Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1908 — MOB DRAWS ITS GUN [ARTICLE]

MOB DRAWS ITS GUN

Strike Riot at Cleveland In Which Bullets Find four Those Engaged.

BIOTIBS BEGIH THE SHOOTIVG

Three Street Oar Mea Are Bit sad One of the Bioton.

All Ar* SertouMy Hurt—Ltttl* Girl Run Over and Decapitated— Negotiation* for Peace Still Deadlocked.

Rioting has become more general and wrious In the street railway strike at Cleveland. O. The first death, nit! « upt a part of the strike, but Incidei't to it. occurred when Yetta Wollit’ts.i. fnu years of age, was run ovei b.v .1 ear operated by one of the new motormen. The child was decapitated. A crowd quickly gathered and would have lynched the motorman had he not turned on full speed and escaped. Then It tried to lynch th* conductor, who had taken refuge In a drug store. Police saved his life. In Lakewood a car was stopped and the crew fired upon. Four persons were shot and seriously Injured and a car was burned to the trucks.

Trouble Expected and No Police. The flrat disturbance in the downtown section also took place after dark when a Woodland car was held up on Ontario street, and the motonnan and conductor attacked. The police dispersed the rioters. The /turning of a Clifton boulevard car in Lakewood was the most serious riot of the strike. The car was toward the western terminal when it was stopped by a log being thrown across the track. It was the first effort to operate a car in Lakewood, and the car carried no passengers, as trouble was expected when an attempt should be made to open the line.

Mob Opens Fire with Pistols. As soon as the car stopped it was surrounded by a crowd of rioters who were hidden behind a railway bridge. Immediately the crowd began shooting at the members of the crew and guards. The latter, W. J. Eames and John Swanto, returned the Are. All told over thirty shots were exchanged. While the shooting was in progress the crowd grew to nearly a thousand. Another car arrived, and its crew and guards Joined In the free-for-all tight.

Then the Firebug Begins Work.

Gasoline was poured upon the second car and it was burned to the trucks. The Cleveland police were notified and sixty oflicers were sent to the rescue. The first car. riddled with bullets and windows broken, proceeded to the carbarn. Motorman I*. C. Klsholz was shot In the leg; John Gray and George Alexander, guards on the second car, were shot in the chest. Mace Burlingame, who was In the crowd which made the attack, was shot In the hand. All were taken to a hospital, from where they were reported to be In a serious condition.

Civil End of the Dispute.

The state arbitrators took up their task of endeavoring to effect a reconciliation between the strikers and the Municipal Traction company and were in session several hours. While the car service was slightly Improved the general situation appears so serious that possibilities of a speedy settlement now are regarded as somewhat remote. The members of the carmen’s union have begun a series of meetings for the purpose of arousing sympathy, and to appeal to the public to refrain from using the cars until the union wins the fight. At these meetings the proposition also of petitioning the city council to order a public vote as to whether the franchise recently granted, and under which the Municipal Traction company is operating, shall become effective. This proposal is based upon the new initiative and referendum law, enacted by the state legislature a few weeks ago. The petition will make it obligatory on the council to submit the matter to a vote.

Started by the Striker*.

The movement was started by the strikers. Over 10,000 petitions have been printed. It Is regarded by the union men that public sentiment regarding the railway company now la of such a character that they will have no difficulty in obtaining the signatures to the petitions. The vote, should It be against the franchise. It is alleged. would have the effect of Invalidating it. Apparently only one point stands between the union and President DuPont, of the traction company, in the matter of a peaceful settlement of all points in controversy. DuPont said that he would take the strikers back to work only aa “new” men, and that those who remained with the company would be given preference. Vice President Behner, of the union, positively declined to waive this point

Railroad* Indicted.

Indictments for the acceptance of rebates on cotton shipments have been returned at New Orleans against the Illinois Central and the Yasoo and Mississippi Valley railroads by a federal grand jury.