DREADFUL RIOTS IN PHILADELPHIA, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 64, 24 October 1844, Page 4

DREADFUL RIOTS IN PHILADELPHIA, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT.

(Several persons killed, and forty wounded.) Yesterday aftetuoou, sajs the Pentylvania of Tuesday, a dreadful riot occurred in Kensington. At 4 o'clock, a meeting of the Native American Party was held at the corner of Second and Master Streets. The meeting was addressed by Mr. S. R. Kiamer, General Smith, and C. L. Levin. The rairr.coming on it adjourned to the market in the neighbourhood, where Mr. Levin recommenced his discourse -, he had not prooeeded far before a rush was made on the western side of the market-house in consequence of a gun, which is said to have been fiied acn ss a lot from the vicinity of the Hibernian Hose House ; then commenced one of the most dreadful scents that can well be imagined. Volley after volley was fired, and a rash was made over a lot in the direction of the Hibernian Hose House. From every street and bouse came running to she sceue of action, armed men—some with muskets, others with bludgeons auckstones ; many of these were accompanied by women, who urged them on, and directed them where to fire 'J ho e in possession of the market house maintained their ground and held aloft the flag, while the combatants filled every street in the vicinity. Some of them ran into homes, but they were waiched and the infuriated mob ttM n work and partially destroyed the houses in #hu4i they had taken refuge. In Cadwalader-street a similar frigh'fnl scene was presented. The honse of a widow into which a man ran, was attacked, its doors were broken open, and the rioters rushed in and broke the fur* niture into fragments. The riot lasted about an hour, during which time the reports of fire-arms numbered hundreds, and at least fifty persons fell from being wounded. Several persons were reported to have been killed. A yonng man named Temper was shot in the hip, and was wounJed in so shocking a manner that he cannot possibly survive. Among the buildings attacked was the Hibernia Hose House ; the lights of this were all knocked out, and the premises otherwise damaged. We believe that the flag was protected by those who had undertaken the venturesome task of protecting it, but what became of it \xe know not. The native American parly gradually dispersed ; and up to a late hour in the evening, comparative order prevailed. r

CONFLAGRATION AND LOSS OF LIFE.— NARROW ESCAPE OF CAPT. S. ABBOTT LAWRENCE, OF THIS CITY.—THIRTY HOUSES BURNED ? (From the Philadelphia Enquirer, of Wednesday.) We are compelled to record still more painful scenes, as having occurred in Kensington yesterday afternoon and evening. Language is inadequate to express the indignation and borror which these fearful outrages, embracing the slaughter of a nuras ber of citizens, have exciied in all properly regu,. lausd. minds. The impression is, that it the military had made their appearance upon ihe ground earlv, most of the tragical scenes of yesterday would have been prevented. The riots still continued yesterday. Twenty nine houses were destroyed by fire ; seven persons were killed, and a great number wounded, among the latter, S. Abbot Lawrence of Boston. We have given the account Of the deplorable scenes of Monday night, and of a large public meeting, produced by the excitement and indignation which was held in the State House yard on Tuesday afternoon. That meeting, on adjourning, proceeded to the Washington Market, Kensington. They had hardly assemblad there, however, before other appalling events took place, and several persons, native Americans, were shot down. The muskets were fired from the Hibernian Hose House opposite, and the bouses in the mighbourhood. As soou as these death=wounds were given, the excitement became intense. The Hose House was fired, and soon kindled into a blaze, which extended to a number of dwellings, frame aud brick on both sides, and in the rear, and the conflagration thus produce I, continued for hours. The Native Ameri cms were driven out of the Market House, butsoon rallied, while ever and anon, muskets were discharged by the Irish, some of which did fatal execution. v\ e give below a list of the killed and woundeff, as far as we have been able Vt ascertain. For squares around the scene of action, crowds assembled, exciting stories were related, painful details were given, while as the dead and wounded were carried along on sofas, expressions of indignation and sympathy ot the strongest kind were Utteied. We saw several bodies carried by us in this way. In some cases, the sufferers exhibited sights of a truly heart-rending- kind, their wounds bleeding, and their clothes dyed in blood. Dozens of families nay hundreds, were flying throughout the day and eveniug from the scene of peril, some in one die rec.ion and some in another. Among them old men and old wowm, mother's with little children, boys and girls—all excited and panic stricken. The burning houses with their Imid flames presented after nightfall another frightful feature of the scene. The melancholly result of the few hours during Which Ihe contest between the Irishmen and native Americans raged, is briefly told in the following list of killed and wounded, KILLED, John Sheefes, painter, shot through the head—died instantly. George Siievel, rope maker, Southwark—ball entered his neck and passed through one of his lung, and the heart.

