People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1894 — MADE AN APPEAL [ARTICLE]

MADE AN APPEAL

Five Thousand of Boston’s Unemployed Invade the State House. They Make a Demand of the Legislature and Appeal to the Governor—Becoming Riotous the Police Drive Them Back. ALMOST A RIOT. Boston, Feb. 22.—The nnemployed troubles in this city culminated in a demonstration on the common Tuesday j afternoon which for a time threatened I to end in a rioL Five thousand men— { hungry, ragged and ugly—crowded into tbe state house and adjoining grounds and demanded immediate aid. The governor addressed them from the steps of the state house, although he made no satisfactory answer to their requests. An attempt was then made ' by the leaders of the demonstration to get a petition before the legislature, which was then in session, but the rules precluded this, and then things began to look serious. When M. 1. Swift, an avowed an- j archist and the spokesman of the mob, ■ appeared in one of the balconies and told them that the* legislature had refused to accept their petitions they broke into ‘yells and hisses. Swift leaned over the balcony railing and launched forth into an impashioued tirade against the legislators, who, he said, were too busy creating corporations to listen to the voices of starving men. He denounced the treatment the men had re- , ceived, and his threats to clean out the state house were received with approbation. The few policemen who had been detailed to take care of the crowd were powerless, and soon the police wagons from the nearer stations were flying j through the streets leading to ! Beacon hill, loaded with bluecoats, and soon there were 100 policemen; on the scene. Placing his hand upon Swift’s shoulder an officer warned him of the danger, and Swift stopped speaking. The furious crowd below mistook the action for an arrest and cursed the police. The speaker quickly assured his followers of the real state of affairs and the excitement subsided. Meanwhile the house of representatives had remained in session, and ' upon the advice of some of the members considered the petition from the ; mob. It was decided to appoint a ; committee of seven to meet representa- j tives of the unemployed to consider | ways and means for their relief. Speaker Meyer,of the house,sent a message to the crowd apprising them of this decision, and it appeased them greatly. A special attachment of police arrived at the side entrance of the state house. They entered and began forcing the mob slowly toward the big frontdoors. Clubs were drawn and the disgruntled crowd gave way. Then there was an uproar, and many of tiie desperate members urged an attack upon the legislature, but those more sensible prevailed and the crowd slowly retreated. The police forced them steadily back, but outside the gate the disappointed workmen refused to move farther. Finally the captains of the various police divisions held a hurried con- ! sultation and decided to drive them ! still farther back. The crowd slowly [ retreated across Beacon street and final- | ly halted iu the common. No attempt j was made to take another stand and I the men slowly disbanded. A committee was appointed to see 1 Gov. Greenhalge and present to him a ! petition asktog him to formulate and put into operation some plan to alleviate their suffering, They also I asked for state farm and factories j where the unemployed might work, j and to appoint a permanent conunis- | sion to attend to the wants of the un- I employed.