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CHAPTER II.
THE LEMONT MASSACRE
THE STRIKE OF THE QUARRYMEN IN LEMONT, LOCKPORT, AND JOLIET—THE SHERIFF INVOKES THE AID OF THE MILITIA—BOSS SINGER THROWS A MAN THROUGH THE POSTOFFICE WINDOW—THE SHERIFF READS THE RIOT ACT—INDIGNATION OF THE PEOPLE—THE MILITIA ENTERS LEMONET—TERROIZE THE INHABITANTS—THE MASSCRE—"TERMAGANTS"—ONE LAW FOR THE RICH, ANOTHER FOR THE POOR—MILITIAMEN MARCH AROUND IN PLATOONS TO PREVENT BEING MOBBED—CONDITIONS OF THE QUARRYMEN—LESSONS OF THE STRIKE.
Taken from "The Alarm" of May 16, 1885.
A strike of considerable proportions began among the stonequarrymen of Lemont, Lockport, and Joliet about four weeks ago. The demand was made for a uniform scale of wages and the restoration of last year's rates. There were about 3,000 men engaged in the movement, including the quarries at the towns mentioned above. The usual tactics of the propertied class were resorted to to defeat the strikers. They endeavored to fill the quarries with men who have for a long time been kept in compulsory idleness, and who necessities were consequently very great and pressing. As is the usual custom with unionists and strikers generally, the men sought to prevent the employment of these substitutes by any means at their disposal. The capitalists, as usual in such conflicts with their employes, fell back upon the law and called upon the Sheriff to protect them in their legal right to employ or discharge whomsoever they please. The Sheriff replied that, owing to the large body of men and their determination to fix the price of their own labor; it would be necessary for him to obtain the assistance of the military to protect the legal rights of the employers. This latter statement suited the quar-
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