LuiisGrebel, at the cutter, Southwark—bul' et entered his right temple and passed out at the ciown of the head, tearing iff a portion of the scalp Wesley J. Rheindo'la, shoemaker —ball entered his back at the ri^ht shoulder, traversed his body diagonally, and passed out at the left breast. William E. Hil!ma<;—-ball entered at # ' his right should-.r.

Joseph Ride—-bullet entered his head, and killed bim instantly. (Mr. Rice was not engaged in the affray, but had left his house for a moment, and was looking over the fence when the ball struck him.) Matthew Hammilt, ship oarpenter—ball entered one of his ears, died instantly. WOUNDED. Henry Hesselbanch, a tavern.keeper, ball passed through the fleshy part ol the hand. James Whitaker, ball entered his right thigh, and splintered the bone. Charles Orte , shot with a slug, in the head, the superior part of the skull is fractured. % George Young, bullet entered his left breast and passed out at his back. He is probably dead ; the wound is fatal.

Augustus Peale, bullet entered his left arm above the elbow, and badly fractured it. The ball was abstracted, peifectly flat. Wright J. Ardis.ship carpenter, shot through the him, dangerously wounded. John Luther, bullet entered his left breast, inflict* ing a mortal wound. He is probably dead. John Taggart, shot in the forehead and badly beaten, wounds and injuries mortal. He isprohably dead.

■■ Taylor, butcher, Southwark, struck by a spent ball in the eye, wound dangerous. John Pagan, bail entered his shoulder and passed out the back.

Two boys were wounded in the abdomen slightly and we heard of five men whose names we could not learu wW-stfere wounded more or less dangerously.

James Brown, broken leg, occasioned by running against an awning post, A man whose name is unknown, had the patella, or cap of his knee dislocated. Washington Acyberger, badly wounded.

An Irishman who came out of an alley, levelled his musket and shot a man, returned probably to re-load. He was watched and soon appeared again, when he levelled bis piece at another. He was seized while in the act of pulling the trigger, his musket was taken from him, and on being searched, a flask of powder and a number of balls were found in his possession. While on his way to the Alderman's office a rope was put round his neck, he was dragged through the streets by the populace, partially hung in the Second Street Market to a hook—and so severely beaten and injured that he is not likely to recover.

S, Abbot Lawrence, a young man, a nephew of Abbot Lawrence of Boston, was standing on the outskirts of the crowd,when a bullet struck him and caused him much pain. It appeared upon examination that the ball had struck bis waistcoat, and lodged against a cent, which was in the pocket, by which its course Was stopped. The cent was completely bent up, and the escape of Mr. Lawrence may be certainly considered providential, A drooping fire of musketry was continued on both sides towards the close, the native Americans haviDg, after a number of their companions were killed, obtained arms. A large body of military appeared on the ground between eight and nine o'clock. No attempt was made by the firemen to extinguish the flames until a quarter before ten, when the obnoxious property had been destroyed ; the military interfered to piotectjtbe engines, several of which commenced playing on the adjoining houses.

From twenty to thirty small buildings were destroyed by the fire, which was burning at a late hour.

