Tuesday April 10, 1906
San Francisco, California - Police Attack Protest of Workingmen

On the evening of April 8th a meeting of workingmen was held to protest the ongoing conspiracy by the authorities of Colorado and Idaho to send the officers of the Western Federation of Miners to the gallows. The meeting was peaceful, however the police objected to the flying of a Red Flag inscribed with the message: "Workingmen Unite."

What is being referred to as the Red Flag Riot in the nation's kept press began at Lotta's Fountain near Kearny and Market streets when a detective and a policeman took it upon themselves to forcibly tear down the workers' flag, the flag of our martyrs, and to arrest George S. Holmes, a metal worker, who was, at the time of his arrest, delivering an address to the peaceably assembled protesters.

From The San Francisco Call of April 9, 1906:

Riot and disorder ran rampant in the vicinity of Kearny and Market streets early last evening. A battle, the fiercest since the days of the Denis Kearney disturbances, raged between what was believed to be an anarchistic demonstration and the police continuously for fifteen minutes, and it required thrice that amount of time to quell scattered outbreaks. During the melee Policemen Harry Seguine, John Stelzner and William Doran were badly beaten, the first named seriously. Citizens were struck with flying missiles and the windows of a streetcar were demolished.

Over 1500 men had marched in a body from a meeting at Woodward's Pavilion for the purpose of presenting to the newspapers resolutions condemning the action of the authorities in imprisoning three members of the Western Federation of Miners for complicity in the murder of ex-Governor Stuenenberg [Steunenberg] of Idaho. They gathered about Lotta's Fountain, and there the trouble occurred that necessitated police reinforcements of large squads from different stations.

Rioters Raise Red Flag.

A red flag bearing the inscription, "Workingmen Unite," and fluttering from the top of the fountain above the head of an excited speaker, incited the trouble. The police, construing the flag as a banner of anarchy, decided to remove it. Detective Tom Ryan, in a civilian's dress, and Policemen Cavanagh and Stelzner made their way through the crowd and tore the banner from its fastenings. Then they ordered the speaker to desist and dragged him to the ground.

This precipitated the riot, and men were hurled and tossed about like straws. Seventeen arrests in all were made and felony charges were placed against three of the men.

When the meeting adjourned at Woodward's Pavilion the crowd, 1500 in number, and headed by a band, marched six abreast down Market street. The procession halted at Lotta's Fountain, and when those in the rear had formed a part of the mob that surrounded the statue one of the party climbed and strung a red banner that had been carried in the parade from the cluster of lamps above.

Policemen Charge the Mob.

Willing hands then boosted a speaker to a position above the sea of heads. So great was the commotion that the prospective orator, A. C. McGinty, could not be heard. George S. Holmes, a metal-worker, residing at 953 Howard street, was urged to make the address, and he climbed to a place beside McGinty.

Holmes accomplished what McGinty could not. Motions for silence had their effect, and he was well advanced in his speech, the flag fluttering above him, when the police were called. Policeman Jack Stelzner and Detective Tom Ryan came from the Hall of Justice, and at Kearny and Geary streets were joined by Policeman W. J. Cavanagh. The three officers hurried through the crowd, and, gaining the base of the statue, Ryan reached up, seized the flag and pulled it from where it had been tied. When he passed the banner to Stelzner he ordered Holmes to come down. The latter refused and he was pulled to the ground.

RYAN TEARS DOWN BANNER.

At sight of Ryan's actions a howl arose from the crowd. In the twinkling of an eye a furious mob was pressing forward. Stelzner was seized and knocked about by those who endeavored to regain possession of the flag. Cavanagh and Ryan came to his assistance and a hand to hand struggle ensued. Clubs and fists flew thick and fast and men went down only to arise again and continue the battle.

Finally the odds became too great for the policemen and the banner passed into the hands of its owners. Detective Ryan still held on to Holmes and resisted all efforts to lose him as a prisoner. Meanwhile Stelzner and Cavanagh continued to drag the men who remained on the statue to the ground. Before this was accomplished Stelzner received a vicious kick in the chin, but Cavanagh escaped without serious injury.

Attention was withdrawn from the fountain at this juncture, for it was noticed that Ryan was backing out of the crowd with his charge, swinging his club right and left as he went. Loud shouts called for the surrender of the prisoner, but one by one the men who would release him went down under the stroke of the officers' clubs. The distance to the car track was not great, and fortunately for the minions of the law a car was passing. An attempt to board the vehicle was made by the police, but they were crowded off by men who stood on the steps eager to witness what was going on.

PRISONERS TAKEN ON CAR.

The car continued on its journey to the corner and this gave the police an opportunity. Following in it's wake and where the crowd could not interrupt their passage, they reached the next stopping place at the corner. Quickly Ryan got his man aboard and shouted to the motorman to rush ahead. Before this order could be obeyed the angered rioters realized that their game was gone.

