Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1898 — RIOTERS SHOT DOWN. [ARTICLE]

RIOTERS SHOT DOWN.

BPANISH MOBS ASK BREAD, AND GET BULLETS. Violent Demonstrations Are Reported Throughout Spain—Restaur an ts. Shops, and the Homes of Merchants Stoned by Hungry Crowds. Many Killed or Wounded. Dispatches indicate that the crisis In (Spain has become intensified. The queen regent is rapidly losing the little popularity she has, and is now insolently referred to as “that Austrian woman.” It is believed she would quit Spain at once shoutd she believe that such a step would promote the interests of the infant king. Meanwhile the trouble in the provinces increases and the rioting may become a revolution. Thus far a number us persons hare been killed and wounded and several Buildings wrecked. In the financial world all is chaos. Runs on banka everywhere prevail, and the funds withdrawn are being hoarded. The speech of Lord Salisbury in London enraged the Spaniards. They discern that with England in sympathy with America the other European powers will hesitate to act for Spain. The outlook in Madrid grows darker every hour that passes. Reports of riot pour in from the provinces, and in most cases there has been bloodshed. A serious disturbance occurred at Caceres, and a still more violent demonstration took place at I.eon, where large crowds of women and children paraded the streets crying, “Give us bread or work.” These paraders were joined by large numbers of men, and the disorder became greater. The mob stoned the restaurants, provision shops, and the bouses of merchants, breaking doors and windows and seizing everything they could lay hands on. The civil guard called upon the crowd to disperse, but the demand was refused, whereupon the troops fired a volley into the mob. A mob of 10,000 persons rioted at Helquist and plundered houses on all sides. The police fired into the crowd. Eight thousand miners, who are on strike at Murcia, paraded the streets shouting “Death to the thieves,” “Down with the octroi dues.” The mob tried to set tire to the railway station and a number of other buildings, but was not successful. The mob then marched on Cartagena, but was intercepted by troops, who fired upon and wounded several of the rioters. All these disturbances are due to economic causes, to the great dearth of wheat and the consequent advance in the price of bread, and the closing of factories and workshops, owing to the complete paral.vxation of trade and'the prohibitive prices of coal and raw materials. The government is adopting drastic measures to keep food in the country. A bill passed the cortes, to come into immediate operation, totally prohibiting expirt of wheat, flour and potatoes.