Several of the Irish are said to have been killed or wounded while in the act of escaping from the burning houses, The military were under the command of Gen. Cadwalladder, arid were put out inconsiderable strength. The 'Sheriff's posse accompanied tbe military. The volunteeis were fully armed, and had with them two pieces of artillery. They toook tbeir station south of the Washington market, aud while the fire was still burning. The market house, at least the wooden part of it, was entirely consumed. The military had pos b e*sion of the ten o'clock. One daring-fellow, named John Taggart, rushed out of a house and fired several times upon the nalives, it is said he killed two or three men. A rush was made upon him, and he was captured, though fighting like a madman, and just in the act to shoot a fourth gnu. The weapdfl was wrested from him by a citizen named Bartholomew Baker, and the infuriated mob rushed upon him, knocked him down, and stamped his face almost tosbapelessness. Some of the more humane got possession of Taggart and took him to the office of Alderman Boileau, in Second street, above Beaver. Several times on the way, aud even at the office, the infuriated Americans rushed on the Irishman, and beat and stamped him most unmercifully. Alderman B. made out a committment for Taggart, on a charge of murder, and he was given into the hands of the citizens, to be sent to the Mayor's office of the N. Liberties. They had not prooeeded far, hows ever, when another tush was made, those who had charge of him were beaten off, and a most revolting scene followed. . The prisoner was kicked and stamped until hardly a feature was discerible ; then dragged by a tope tied round his neck, down the street to the Second street market above Brown. Here the mob attempted to bang him up, but the citizens inters and after some delay he was borne off to the office of Mayor Cannon, still breathing. FURTHER PARTICULARS. At nine p. m., the market house and a row of brick and frame dwellings were in flames. Tb& military occupied all the vacant ground at the scene of destruction. They were stationed along Master, Cadwalader and Washington Streets, and the German-town road, with cannon planted at every commanding point. A regular guard was set and patrolling parties kept in constant motion. About ten o'clock several of the most active of our fire companies arrived on the ground, and protected by the military, went into service, and in about an hour succeded in arresting the conflagration. They consisted of the companies of the first brigade, und^rG.n. Cadwalader. The Shififfwas alio on tlk' ground with a small civil posse. As the

military approach the market house tbey were fired upon from a house in Washington-street, but nobody was hurt. Those who fired the guu—some seven or eight Irishmen—precepitately fled, and were not captured. Tbe presence of the military had the effect of restoring an almost immediate quiet. A rumour was prevalent upon the ground^that Gen. Cadwalader.was seriously injured. But we doubt tbe story. Still Later.—Eleven o'clock.—A few guns are being discharged at. intervals in Master-street. Military in motion, but no rioters discovered. It is said that from twenty to thirty houses are altogether consumed, located in Cadwalader, Master, and Washington r streets; some large handsome dwellings, but generally poor buildings. Nothing is left of the Market-house but the brick pillars. which with the standing chimneys of the dwellings look like blackened monuments of anarchy. It is thought that many dead bodies of tbe Irish were consumed in the burning houses. MIDNIGHT. All quiet. The military were on the ground The fires are all extinguished and the firemen returning home. We have just heaid that about nine o'clock, a group of men, standing at the cornet of Fianklin and Second strei t-, w r fired upon by a party of Irishmen who cam ■ through Perry street, and, under cover of darkness, discharged their guns at them across the lot, wording a butcher jn the Wharton maiket named Taylor, in the eye, and several other persons seriously. [From the Philadelphia Gazette, May 8 J*

Everything continued quiet from twelve last night to seven this morning. At about tha#*Hme groups began to assemble as yesterday, but under higher excitement. At Second and Franklin-street, the American flag was raised, and with it the plas card, which was paraded through the streets yesterday. At ten o'clock some companies of the third brigade appeared. They took possession of the ground. As they appeared, an Irishman was discovered loading a musket, having just loaded one. He was immediately seized, and carried to Alderman Boileau'e, and from thence to Mayor Cannon's. The excitement was increased" at the office by the fact, that Yonng, one of the men shot yesterday, and who is not expected to live,was living in the adjoining honse—his sister, a beattiful girl, was on the steps of the house in an almost (rantic state, and the sympathies of the crowcUwere raised to an almost uncontrolable pilch. The man Rice, an Irishman, a weaver, who was shot down in the act of firing, is represented as having been one of the,leaders, (From the Philadelphia Ledger, May 9.) Half past 2 o'clock.

