Litchfield enquirer., 1831-10-06
- .,oTs IN PROVIDENCE, R. |.

Inv riots, which, we IamenI tO St"1e, "O'c v"- ly ouelled on Saturday at the price Ot the death of several citizens.
 The origin of the difficulties was on "Wednesday night, when some sailors belong ing to the ship Lyon from GOttenburg got in- to a row in OIney's lane with some cOIored 1 people of dissoute character. The result was that the blacks fired upon the white as- saiiants; and young man of % years Ofage' who had just shipped as second mate Of an Tndiaman, and, as is alledged, was accidental l lv passing, without mingling in the atfray, m comnanv with three of his shipmates, in search of the cook, was shot dead, thirty or forty buckshot having entered hts breast ana stomach, and his three companions were more or less wounded. black named Richard Johnson was arrested on suspicion. When the death ot the white man was made knows throughout the town, mob immedi- ately assembled, and in spite of the authOri- ties, demolished the furniture and part of the suspected houses in Olney's lane. The se- qugl is thus related by the Providence Jour nal: ". '. A00. - To prevent recurrence of similar outra- res, and to preserve the peace and quiet of the town, the Town Council doubled the u- CnaI number of watchmen, and called out Constables, ordering them to arrest all per- sons committing open outrages upon private property. Tho Sheriff with his officers, and the Governor of the State with tue members of the Towa Council and many of the most respectable citizehs assembled also at the same place. The utmost exertions of the civil authorities tu maintain order proved in- adequate. The mob assembled and carried en their attacks systematically, with imple- spents of various kinds. Several of the rio- tous persens arrested by the Sheriff, were openly rescued by their companions, and ta- ken foreibly from the custody of this officer. To this situation, with all the power of the civil authorities set at defiance, the Governor of the State at the request of the Sheriff of the county, called out one of the military companies to aid in suppressing the tumult. The order having been issued at late hour of the evening, only about thirty-fve mem bsrs of the company could be collected. Un- der the orders of the Sheriff these few spirit ed men proceeded to the spot, where they were assailed by various sorts of missiles, and several ofthem were wounded by large stones One individual of the Company was SO se- verely injured as ts falter and leave the ranks, and another was bathed in blood, from a wesnd cat in his head, which was the blood first drawn by the offensive attacks of the mob. Thus assailed, they continued firm in their ranks, under a shower of stones, until it became evident that no alternative remain
 
 ing to resort to fire arms, although exposed to being noairned. or even to the loss of life from the weight and impetuosity of stones dis charged at them, whilst standing forth openly to sustain the laws of the-land, they patiently bore their attacks and finally retreated by or steadily until nearly morning wit6 their work of destruction, in open defiance and derision of ali the constituted authorities of the town and of the State. A few of the rioters were, however, seized and securely lodged in iail.
 On the subsequent day, notice, it is stated, was given by the Sheriff, to the Governor of the State, of the intimations thrown out of a -premeditated attack upon the State Jail, by 2. the rioters, to rescue their companions con- fined there, and also to repeat the same scenes of destructive violence as had taken place on the previous evening.
 Upon the communication of this official information of 8 threatened attack against the property ofthe State, as we'll as in open de- iance of its laws, the responsibility devolv- ed upon this supreme executive officer 10 sus- tain the due course of public justice. and the execution of the laws, as bound to do by his oath of office. To effect this object in the most Overawing and determinate manner, cr- ders were issued to the several independent Companies to hold themselves in readiness tO repress any recurrence of riots that might occur.
 As had been contemplated, the mob again assembled at the approach of evening but intimidated by the vigilant and energetic measures that had been taken, after some in' effectual attemps to excite to open outrages on the part of the leaders of the mob. one o whom was armed with sword, they dispurs ed; not, however, as it was openly expressed without determination of mastering an over. towering force to complete their purposes on the ensuing evening.
 To again defeat these renewed systematic attacks to be repeated for the fourth night in succession, orders were again issued to the : bands of armed citizens to hold themselves in readiness.
 According to the proposed plan the attack was recommended for the fourth time by the mob at an early hour of the evening, and the < work Of destruction of buildings and other private property went on as usual. The noise of the crash of falling materials, mingled with shouts and imprecations, were on this calm night distinctly to be heard even in the dlistan, parts of the town to interrupt the quiet and excite the alarm of every peaceful citizen, and of every man capable of ofreAecting on the con. sequences of living in a land in which lawless rioters continued unchecked and triumphant The alarm hell having been sounded. the citi- xens repaired to the scene of riot, with their musksts in martial array, passed through the mob, accompanied with their misses and de- risiOn. and took post on the hill above. Proc- lamation was then made by magistrate un. der ina piof aef fhn saoh orda ral 9s S:......