near the wagon, between' Randolph and Lake streets. No citizens were dead that had been found within an hour after the riot. For some minutes after the mob had dispersed the police kept up a frenzied search for any who had taken refuge nearby. Those who met the officers calmly were allowed to go, but all who attempted to escape were mercilessly clubbed, The work of gathering the dead, dving, and wounded was promptly begun. Forty-eight policemen were found to be wounded, eight or ten of them, it is feared, fatally. The fugitives from the scene of the riot poured into Madison street in an irresistible stream. The open stores, which here offered the first shelter, were besieged and instantly occupied by breathless and terror-stricken crowds. Close in the rear of this terrified throng the wounded followed at the best speed their injuries would permit. Men ran at a staggering pace, with the blood trickling through their clothing. Others rushed frantically through the street, shrieking with pain. Couples and small groups came dragging a wounded friend whom they hadithe oourage to rescue. Several fell fainting in/the streets and were pioked up by sympathetic m«n in the crowds. _.. \