 The police claimed to have told the Committee of Safety organizer Peter J. McGuire about the change of decision, who claimed to have been out when the message was delivered.The Department of Parks decision certainly was not made known to the masses of protesters in time to cancel the demonstration the next morning.Over 7,000 workers gathered in Tompkins Square Park on January 13, 1874, including about 1,200 workers from the German Tenth Ward Workingmen’s Association.