THE GREAT RIOT IN NEW YORK,

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 960, 24 August 1871, Page 2

THE GREAT RIOT IN NEW YORK,

We compile the following' account of this great riot from the latest San Francisco papers to hand. by the mail : — New York, JiUy 12; . Governor Hoffman issued the following proclamation last night :—" By John T. Hoffman, Governor.— A. ■ Proclamation : Having been only this day apprised, while at the Capital, of the actual condition of things here with reference to the proposed procession to-morrow, and having, in the belief that , my presence was needed, repaired hither immediately, 1 do make this proclamation : The order heretofore issued by the police authorities in reference to said procession having been duly revoked, I hereby give notice that any and all bodies of men desiring to assemble and march in peaceful procession in this city, to-morrow, the 32th, will be permitted to do so, and they will be. protected to the utmost extent possible by the military and police." — The day opens cloudy and sultry. A dense fog overhangs the city. At seven o'clock the streets presented a moving appearance, not unlike the days of the draft riots of 1863. Soldiers in fatigue uniform are hastening , in every direction to report for duty at the .armories of the respective regiments. Mounted police patrol the streets. Heavy squads of police are moving to designated points in -the -city. Extraordinary precautions are being taken to preserve the peace, and the authorities appear to be working with harmony and energy. Printed secret circulars, containing the : plan of the proposed attack on the 4 Orangemen; have fallen into the hands of the police, and they have a perfect knowledge of the in* tentions of the rioters. ' At a late hour last night a number of Hibernians got into a row among themselves, in their Hall on Prince street, and a number of them were * severely pummeled .— l l a. m. : The Catholic ; laborers on the Boulevards have suspended ; work, and are marching down in a body; Inspector Jameson, with 200, men, has been, sent to intercept them.— 11. 30 a.m. : All the streets o£ the upttpwn districts have the appearance of a holiday. Groups of loungers were on nearly every corner. Squads of men are seen going .toward the western part of the city. The aspect of affairs is very threatening. ,j?h.e s men of ,the marble 1 arid stone yards along the Ea^t Riv§r have nearly; all left work, it is sup? posed for the purpose ;^of, opposing the. Orange parade.— l2.ls p,m.: ! Ariot has commenced at. last. The mob began in the 'vicinity of Eighty-third street and Third Avenue, and are drivingthe people from the Btreetsv--260-picked-men,-under* Captain Hedden of theFif teenthlPrecinct, have been sent there. — 12.40-p.ra. : Fighting is now going on in the Tenth: arid Eleventh Precincts and along Bleecker. street. The Militia have been ordered to Eighth Avenue and Forty-second street, where an attack has been made upon i Judge Heisen's house. Large bodies of police have left in stages a 150 .—4 .50 p.m.: Severe fighting is going on. Two Bibbpnmeu werekilled. Themob have pressed .thei'^conductors of Btreet cars on. * the Eighth Avenue into their service. Several soldiers are wounded. The telegraph wirea' up to town have been cut. The troops are said to be firing, on tbe.niQb in Avenue A, and two soldiers have been, killed. Harper's buildings werq Attacked by the mobj who were repulsecU4-A' man named. Conrad \] Free man was knocked down and beaten, in. a shocking manner^ He was taken to the Fourteenth Precinct station-house, and,. attended by the police surgeon. The police, backed by the Tß4th Regiment, made a raid on Hibernian Hall, whejj ; the mob : ran like sheep; A large/ number were t arrested: and • locked up, revolvers and pistols being found upon 1 their persons. The arms were removed by the 84th and taken to the central office. WilliamviHennessey and Patrick O'Grady/ of the; Sixth {prpc|n<si, refused 5 to; fight, and ; theit^buttons were cut bff and" the men locked up. As early as eight o'clock this morning crowds of Orangemen 'were/ collected at their hoad-quarters at this corner, pi; Twehty r riinth street and Eighth Avenue, where the procession was to start from. In the building on the corner, where the lodges hoJ4.their.meetiujgslwete gathered, the/ members; numbering about