The Catholic Church, called St. Michael's in Se-cond-street, above Master, has just been fired, which, with the dwelling of the Priest, on the north, and small frame buildings on tbe the south, are destroyed. The Priest, under the protection of a body of the military, quitted his residence, and was carried away in a cab. It was with extreme difficulty that be secured a safe retreat. Several fire companies exerted themselves to the utmost to save the remaining property, some of which they fortunately secured from the flames. During this time, the buildings on the corner of Washington and Jefferson-streets areburniug without any efforts to extinguish them. The residents in a row of small brick houses have displayed from their windows small American flags, in one of which Gen. Hubbell has his head quarters. During the burning of the church, the mob cons tinned to shout, and when the cross at tbe peak of the roof fell, they gave three cheers', and a drum and fife played the Boyne Water. Nothing- now remains of the beautiful goibic structure but its blackened walls. Gen. Hubbeli's command and the Monroe Guards have been received by tlie City Guards, under tbe command ol Captian Hill. Five o'c'ock-

The seminary his been completely destroyed. The temperance grocery store ot Mr. Jos. Corr,at the north-east comer of Phoenix and Second-streets, opposite the seminary, and from which it was said the volley was fired on Monday evening, which killed Mi Wright, was completely riddled, and every thing in the house destroyed. Six o'clock.

The rioters have proceeded to the house of Alderman Hugh Clark, at the corner of Fourth and Mastersstreels, aud have entirely gutted it out. The windows have been demolished, the furniture thrown out.,of the windows, the beds cut open and the feathers scattered about in the wind. All the papers of the alderman have been either lost or destroyed.

The corner house was occupied by his brother, Patrick Clark, as a tavern and dwelling, and his furniture has been also destroyed. In all this neighbourhood, and indeed throughout the whole district, people who desire to escape molestation, have American flags, and strips of red, white and blue from the windows of their dwellings. The military arrived upon the ground after all the mischief was done, and were there when we left. We then proceeded to the south east corner ofGermantown road and Jefferson street, where tbe mob broke into a large three story brick hobse, occupied by Patrick Murray, as a grocery, demolished the windows, broke the furniture, throwing the looking glasses and handsome bureaus into the street, and they were engaged in this work when the divisions of military which had been called|to Mr. Clark's residence arrived, and after consideraa ble remonstrance on the part of Gen. Cadwallader and Colonel Lee, the work of destruction was arrested, the house cleared, and a guard placed round it. Most of its contents had been destroyed or carried away by plunderers. Mr. Clark's house being now left unprotected, the boys assumed tbe amusements as described above.

Half-past eight o'clock. Another outbreak has occurred. The bouse of Matthew Quin, in Master-street, below Getroaniiiwn Road, has been battered with stone*, it wilts untenanted. The mob forebore to st-i fi- e <o the bu tiding because it would involve a large number ol American* and PTotestants in the (test-ma* tioih

Between eight and nine o'clock, Harmony Court, consisting of six of eight houses, situated near Cadwalader-street, west of the Market house, were destroyed by fire ; also a frame house on Master street, below Genmnlown Road, which had been occupied by Matthew Quin, turner, and two three story brick houses at the soutbseast corner of S' cond and Mister-streets, one occupied as ft . grocery store, and the other, which had been occupied by a man named M'Alser, who, it is alleged,, | fired upon the crowd during Tuesday night. About halfspast six o'clock information was re* ceived by Major Scott tba* an attack was contemplated upon the Augustine Church, in Fourth- - street, below Vine, and that a la ge crowd had already gathered in its vicinity. Me immediately, : repaired upon horseback, to the spot, with a body of the city police, and addressed the crowd. The mass still increased. The first C>ty Troop were immediately ordered out,and were upon the ground in a short time. In consequence of this state of things, the Mayor issued the following ptocianidtion ;

