Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1891 — STRIKERS CAUSE RIOTS. [ARTICLE]

STRIKERS CAUSE RIOTS.

MICHIGAN AND PENNSYLVANIA IN TROUBLE. - i The Street Car Company’s Employes InDetroit Resort to Violence Citizen's Sympathize with Them—Bloody Work in the Coke Regions. Nearly the whole of Detroit’s police force was called out to keep order during a monster labor parade of shoemakers and stove molders, which was incited by the street car troubles. Immediately after the parade passed it was decided to start ten cars for evening service on Woodward avenue. The first car got away all right, followed by a patrol wagon containing ten officers. A second car started immediately after without the accompanying protection, however, and the strikers threw it or. its side and across the track. The attempt to start cars was then given up, but the first one out continued its perilous course, being the target of anything handy to the strikers the whole length of the avenue, and meeting with the jeers and taunts of the people as it passed along. Two policemen were on every corner the whole length of the route add the car eventually reached the river front in safety. On the attempt to start for the return trip there was a very exciting scene. A burly man sat in a dog cart directly across the track. The policemen led his horse away. The man whipped up his horse, overtook the car,, and drove across the track again direct y in front of the street-car. His buggy was smashed and he was thrown to the ground. He was finally overpowered and taken to tho station. As the car kept on its way the small crowd sent only a few stones as a parting salute. A car which had been lying at the river front a.l day was then started up the hill. Tho word was quickly passed, and in a short time about fifteen thousand people packed the broad avenue from the north side of Jefferson avenue to tho river. The car started up the hill at break-neck speed. Tho mob closed about the car. A man leaped from among tho crowd and grasped the team’s bridles. The driver whipped his horses. The man was dragged from his feet and pulled all the way across tho street. But ho held on, rau tho horse*into a buggy and stopped the car. In’ the meantime a number of buggies, trucks, etc, had been run across the track. The dozen policemen on the car tried to remove them but could not.; Then Strathern Bendrie, the treasurer 1 of the company, got up on the front platform with tho driver. Pulling a big revolver from his pocket, he pointed it threateningly at the crowd. Immediately cries of “Kill him, hang him,” etc., went up. Bricks began to fly through the car windows, and it looked as if car, driver, policemen, Hendrie, und all would be torn to pieces. Hendrio’s discretion evidently got the better of his valor then, and the car was start- 1 ed back to the river. The crowd pursued it, and, unhitching the horsos, tried to run the car into the river. A ferry-, boat coming into tho dock just that moment prevented them carrying out their design. At this point the crowd was charged by a force of police and clubbed unmercifully. Revolvers were drawn, and for a few moments it looked as if there was to be bloodshed, but the police presented a sturdy front aud effected some arrests, which quickly quieted the crowd considerably. . It began to rain shortly after, and as no more attempts were made to run cars, the crowd gradually dispersed.