The Haymarket Riot: Blood on The Streets of America
by More Prisoners of Eternity.
Industrial disputes were on the increase in fast-industrialising late nineteenth century America, and it was not uncommon for them to turn violent. Indeed, the factory owners would often employ agent-provocateurs to ensure that they did. On four May, 1886, events at Haymarket Square, Chicago, were to leave the city traumatised.
The United States of America underwent massive industrial expansion at the end of the 19th century. It also underwent massive immigration as the poor of the Old World flocked to the shores of the New seeking a better life. The two would invariably come together and many of the industrial workers in the major cities were immigrants or the children of immigrants. It was perhaps inevitable then that the attitude of the indigenous population would often be less than welcoming and likewise be reflected in its often fractious industrial relations.
The conditions in many of the factories were atrocious and little if any provision was made for the workers. The immigrants themselves had brought Old World attitudes and a tradition of collective action in defence of their rights with them, and despite often violent opposition from employers trade unions were quickly formed. The largest of these was the Knights of Labour. It campaigned for higher pay, shorter hours and employee benefits. By the 1880’s it could boast a membership of over 700,000.
On 1 May, 1886, workers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company in Chicago, mostly German and Irish immigrants, went on strike demanding an 8 hour day. It was common practice at the time for employers to use strong arm tactics to end disputes, employing organisations such as the Pinkerton Agency to beat and intimidate employees back to work. These would often have the tacit support of the police. On 3 May, the strikers were picketing the factory gates as the police protected strike-breakers entering. In the scuffles that followed 1 man was killed and many more injured. In the view of the strike leaders the violence was a result of police brutality (after all it wouldn’t be the first time) and the mostly anarchist and socialist leadership of the Union hastily organised a mass-rally in protest to take place in Haymarket Square, a centre of commercial activity in the city, the following day. The crowd was expected to be large but inclement weather and the fear of intimidation reduced the numbers attending considerably but the sense of anger was still intense and violence was feared. The strike leader, Auguste Spies, had tried his best to calm the situation and the Mayor of Chicago had ordered the police not to intervene. The rally itself had turned out to be something of a damp squib and the various speakers had failed to whip up much enthusiasm. As darkness began to fall the Mayor, who had been watching the rally from a safe distance, left the scene believing it had gone off peacefully. Upon his departure, however, the police chief in charge, in direct contravention of the Mayor’s instructions, ordered his officers to disperse the crowd. Fighting broke out and a bomb was thrown into the police cordon killing 8 officers and injuring a further 60. In response the police fired into the crowd causing panic among the demonstrators. In the gathering gloom and as some in the crowd fired back a stampede took place. In the ensuing mayhem many were shot and crushed to death. A reporter for the Chicago Herald newspaper reported seeing more than 50 bodies lying dead and wounded on the streets, though the official figure was given as only 4 killed. The city of Chicago was traumatised and terrified of what might be about to come.
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