Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-02-23
pot. On nereeiying their nrncc,d.

ln.s, the clerks in the counting house
closed the iron shutters OF the windows.
About twenty five barrels of flour ere
then rolled on, OF the store. their he adj,
LneSk ed 'n. aud the content, scattered
about the street AT this time a nun.
her OF the friends oikNir. Hart and a
posse of police officers arrived on the
spot, bu, they had encountered on their
way ia Dey street a part of the mob
Who aSsalled them, aud took away the
officers stats. breaking them over
their persons. The officers notwith.
standing, succeeded IN clearing the
store OF the rioters. and appeared sufTi-
cien'ly strong TO prevent the entrance
OF any more through the only door
open.
The mob were thus kept at bay for
about 2o minutes, during which sine
the Mayor arrived and addressed them.
demonstrating with them on the folly
Of their conduct. He was struck Sc
veral times and pel,ed with flour and
finally compelled to desist and retire
/ The rioters having received a large adj
dihon TO their numbers. now seized
the store door which had been torn off
~ hinges and with II battered down
the remaining doors and forced open
The window shutters. the persons in-
SIDE. being only able To guard one
door. n scene OF havoc and confusion
cnsucd. The people scattered them
elves abou, the lower floor and count
ing house. and continued for one hour
rolling out barrels OF flour and carry
ing out bags Of wheat-ihe contents of
which were all turned into the street.
The desks, papers. and every thing in
the counting house we're thrown out
| of the window, and the former broken
TO pieces by jumping on them. They
then proceeded up Stars and hogan
throwing barrels OF -four out OF the
windows and down the hatohways--
au hall hour was consumed IN this
way. IL was now dark and about I
clock, when strong body of police
officers arrived, and in lew minutes
dispersed the whole. Having procur-
ed lights, the police then searched the
Ind story, but only found two rioters
there. who jumped out of the window
and were CAUGHT by the officers below.
The mob then crossed over To the
Fast river and commenced an attack on
the store of \. r. Mech s Co. where
they destroyed about - barrels Of -four.
They then marched oil, carving on.
OF the rIngleaderS on their shoulders 10
the store OF Mc>>rs. Herricks. IN Coen.
ties slip: hu, here they were encoun-
tered by the polce-to whose aid the
ciiIzens were turning out from all
quarter,-driven off ard dispersed.
Between 81 aud 10 persons were ar
rested and hruu. ht up IN the course of
the evening To- the police Office, bv the
officers aud Uarshals. Among them
were. James Chapman. who was fully
identified as beng one Of the ling
leaders, and hoy named James Roach.
"ho had been seen on the sill Of the
window OF Mr. Hart store, CRYING out.
here goes Hour al s. "a barrel" throw.
! ing some IN the street Al the same time
hey viii all be brought up for exam
nation Tomorrow. Soon after eiyht
O clock 4 large number Of the militia
~, portions Of the eth Regiment. were
q ssrmbled in the Hall and were march
81 down 10 the scene of action. and
Sy . o'clock, nothing of the mob re-
m1incd.
The street. in front Of Mr.. Hart's
store was literally s'rewed with flour
and whoa, to the depth OF one foot and
hi' loss will probably exceed ( III. OOb.
Swiss beggar women were seen in
numbers running away with their a.
prons filled with flour, and the men in
the neiIhborhood seemed almost all 10
have their coats covered with IL.
Our remarks will be short on this dis
graceful occurre nee. Ii j. not the ac-
tors IN it-poor ignorant deluded
wreicheS-that are To blame, so much
as the InStIgators, who knowing better
knowing that the meeting could not
answer the purposes for which IL was
oSten'ibly alled.-still devised it sole
ly to give themselves political conse.
quence.
We arc aStonished that the civil au-
thorIties with tho call OF this meeting
before them had no. a sufficient police
force or the military ready tn prevent
the consequences which II was proba
bic would follow IL. Twenty five
armed men could nj any moment have
dispersed the whole mob.
Though mobs Of this kind NAV for
a short time commit outrayes. vet with
tie feeling We yesterday saw evinced
nv our citizens We are satisfied they
viii never be allowed To perpeirAte
them long TWAS gratif, ing TO observe
the large number who spontaneously
ha'iened TO the scene of action. armed
determined 70 put down quickly the
di'iur5er OF the public peace
Ereif'meni NJ He South The new,
of the rejection, by the House Of Re. f.
presenilu,cs. Of the resolution offered
by Mr. Patton on the right Of slave,
10 petition. created as might be EXPECT. /