Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1885 — MONTREAL’S MOB. [ARTICLE]

MONTREAL’S MOB.

The Canadian City the Scene of a Fearful Anti-Vaccina-tion Riot. A Howling Mob Wrecks Health Offices and Public Buildings—Residences Fired. [Montreal special.] Montreal was the acene of a violent riot this evening as the resnlt of the movement for compulsory vaccination. The FrenchCanadians have shown strong opposition to compulsory vaccination sin?e the start, and trouble has been feared. The English were determined, however, that no more delay would be allowed, and decided at once to carry compulsory measures into force. A branch office was started in the East End, and Orders were given to-day to begin the thorough vaccination of all persons in the French-Canadian quarter. At an early hour this morning the office was opened. A crowd at once began to assemble, and thebuilding was soon surrounded. Several French-Canadian citizens addressed the gathering, which was becoming more and more riotous, and advised pacific measures. A squad ot police was called out, and toward afternoon the mob dispersed, threatening, however, to return in the evening. They kepi their word. At seven o’clock to-night the building was surrounded by a noisy, threatening crowd of French-Canadians, who began operations by storming the Health Office, smashing all the windows, and creating a general havoc. The mob next went to the residence of Dr. Laberge, of the Medical Health Office, stoned it,and shouted defiance. On marched the mob, gathering in numbers as it went, its objective point being the City Hall. The authorities had by this time got wind of the mob’s intentions, and the fire-bells sounded a general alarm, calling the whole police force from the various stations to the Central Station at the City Hall. The mob arrived, however, before the police had mustered, and took possession of the streets around the hall. Showers of stones

were rained upon the building, and many windows were .shattered. The police were still in the stations, and, as usual, a delay occurred before they were ordered out When they first reached the street they had only their small wooden batons, which were utterly useless on the mob, which continued its work of destruction, moving completely around the building. An order was given to arm the force with muskets, but the men, strange to say, were kept standing in the station while the mob continued its work outside. Several of the policemen and the Mayor’s brother armed themselves with revolvers and blazed away from the door of the station, silencing the mob on that side. On the other side, however, the work was kept up, and ths health officer got a severe handling. A large number of people were here undergoing vaccination,-and had to fly from the mob. In the midst of the din a cry was raised, “To the newspaper office!” and in a few minutes the crowd, now numbering several thousand, had formed into line and were on tbe way. The mob marched down the principal streets, singing and shouting, and made for the office of the Mornin (/ Herald, a large fivestory building on Victoria Square. Their number was considerably increased on their way, and they surrounded the newspaper office several thousand strong. The building, which occupies a prominent position, was brilliantly lighted up; apd formed a good mark for the rioters. The windows were soon smashed, and the rioters took full vengeance upon the paper, which has been the most active and plain-spoken about the French- Canadians. For over half an hour the mob had It all their own way, the police remaining inactive in the station while the work of de-

struction was going on. While engaged at the newspaper office the rioters gave expression to various threats, and said they would show the English whether it was they or the French who would rule the city. The English were roundly abused, and a number of violent scenes occurred. When the police did arrive on the scene the mob again formed and marched back through the streets to the East End, where they held a mass meeting, and after several inflammatory speeches proceeded to the homes of several of the doctors and stoned them. The rioters before dispersing went'down to one of the objectionable vaccinator’s houses and fired it. The fire brigade were hastily summoned, and extinguished the fire before any damage was done. When the riot was at its height the cries were frequently raised. “Bum the city!” and “Down with the English!” That such a thing as the small-pox should serve to awaken race hostility is indeed remarkable; but the fact is that it has been the cause of more bitterness than even the most serious subject of quarrel. To state the case very simply, the French in Montreal have been harboring and breeding the small-pox with apparent indifference to the loss of life it was causing, and complete indifference to its effect? upon the ; English, population. The English have suffered to a small extent from the ravages of the disease—poor 'Sir Francis Hlncks fell a victim to it through infection carried to his house by a servant—but their business losses as the result of the prevalence of the epidemic have been most serious. The French would not vaccinate, were reluctant to lend themselves to any sanitary measures, but preferred to fight the disease, if at all, by pious observances and ceremonies. A gentleman on the Citizens’ Committee to-day proclaimed thatthere were at least 4,000 cases of small-pox in the city. The opening of the Theater Eoyal has been in- | definitely postponed on account of tfae epidemic. The health officials are encountering the most. determined opposition in their work of placarding, especially in the East End of the city, and several arrests > have been made.