Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-07-20
From the Philadelphia Ledger
no THE PUBLIC.

GLOW citizens ofthe city and county of Phla
aelphia we, the undersigned, would beg leave to
make a statement of few simple and unvarnish
ed facts, calculated to throw light upon the
cent breach of the peace in the neighborhood of
Second and Qneen streets, Southwark.
Iii well known that on the 5th day of July,
furniture car conveyed to st. Philip de Neri
Church in Queen street, Southwark, a number Of
luttskets, which were carried into the church in
presence of the residents of the neighborhood
The report of this matter having flown in every
direction. the street was crowded by citizens, in
anticipation ofan outbreak.
The Sheriff was sent for, and soon appeared
upon the ground a request was made upon him
that the arms should be taken from the church
he entered the building with two Of the alder
men of the district, and soon returned, stating
that there were twelve muskets in the church
which would be placed in the hands of the citi
zcns who should be chosen for that purpose, and
tlken to the watchhouse. This was accordingly
done One of the members ofthis committe was
among those who had charge of these arms; he
asked the Sheriff if there was any more arms or
men in the church The Sheriff said there was
no more arms, and only priest Dunn and the sex
ton in the church, when the guns had been brought
from the building. The people still seemed not
TO be satisfied, and called for more arms, when
it was suggested that a committee of citizens
should be appointed, whose duty it should be to
make thorough search of the place and to pre-
vent any more arms coming in or going out. To
this the Sheriff agreed, and deputised one of the
citizens who is member of this committee to
choose the men The subscribers were chosen,
and headed by the Sheriff, who requested Alder
Mckinley TO accompany the committee, we
entered the house. We had hardly arrived with
in the walls when the Sheriff enrolled us as his
posse, and informed us that should have to re-
main on duty all night and protect the church.
We objected to this view of the case, and stated
the object for which it was understood we had
been appointed; he then demurred, and stated
that it was illegal for us to search the premises
that there was danger in it, but il it were de-
Tended until morning, he would make the search
with us. This would not be listened to by the
committee, as itwould leave us at the mercy of
persons who might be in the church, we all being
unarmed the priest told US to have confidence
in the Sheriff, and in him, and he would assure
US there was no danger in waiting until morning.
The committee concluded TO parley no longer,
and started upon the search. The first door we
opened revealed to US two able bodied Irishmen,
with fixed bayonets and loaded muskets. These
men were disarmed, and on opening the door at
which they stood sentry, saw twenty seven
muskets stacked along the room Placingonc OF
our own number guard over these men and
muskets, we proceeded on the search, and in our
way found eight other men, armed as above Ar.
rlving in the room in which the religious services
we're held, one of the committee brought the
Priest in front of the Alter, and thus addressed
HIM II ask you, upon your sacred word as
man and Christian, have You any more men here
Have you any more arms Have you any anu
milton ," To all these questions he answered
positively no Finding nothing new in our ipro
gress, we again proceeded to the room or vest
hule from whence we first started IL thi!
room We're several closets, and some of then
were in case or d counter, which stood alonl
the wall
We asked the priest 70 open il. lie said i
contained nothing but few lemons and article
for making something to drink. We asked hin
again TO open it, when we discovered keg o
powder, some percussion caps and buckshot
md on account OF this quibbling of the priest, W
We're anxious TO open closet which was unde
the stairs leading from the vestbue 10 the room
behind the alter. The priest here said tha
the closet contained private property belongin
-, L., nl
articles belonging TO himself, and objected I
open it, stating that the key of that place ha
never been in the hands of any other person bu
himself and brother. No denial wonld be lister
ed to, and accordingly the closet was opened i
II was found seven single and two-double barre
cd guns, and several pistols, and several hundre
cartridges--some of which had eight, ten,
animation OF some of the fowling pieces, the
had seven, eight and even nine finger loads
them.-Upon this the gentleman who spoke
the Priest at the alter, mentioned the convers
ton TO Wm. H. Dunn, who denied that his br
ther had said any such thing he brought his br
ther 10 the Priest, TO confront the gentleman, al
he, also, denied with regard 10 the arms and an
unition, and said that he had misunderstood Il
questions propounded, or that he had himse
been misunderstood in answering.
We had been IN every part of the house, Al
now our search was ended We fosnd 80 mu
kets, including those stacked in the room, al