Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1910 — POLICE BEAT GATHERING [ARTICLE]

POLICE BEAT GATHERING

Number Injured Not Even Estimated MANY WOMEN INJURED Clash Starts at Ball Park Where Police Retuse Admittance. 20,000 PARTICIPATE IN RIOTING Outlook For Today Is GloomyMany Are In Hospitals.

Philadelphia, March 11.-»The police fought and whipped 20,000 strikers and labor union sympathizers in the heart of the city Thursday afternoon. The thoroughfares were choked with men and women who struggled to break down the police barricades and surround the city hall. They were leaderless and in wildest disorder. Hundreds were pounded to the street, trampled by men and horses, kicked and cuffed and hurled to side streets. It is impossible to say how many are hurt. The police troubled to make few arrests, but after the mob was broken there were to be seen scores of meh, and now and then women, who had been injured by savage blows of a club, whose faces were bloody, or who Were nursing an arm paralyzed by the smashing impact of a police mace. The clash of intention by the union labor forces and Henry Clay, the director of public safety, was widely known. The board of strategy of the Central Labor Union, the association called the committee of ten, issued a call for a mass meeting-in the National league park. Mr. Clay, acting under orders from the mayor, forbade the meeting. The vanguard of the unions reached the ball park about noon. They found every gate to the park closed and barred and police lined up at all of the entrances. Delegation after delegation arrived. Then Messrs. Pratt and Murphy arrived and demanded admittance to the park. There was a bluster of words between the union chiefs and the lieutenant on duty at the park. The police were firm in refusing them admittance. Finally Pratt and his party left and headed down the street Some one started the cry: "Chiefs were leading a march to the city hall. There Was a yell raised, “On to the city hall.” Then the stampede started.

For a distance of two miles frqm the baseball grounds to Spring Gar-' den street, Captain Taylor had posted at short Intervals more than 1,000 policemen, while troops of police cavalry trotted up and down the sides of Broad street In reserve. A short distance from the park a squad of negro police blocked the street. They were ordered to tear Into the crowd and they did, at the same moment the cavalry came from the side street It was the beginning of the strategy Taylor had planned to divide the mob Into sections and then hammer each section Into the nearest side street. The plan was carried out Street by street the details of police hammered the crowds off the highways. There waa a long series of encounters. Men darted out of the fighting holding their hands to their heads. Often the hands were dripping blood. The women were been to claw at the faces of the blueboats and hurt shoes. When they refused to be driven, they were knocked down. It was not at all uncommon to kee a woman pick herself up clutching at her head.

Details from stations nearby were rushed to the scene on horseback in large numbers. It was simply an onslaught. There was no attempt by the men and women to fight back. For ten minutes It was a wild scene [When it was over, only scattered hundreds remained upon the streets. The best had fled in by streets. Once detached from the main body the polios kept them on the run. For the most (part the victims of the police clubs were taken away by friends. Some were sent to hospitals. Around the city hall while the fighting was fiercest, northward on Broad street were at least 10,000 people. There is not the bllghtest indication that a peaceful day is in sight. No amount of persuasion or threats will have any effect on the directors' of the strike. The mayor Isays he can whip the mobs with the police force he now has. , / FEDERATiONUPHOLDS STRIKE President Taft Will Be Asked to Inter* vens In Philadelphia. Newcastle, Pa., March Id.—By a 1 unanimous vote the representatives of the labor -crafts in all ports of Pennitylvania ae’f-M fob* reedy for ►