People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1895 — FIRED ON STRIKERS. [ARTICLE]

FIRED ON STRIKERS.

SEVENTH REGIMENT SCATTERS A BROOKLYN MOB. Militia Protecting Themselvei from a Continuous Shower of Stones—Public Opinion In Brooklyn on the Side of the Strikers. New York, Jan. 22. —Company F' Seventh Regiment, this city, fired the ffrst shots in the Brooklyn strike disturbance last night. They fired over the heads of the strikers and their sympathizers and sent the mob scattering. As far as known no oue was injured in the volley, though manj' people’ were injured at various points i during the day The Seventh regiment’s Gates avenue experience was supplemented with another conflict at Halsey street and • .Howard avenue. The policemen withdrew for the night at 8 o’clock, when the cars stopped running. Q>l. Appleton immediately placed a dead line. A crowd gathered at Howard avenue, jeered at the soldiers, and finalty one of them fired a shot. Capt. Palmer, in charge of the picked men, promptly gave an order to fire. Many of the crowd fell and it is believed that quite a number were int jured. Capt. Palftier said he saw several men fall. A little later another mob gathered at the Halsey street end of the depot. ’ Col. Appleton addressed the mob. He asked them to leave peaceably , and go to their homes. The mob showed no disposition io disperse, and a company of soldiers charged upon it with fixed bayonets. The scattered in all directions. The prospect for to-day is that the linemen, ■ of whom there are 300, may join their fellows now out. ' Such an extension • of the strike would leave the companies temporarily at the mercy of the wire cutters. The first car yesterday was started about 5 o’clock. It was occupied by railroad officials, reporters, and nonunion men, and was guarded by the three militia companies marching in front. The car was flanked by fifty policemen and followed by twenty-five mounted policemen. Crowds formed in the streets in a short time. livery one was driven before the bayonets of the militiamen. The latter ordered 'Vhe storekeepers to lock their stores and all the housekeepers were directed to lock and bar their doors. The ear had not proceeded far before it was stopped by obstructions on the track, and after the police had vainly tried to disperse the mob the militiamen were ordered to shoot, but when the word to fire was not given the mob returned to the assault. Bricks . and stones were thrown repeatedly at the stalled car, and the men inside crawled under the seats to avoid injury. | The word “fire” was finally given by the captain and immediately 100 rifles were brought'into position. A second and then a belching fire was poured % from the muzzles of the guns. But the militiamen had evidently been ordered to shoot over the heads of the men, because no'one of the assailants were injured. The crowd of 2,000 people fell back and all expected to see dead and dying around them. They retreated, and men women and children were trampled upon. The car then proceeded on its way to the station at Ralph avenue. If anything, the situation in Brooklyn was complicated by the calling out of the state troops, who do not carry the respect of the community even to the extent that the police do, and Mayor Schieren was roundly denounced on all sides to-day for loading Kings with an expenditure of $12,000 ’a day to keep up this empty and riot provoking show of force. Some went so far as to say there would never have been any demonstrations if the state troops had not been called out and assert the police were amply able to con trcl the strikers. The New York regiments marched tor the scene of operations between 5 hnd 6 o'clock in the morning and by 9 o’clock had been disposed about the city in the most important positions. The headquarters of the National guard is on the top floor of the Brook- ' lyn Hall of Records. - eral James McLeer is still in command. The boasts made by Presidents Norton and Lewis of the Atlantic avenue and Brooklyn City roads, respectively, that • they could, if properly protected, run every car on their lines have not • been made good. The protection they asked for has been given; the cars they promised fiave not been run. The presidents now admit what has been suspected, that they have not succeeded in getting enough men to operate the systems. There was a report at mili- ; tary headquarters at midnight that it ; had been decided if the Brooklyn cars were not running by 8 o'clock this morning to send the First brigade back to New York. The city officials will then take charge of the roads on ; the ground that the companies have been unable to run their cars, although given the protection they ■wanted. Business men all-over the city are contributing to the strike cause. The board of aide, men of Brooklyn is as a unit in sympathy with the strikers. The whole police force of New York excepting those members of the force : who are sick, and those specially detailed to special duty'were ordered by Supt. Byrnq§ tg duty pendihg develop-

ments in Brooklyn. The First battalion of the naval reserve was mustered on board the United States ship New Hampshire at the foot of Twentyeighth street. East river, awaiting orders to proceed to Brooklyn. Commander J. W. Miller received orders from Gov. Morton Sunday to have his men ready for active service at that hour. The First batallion in its foui divisions consists of 320 se amen and thirty officers.