1914-07-20sass

“The Socialists’ meetings that have been conducted every Saturday evening on the market were stopped Saturday evening by Deputy-Chief Whatley”.

Hamilton Times.  July 20, 1914.

On Saturdays in July 1914, beginning long before sunrise, the Market Square behind the James street Hamilton City Hall, was a hive of activity.

Farmers and vendors of all sorts were present to sell fruits, vegetables, and meat and much more to city residents.

After the Saturday supper hour, the big open space was mostly empty. In July, 1914, political activists, notably Socialists, began to carry on public meetings at which speakers’ would attract a crowd to which they could forcibly proclaim their views.

Deputy Police Chief Whatley was no shrinking violet when it came to enforcing his views of the law. On Saturday, July 18, 1914, he ordered the Socialists to vacate the Market Square:

“Although there were no untoward disturbances, the deputy chief thought that it would be better to have them stopped, as on some other evenings the arguments have waxed so strong that pedestrians have been interfered with by the large crowd that gathers there.”¹

¹ “Had to Stop It : Socialists’ Meeting Was Interfering With Traffic.”

Hamilton Times. July 20, 1914.

The breaking up of the meeting provoked what the Hamilton Spectator called “an adverse storm of criticism being wafted towards Deputy Chief Whatley.”

The Spectator assigned a reporter to interview the deputy chief, to give him an opportunity to explain his actions:

“ ‘ I can easily explain,’ replied the deputy chief when questioned. ‘The language of the speaker was such that boded no good. The Stars and Stripes, of the United States, and the Union Jack of Great Britain were defamed.

“ ‘The judges and magistrates of the country were belittled and the language was such as to incite riots. In fact, there were several street brawls.

“ ‘Today, a deputation of socialists called on  me in my office and we had an understanding. I willingly agreed to allow the meetings to go on, providing the speaker who was present on Saturday night, was not allowed to speak again, and providing that the meeting was of a quiet nature, and not calculated to create ill-feeling or disorderly conduct.’ ”²

²  “Police Tell Why They Interfered : Thought Speakers’ Remarks Might Incite Riot : Understanding Reached at Conference Today.”

Hamilton Spectator.  July 20, 1914.

There had been much anger and the deputy chief’s actions when he broke up the meeting, and by Monday morning, the Spectator had received a number of letters protesting against the police preventing free speech and the right of free assembly.

Later in the day, the subject of the Socialists’ meetings came up in Hamilton Police Court, arising out of an incident which had taken place before the deputy-chief had broken up the meeting.

One of the Socialists, Walter Wilson, was charged with assaulting a fourteen year old boy:

“The boy admitted throwing an onion at the accused and stated that Wilson ran at him, and struck him on the nose. Wilson stated that the boy had been with several others and that he had constantly interrupted his meetings.”³

³ “Magistrate Talks to Socialists”

Hamilton Times. July 21, 1914.

Before giving his ruling on the case, Police Magistrate fully outlined his views on the Socialist meeting being held on the Market Square:

“ ‘ These public socialistic meetings inevitably lead to disorder,’ said the magistrate. ‘The speakers take occasion to ridicule the authorities, and the people will not stand for it. If the socialists believe they have something new to tell the people, they have recourse to printed literature, but instead of that they hold public meetings, harangue the crowd and lead them astray by running down the King and the magistrates of the country.

“ ‘I sympathize with you when boys throw onions and other vegetables and hang around your skirts, but if you take my advice you’ll hire a hall for your meetings. You have the right of free speech, but if you hold these meetings on the street, people will hiss you, and boys will throw things. If you’ve got something worth hearing, people will pay to hear it.

“ ‘I’ll dismiss this charge, but take a little advice from me – hire a hall,’ concluded the magistrate.”⁴

⁴ “ Magistrate Talks to the Socialists : Advises Them Not to Talk on Market”

Hamilton Spectator.  July 21, 1914.