Quickly they made another attack. A building in course of construction and about which were scattered bricks, terra cotta and other debris, furnished what the rioters were looking for. Instantly a volley of bricks, scraps of iron and blocks of wood struck the vehicle and a crash of glass followed. Terrified passengers fell to the floor and those who were on the outside jumped to the street in an effort to escape. Several people were struck and Ryan himself felt the force of a missile. The motorman manfully stuck to his post, despite the threats of the crowd, and forced those ahead of him on the track to leave his path. Cavanagh and Stelzner kept in the wake of the car, as its speed was slow, and endeavored to beat back the immense mob that followed.

CAR ATTACKED BY RIOTERS.

Before Post street was reached the motorman succeeded in increasing his speed to such an extent that he was able to leave the crowd. His orders were to stop at no stations until he reached the Hall of Justice. And so, with his car in which nearly every window had been demolished and portions of woodwork broken, he sped along with the manacled orator.

Cavanagh and Stelzner were left to the mercy of the maddened crowd. The latter, cheated of their leader, lost no time in attacking the officers. These two men, reinforced by Officers William Doran and Harry Seguine, fought a fierce battle for nearly ten minutes. Time after time the policemen were struck by bricks and went down, but they stayed in the fight and used their clubs in every direction. No mercy was shown by either side in the combat and it looked for a time as if the policemen would have to resort to the use of their weapons. This fortunately did not occur, and, although torn and bloody, they fought like demons.

News quickly reached the Central police station of what was going on and Sergeant Lional Shaw, in charge, immediately sent out a riot alarm to all the stations in the vicinity. This action brought many more blue coats and when they pitched into the fracas order was somewhat restored. The scene of trouble was then transferred back to Lotta's Fountain. Most of the mob had started to return and another attack was planned upon the police, who, by this time, numbered nearly thirty, and started to disperse the crowd.

MOB IS HARD TO SUBDUE.

The presence of the police seemed to have no effect upon the rioters. Again and again they rushed forward, casting bricks and striking at the policemen, hurling epithets at them and cursing them for their action. Again and again the police repulsed their assailants and carted off wagon after wagon load to jail. Jeers were heard at every hand and each time an arrest was made an effort would follow to release the prisoner.

The police were fortunate and, with the exception of two men who were on the statue and who were arrested during the first trouble by Cavanagh and Stelzner, not a prisoner was lost. The two latter men were obliged to sacrifice their prisoners in order to assist Ryan with Holmes to the car.

It was nearly an hour before the police succeeded in restoring quiet and clearing the streets. By this time they had arrested the following for disturbing the peace: Robert Miller, teamster; Alfred Kitchiner, laborer; Clyde Fonda, boilermaker; John Klingkamer, butcher; Andrew Schumacker, butcher; George S. Holmes, metal worker; Charles Kelly, metal worker; William Connelly, cement worker; Albert Krshak, laborer; John Pierson, tailor; William McDevitt, editor; Harry L. Sully, student, and Thomas Wardlow, schoolboy.

William Meyers, a laborer; Ben Michaels, a showman, and Rudolph Weiger, a laborer, were arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, and John Rubanik and George M. Powers were arrested on a charge of obstructing the sidewalk. The three former, it is charge, are three of the crowd that threw stones and injured the policemen. All the men, with the exception of Rubanik, were charged to Sergeant McGovern and posse.

The policemen most seriously injured is Jack Stelzner, who was severely cut in several places about the head by bricks; William Doran sustained an ugly gash on the forehead and Harry Seguine was badly kicked about the head and body.

While the patrol wagon was hurrying to the scene, William Howard, a tinsmith, residing at 869 Market street, was struck down and seriously injured. The quick action of Driver Nathan in pulling his horses to one side prevented what possibly might have been a fatal accident.

-----

[Captions added to some photographs, and photographs rearranged.]

SOURCE
The San Francisco Call
(San Francisco, California)
-Apr 9, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/80933677
https://www.newspapers.com/image/80933800

IMAGES
All images are from article above:
-Protestors Protect Worker's Red Flag, SF Call, Apr 9, 1906
-San Francisco Call, Apr9, 1906
-Red Flag Riot, SF Call, Apr 9, 1906
-George S Holmes, Metal-Worker, SF Call, April 9, 1906
-Red Flag Starts Riot, SF Call, Apr 9, 1906
(See links above.)

See also:
Denis Kearney
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Kearney

The Red Flag - Billy Bragg
Lyrics by Jim Connel, 1889
http://www.folkarchive.de/redflag.html

The workers' flag is deepest red,
It shrouded oft our martyred dead,
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold,
Their hearts' blood dyed its ev'ry fold.

Chorus:
Then raise the scarlet standard high.
Within its shade we'll live and die,
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer,
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Look 'round, the Frenchman loves its blaze,
The sturdy German chants its praise,
In Moscow's vaults its hymns are sung
Chicago swells the surging throng.

It waved above our infant might,
When all ahead seemed dark as night;
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We must not change its colour now.

It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.

It suits today the weak and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place
To cringe before the rich man's frown,
And haul the sacred emblem down.

With heads uncovered swear we all
To bear it onward till we fall;
Come dungeons dark or gallows grim,
This song shall be our parting hymn.

Note: I have changed "people's flag" to "workers' flag."
That is how it appears in my replica of the 1923 copy of
The Little Red Songbook (IWW Songs.)