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POLICE ACTION HEADS OFF A RIOT SCENEOnly the levol-headedness and fairness of a police official saved a situation last night that threatened for five minutes to develop into one of the most serious riots that has occurred in Chicago for several years.It was the riot that broke out when a sprinkling wagon driver drenched an audience of approximately 1.000 men and women listening to a lecture given by Arthur Morrow Lewis, the Socialist lecturer.And to make the affair appear stiil more serious the driver later admitted he was acting under orders.Arthur Morrow Lewis, the lecturer, was addressing the meeting. He was talking of the need for peace; of the folly of workingmen of Europe killing each other in the war of a handful of kings.A great part of his audience was composed of women. Suddenly Christopher Mecca, driving the sprinkling wagon, got close to the crowd and let go a heavy stream of water.Those on the outside were drenched. There was a roar of indignation and the people made for the driver. The timely appearance of Lieut. Wesley Westbrook and a squad of police saved the mun from violence.The lieutenant cleared the streets. Then the people told him of the driver's action. The man was taken to tfie E. Chicago av. station. Lewis also went to the station to diBcuss the matter -with the lieutenant.The case was laid oefore Westbrook. And Westbrook began to 'question Mecca. Under the lieutenant's grilling the man practically admitted he was given orders to leave his water turned on as he passed the crowd.I ought to lock you up right now. said Westbrook, and I will if you ever do it again. But I’m going to let you go now because I realize you're merely a tool for some one else. I know you were given orders |to do what you did. You’re probablj powerless to refuse to obey. So you can go now.Lieut. Westbrook later made a statement.No man can break up any meeting in my district unless he is ordered to do so. And the police under my command will disturb no speaker no matter how radical his political or religious dews might be as long as he obeys the law which says a street speaker must not advocate violence, use profane language or obstruct the streets to such an extent that passage ia impossible.After the conference in Westbrook's office I-ewis returned to the corner and made a speech explaining the lieutenant's promise. According to residents of the vicinity Lewis has been particularly careful to observe the police regulations and they are very much incensed at what they call a plot to throttle free speech. o—o •MYSTERY IN TELEGRAM WHICH THREATENS DEATHMystery surrounds the sending of a message to Mrs. M. Powers, said to reside at 2159 N. Western av., In which a friend warned her that Junior” left New York for Chicago for the express purpose of killing her.The telegram was picked up by an usher at the LaSalle street station in a telephone booth there. Later the police stated that the woman mentioned in the message was Mrs. Margaret Powers and gave her address on N. Wtetern av At that address, however, it was stated that she is unknown.Relatives of Mrs; Powers. Mr. and Mrs. John J. Fiarrington, 484-4 N. Albany av., treated the. matter as a joke. Later, however, it developed that Mrs. Powers was missing, which only served to darken the affair.Servian Red Cross Society got $1,-000 at mass meeting • in • Empress Opera House in Hegewisch. •
Newspaper Details
Chicago Day Book
Chicago, Illinois, US
Tue, Aug 11, 1914
Page 19
Full Page
Clipped by
Hester F.
USA 05 Oct 2023
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