two hundred. A few wore orange scarfs, and had revolvers and swords abont them. The police,' numbering four hnndred, arrived at half-past ten under the lead of Inspectors Jameson and Welling, and placed one squad in Thirtieth street and Eighth Avenue, another on Twentyeighth street, and a small, corps Jn^ TwehTy-ninth street, about half -waydown * the block on both Bides of the avenue, io prevent any not members of Orange fraternity f rom entering, the lmes. persons, representing themselves as Orangemen, were aUdwe^to^pMu through, bjit, being rather suspicious-looking, were ' arrested by the police, and on about twenty were found revolvers and pistols of all kinds, clubs, and old rusty swords. From one man was taken a seven-shooter, loaded, a box of cartridges, and a roll containing the names of nearly a hundred <; volunteers who were ready to do duty. £ Every few minutes arrests were made* and ; in almost every case fire-arms were taken from prisoners. A fellow representing himself as a reporter had furnished himself with a four-shooter and ammunition and a club. At 2 o'clock the Orange head- .; quarters became crowded, and the police had difficulty in keeping the mob within bounds. About half-past 2, the Orangemen formed- on Twenty^nintti street, < below Eighth Avenue, and at the same time the 22nd Regiment, under Colonel Porter, marched past and formed a line .' on Eighth Avenue, where they loaded;, •with ball and- cartridge. Next came the | 6th Regiment, 'which took up a position to the north of Twenty-second street. - The police were on- the east side of the ■■''■•■ street;' anTHhlTnnmry on the west;:!™!"""" the apparent intention was to have the Orangemen marcE between two files. They presented a small appearance ; they numbered about two' hundred. fThftyhad two banners— one, the Stars Stripes, and the other, a banner bearing the pic- ■» ture of William of Orange on horseback;/ I and a small one, with the inscription, ■ .'*. "American freemen, fall in." After wait^ ing some time for a band of music, it left, and the line formed. About this time the police on the other side of the street 1 * made a rush on the mob, and it was' fe>red a general row; -would take, place, but was quieted, and at three o'clock the signal for startiug was given. The procession started, and twice was attacked by rioters, who were, quickly put to flight > by the police. A large number of rioters were clubbed and taken prisoners. At-Twenty-sixth street the Ninth Regiment charged . the mob with fixed bayonets ; • several persons were killed and wounded— among them one woman. Col. Fisk was shot through the ankle ; Captain Spencer, ; of the Ninth,, was killed by his own men. while firing at the rioters/ Lieutenant Page, of the Ninth Regiment, advertising ; agent of the Grand Opera House, was , mortally wounded. Between, the Twenty- , : fifth and Twenty-sixth streets, the mob. fired three shots at the procession. The military returned the fire,, killing eight and wounding thirteen. Two boys and .a lady were shot ; sixteen citizens and three soldiers killed. Coming down the avenue at the fcprner of Twenfcyrthird street, tho 84th Regiment fired on the mob, killing ! and wounding twelve. One policeman was shot dead. — Later : The fight on Twentyfourth street and Eighth Avenue was more severe than at first o-eporiedtia Over a hundred and fifty of the mob were cer-i . tainly killed and wounded. Among the troc-ps known to be killed, besides those already reported, are Captain Baeth and two privates and a sergeant of the' Ninth. 300 Hibernians, all armed, with iloud ; took possession of Twenty-ninth , street, immediately opposite to the police, who stood quietly, waiting for orders. When orders came, the street -was cleared in two minutes' time. A detachment marched quickly down Twenty-ninth street towards Seventh Avenue ; two others— one -up <and one down Eighth Avenue, and the Hibernians disappeared. No shots were fired, but here and there the dull crack of a locust showed seme tin-; fortunate had found out the thickness of his Ekull. General Shaller at -first advised the Orangemen not to bear their banners, but finally told" them to carry.; what they pleased. The ' ' Orange- \ men then gave three cheers : for ' Governor Randolph, and three |or ; ' the Stars arid Stripes. The Master then exhorted' the brothers' to keep the peac6, maintain their dignity, 1 and bnuo acdount to retaliate) for mWows; or insults whOe-oh - the march. Any brother being disorderly would be expelled from the- Order. The question then arose whether the ladies : should join the procession, : in carriages. The ladies were not afraid, but finally concluded to go home and wait the result. One brother was pointed out as well known to the Irish Catholicsfjanidj he was requested not to go out, for if he. did j . there wduld surely be a riot, Th'omat Bennett then offered iip a grayer, for Divine protection tin this great day. i Governor Hoffman, accompanied by several officers, drove .up while the procession was.moviug. Eighth Avenue,' ' I notwithstanding the dark appearance. : - around, ' never looked better than ttiig -afternoon. Soldiers two deep lined the avenue for eight blocks, and a thousand 7 policemen also were present. The pavements, windows, and every inch of room were occupied, by dense crowds of men. —10 p.m. : About 40 persons were killed during the riot to-day. ; The total number wounded is unknown, but 15 are known to be mortally wounded. At the Sixteenth Precinct there were 16 dead bodies. This evening they. were removed, to the Morgue; At the .Twejjty T ninth Precinct there were four dead bodies. At theuMorgue there are at present 40 bodies. The Orange procession;broke up in Fourth Avenge opposite :Ooopi3r^institufe/"TJie' Orangemen put their badges and-regalitfhV '■■ ~ : their pockets and, mingling with the crowd quietly dispersed.' The police took oharga of the Orange banners.— MidnjghJ x £ha . " city is quiet. Large bodies of the police are patrolling the city, The troops are in their armouries, ready to inarch at a (moment's notice. The Hibernians swear theyi^ill have vengeance** . The Trilncnt of to-morrow will have the following,:— i When the Orangemen s "were opposite Twenty-fourth street the column halted tfor'a moment, and imrae.diaje}y after thft, halt a shot tie •upper abt*y r of a- bripk. building at the north-east corner} simultaneously shots were fired at thfe Sixth Regiment iroin the rear bf ' Fifteenth street on the; same side of the street. The right wing of the regiment * being advanced; about >26 yardi beyond ' Twenty.fourth street, the men in that part of the line fired across the side-walk. At the south-east comer of the street a&d' •' the Avfenue there: was a group of about twenty \ men, peaceable citfoensi ' Dtl. - ' covering that the troops fret© aiibihg 16*

