d for
ten, was raised in New York and Chicago in May, 1886. Here and there a
compromise of nine hours was agreed upon with a half of each Saturday
for the employes, but in other cases the employers would not yield
anything. This issue led to the strike of 40,000 workmen in Chicago, who
were chiefly lumbermen, brickmakers, freight-handlers, iron-workers, and
men employed in factories. So many people were idle that business of all
kinds suffered. Naturally there were many parades and much
speech-making. That "an idle mind is the devil's workshop" was proven by
the appearance of the communistic red flag in some of the parades and by
the savage utterances of their speech-makers.

The pork packers and brewers amicably adjusted the strikes of their men,
but the majority of the employers refused to concede anything. Sunday,
the 2d of May, passed without incident, but the police knew the
anarchists were plotting and trouble was at hand. Probably 12,000
strikers gathered the next day at the McCormick Reaper Works on Western
Avenue, where they shattered the windows with stones. At the moment an
attack was about to be made upon the buildings, a patrol wagon dashed up
with twelve policemen, who sprang to the ground. Drawing their revolvers
they faced the mob and ordered them to disperse. They were answered with
a volley of stones. The policemen fired twice over the heads of the
rioters, thereby encouraging instead of intimidating them. Seeing the
folly of throwing away their shots, the policemen now fired directly at
the rioters, who answered with pistol-shots, but they did not hit any of
the officers.

Other patrol wagons hurried up, and the officers did not wait until they
could leap out before opening fire. Their brave attack forced back the
mob, and in the course of an hour the streets were cleared. The
terrified workmen were escorted by the policemen to their homes. But for
such protection they would have been killed by the infuriated rioters.

Tuesday was marked by many affrays between the officers and
law-breakers, but no serious conflict occurred. Placards were
distributed during the day, calling upon the "workingmen" to meet that
evening at the old Haymarket Place, and the organ of the anarchists
urged the men to arm against the police. At the meeting the most
incendiary speeches were made, and the speakers had roused the several
thousand listeners to the highest pitch of excitement, when Inspector
Bonfield at the head