Subsequent to the issuing of which, the citizen* of Walnut Ward held a meeting and appointed fiur from each block to patrol the ward. ' There is reason to believe, that the spirit of disorder raging in the country, is about to extend itself into the city, and to seek v*-nt in the destruction of property and attack upon life. Ail good citizens, desirous to preserve the pu' lie peao", are therefore required to prepare themselves to patrol the streets,, to resist all invasions of property, and to preserve the public peace, by resistance to every attempt to(lis urh it.

" Each ward is requested to mfet immediately at the place of their usual ward elections. " John ScotT, Mayor." ..gSThe crowd still continued to increase at the church above referred to, and at about ten minute* before ten o'clock, fire was cmtuunicated to the vesiibule ofthechiuch.it is said by a boy about fourteen years old. It increased with rapidity when once under way, and dense masses of smoke curled out from every window. In a few minutes the flames reached the belfry* and burst out from the upper windows in broad sheets. Tbe whole steeple was seen wrapt in the devouring elements, and presented a terrific aspect,, The clock struck ten, while the fire was raging in its greatest fury. At- twenty minutes past ten o'clock, the otoss which surmounted the steeple and which remained unhurt, fell with a loud crash

amid the plaudit of a large portion of the spectators.' In ten minutes afterwards, the steeple, which stood until burnt to a mere skeleton fell, Throwing up a mass of cinde s which fell like a shower of gold upon the buildings and streets north-east of the church, The heat during the height of the fire was so intense that persons conld hardly look at the distance o' a square, and the light was so bril„ liant as to dim even the gas lamps Several stands of arms, as rifles, muskets, shots, guns and pistols, were found concealed, chiefly in the outhouses in a pigstye, &c. They were almost all loaded. The inhabitants had dispersed, Amount of Loss and Distress.—The Saint-

Michael's Church and the Seminary, in Kensiugton, cost for building from thirty-five to forty thousand dollars; and St. Augustine's not less than thirty thousand dollars. No less than two hundred families have been compelled to remove from their homes.

The sights presented during yesterday aud last night were truly sickening. Men with their wives, and often six or seven children, trudging fearfully through the streets with sma I' 'bundles, seeking a refuse hey knew no; where. Mothers with infants in their ann% and little nn-'S following after them, < a Tying away from their horn s whatever they could pick up at the instant, passing along with fearful tread not knowing where to turn. Half past Eleven o'clock. The City Councils are now in session to take measures to subdue the rioters. A boy, fourteen or fi teen years of age, has jast been brought to the City Police, under escort, by thecorps of Philadelphia Greys, who wag arrested in attempting to set fire to a vacant building in Kensington, near the Market House. .The fire was extinguished by tbe military. The mob has, in a great measure left Kensington, and is dividod into squads at various points in the city and the southern parts of the country. Fearg are entertained that attemtps will be made to fire other Catholic churches, and the military have been strongly posted in the vicinity of them. The conflagration of Saint Augustine's has nearly subsided ; several houses in the immediat e neigh" bourhood were injured; none, however, very seriously, as tbe firemen played them well with - water. At this place several of the police officers - were knocked down, and the Mayor was struct in the breast with a stone. Twelve o'clock. All the avenues leading- to St. Mary's and St« - Joseph's churches, in Fourth, near Prime, and in * Wings Alley have been guarded by troops who suffer no person to enter the space, unless they live within the square. Ths precaution is rendered 1 necesary by the threats of destruction which havebeen made in reference to these buildings. All i» quiet in Southwark and Moyamensing, The fire now raging at St. Augustine's is occasioned by the burning of the magnificent library of books attached to the church. They were piled up iu front of the house, and made a bonfire of.