they threw themselves by common impulse prostrate upon_ their faces, and scrambled away at the first fire. However, a portly, well-dressed man, vrho was afterwards ascertained to be R. C. J. Lattimer, was instantly killed, and after him Policeman John O'Connor fell dangerously wounded. No regard was paid to the wounded and dying for several minutes ; the terrified citizens were afraid to venture out of the houses, and none of those escorting the Orangemen could advance beyond the lines to give relief on account of the danger that other shots would be fired by the infuriated mob, and that the Militia would renew their wild volleys. The situation at the crossing of Twenty-fourth street, where the writer stood, was terrible. Before the eyes of all there lay eleven bodies — two or three piled together, as they had fallen ; the body of the dead woman was stretched across a dead man. A man with a fearful wound in his head, which covered his face with blood, writhed in agony for some moments, then slowly crawled to a doorstep, and feebly strove to raise himself on it, presenting, as he did so, a full view of his ghastly j injuries. An aged working man, evidently an Irishman, had received a shot, and sat down on the step. and desperately faced the troops in the midst of the firing, while holding his bleeding arm extended before him. He remained until relief came, fixedly glaring in silence at the Orangemen. A lad crouched against a cart-wheel, just beyond the corner of Twenty-fourth street, appearing to have

been hurt. The woman appeared at the i windows above, making signs of anguish ? and bewilderment, looking alternately « at the bodies and then at the iroops and I policemen. Presently one and .then another of the friends of the victims stole out and touched them to see if they were . still alive, but soon hastened within. One young Irishman,' however, remained, walked to and fro wringing his hands, and 1 making cries of grief ; from time to tame he clenched his fist, and seemed to be making desperate resolves of vengeance ; then he would stop to look at ono and another of the bodies. The most deliberate estimate gives the number of rioters killed during the day as in the vicinity of one hundred. Over 157 severely wounded are in the hospitals, where these only helplessly wounded were received, those slightly wounded, slipping away and hiding, lest it should become known that they had taken part in the riot. Some approximate idea of the number of wounded may be had ; certainly 300 is not too high an estimate. Of course many were killed and wounded who were merely spectators, and innocent of disturbance. In the narrow open space between the Morgue, ori Twenty-sixth sixth street and East River, and at midnight, just outside the Lower Bellevue Hospital gate, on Twenty-sixth street, there were 27 coffins side by side ; each contained a victim of the riot. July 13. At the Morgue this morning the crowd was allowed to pas 3 around the bodies" of those killed in the riot yesterday to see whether they could identify any of the dead as i their friends. , About 7000 people must have passed before 12 o'clock, and as the spectators discovered cimong the dead one dear to them — loved parent, or husband, or son— their shrieks rent the air and pierced the hearts of other lookerson who were fortunate in having no one among that long row of upturned faces whose loss they should mourn. Occasionally a poor horroj-stricken wife would throw herself on the coffin which held the remains of her husband, and cry and moan as if her heart would break. The mother of a boy of seventeen who was shot as he wa3 returning from school came to see his dead body, and having learned from her, friends that he was at the Morgue went there, but found the coffin with the lid t nailed down, ready for the funeral and removal.. July 14. The effects of the riots of Wednesday are rapidly disappearing from the streets. The neighborhood of' the principal scene of disaster, is still thronged with morbid siget-seers"ahd' distressed throngs,, seeking absent friends. Many venture into the dismal precincts of the Morgue, and eagerly seek admission to various hospitals, but otherwise the city h free from visible reminders of the fray.