Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1902 — RIOTS IN CHICAGO. [ARTICLE]

RIOTS IN CHICAGO.

TEAMBTERS’ STRIKE CAUSES DISORDER IN THE BTREETS. 4 ; • rt . Meat Caravan Is Mobbed and Police Escorts Are Forced to Draw Revolver* Sympathetic Teamsters Obstruct Packers' Wagons. Police were compelled to draw revolvers and use their clubs freely Wednesday to clear the way through thousands of strikers and sympathizers in the Chicago downtown district in order to allow the clerk-drivers of wagons for the packers to make deliveries of meat. Every inch pf progress was marked by stubborn resistance by the rioters. At times bricks and missiles were hurled through the air, periling thrives of the blueconts as well as the stock yards men. From Twentysecond street and Wabash avenue to South Water street, where the last loads were delivered, a jeering, shouting, disorderly mob blocked traffic and Mndered the progress of the caravan of wagons. Progress was hindered not a little by drivers of other vehicles, who deliberately brought their teams into the way, and In one Instance it was necessary to beat such an offender into insensibility before he could be taken in charge. In Michigan avenue several automobiles, one of them containing women, were caught in the jam, and the crowd threatened for a time to not only demolish the machines, but to do bodily harm to the. women.

Cable trains along the route and trolleys were blocked and hundreds of pertons sought the vantage ground of the roofs of cars, from which place they hurled missives and when their stock of Stones or whatever they happened to have gathered from the streets gave out they contented themselves with taunting the protectors of the meat men. As the wagons drew toward South Water street the crowds became more enraged and police were practically powerless to cope with the throngs. Near Randolph and Dearborn streets there was a ton of coal on the walk waiting delivery, but when the wagons had forced a way past the place there was not a sign 9t the coal where it had been. Hundreds

of persons seized it and for a time it literally rained coal. Officers were struck, out no one was seriously injured. Platoons of policemen stood nt every corner from Van Buren to Harrison streets on State street, and fought the crowds to allow the packers to deliver meat. The police formed a hollow square tn front of the retail markets, and with clubs fought tho crowds. The latter threw stones and bricks as the packers attempted to unload their meats. Two hundred policemen charged the rioters in Stato street under orders from Inspector Hunt to “Beat them down with clubs.” No shots were fired.