Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1894 — COXEYINTHE CAPITAL [ARTICLE]

COXEYINTHE CAPITAL

HE AND BROWNE PLACED UNDER ARREST, Washington Police Prevent the Invasion of the Federal Capitol Grounds—Attempt to Hold a Meeting on the Step*—Given a Drowsy Reception. Police Charge the Army. Gen. Coxey and his commonweal army arrived in the national capital Tuesday. The day—the proudest in the history of Gen. Coxey—was perfect in its appointments. Fair weather and a large and good-natured crowd lined Pennsylvania avenue, from the Treasury Department to the Capit 1 grounds. Around the Peace monument at the base of the Capitol grounls the spectatars formed a bank of humanity. But not a flag fluttered in the breeze, nor was there a token of welcome held out tn the weary army of the commonweal, a; it trudeed along, except the banner at the local Coxey headquarters. The Commonweal army wm astir early upon Brightwood heights with preparations for the great procession to the capital. There was an early breakfast of eggs, coffee and bread. Tents were st uck and packed into wagons and the whole army was in line before 9 o clock. All the'men carried staves, on which fluttered white flags with the motto: “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men, but Death to Interest on Bonds." There wai much marching and countermarching < n the grounds, prancing of steeds and hauling of the commissary wagons into )i io. The men had passed a cold night, ra st of them sleeping on tne ground. Before the start Carl Browne formed the men into a hollow square and put them through a most remarkable drill. The staves were handled like guns, and when Browne shouted “glor a and peace" they cheered three times shrilly and waved their sticks in the air. These evolutions were performed by the main body of the army. The army entered the city and attempted to carry out the program and hold a meeting on the (. apitol steps. Extra police were on hand, however, and the officers charged upon and dispersed the industrials. Coxey and Browns were arrested. The officer who captui ed the leader of the “army" failed to recognize his prisoner, and after escorting him outside the grounds, let him go. Browne, however, was taken to the police headquarters and thence directly to court, had been kept open to await his coming. Coxey got into the carriage with his wife and led his mon to the new camp south of the Capitol grounds. When the army reached the Capitol grounds, Coxey and Brown dismounted and started up the steps, followed by a crowd, of their followers and curious idlers. was great confusion and the mounted police charged into the throng, which scattered immediately. The Critical Moment. It can therefore be said, says a Washington dispatch, that Coxey‘s famous march has passed into history without the shedding of blood. Blit though blocdless, this last day’s march of the Coxeyites was verv interesting. Coxey was to have led his followers io and up the Capitol steps, but all his followers.save Browne, were checked at the entrance to the grounds. This was the critical moment of the march. No time since the army left Massillon was so fraught with possible danger to the public. A week ago a clash was expected. Some hothead, not Coxey, would, it was feared, appear from the ranks, and with a few words inflame his fellows and lead them against those who opposed the army’s advance. It was feared, too. that this time would be seized upon by some reckless bombthrower to hurl his deadly missile, and spread death, destruction, and terror throughout the capital.