The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-14
From The New Yorh Herald.

From the New YORK Herald.
Dreadful Riot and BIo0dshed at the Aston
Place Theatre Military called out
Firing on tho People. Avrni sncriher OF
Life, &C., Ac.i Sc
II is our painful and melancholy duty to chronicle
one of the saddcst and most terrible occurrences tina,
ever took place In this city. IL is well known that
MIR. Macready was driven from the stage Of that
theatre Monday last, by persons who had attended
that establishment for the purpose. On "Wednesday
several gentlemen of this city united in writing note
10 Mr. Mocready, regrettlng tue occurrence, and re-
guessing him TO appear again and conclude his
engagement which was 10 be his last in THE coun.
Try. To this note Mr.. Macreahy replied that he
would again perform. Accordingly, bills were issued,
and other arrangements made, for his appearance.
In the meantime rumors prevailed throughout the
city that the opposition TO Mr, Macready appear
ance would be persisted in, and that arrangements
had been made to carry this determination into effect
The municipal authorities made their arrangements
likewise, and il became evident throughout The day
that there would be serious collision between the
rioters and The authorities IN the event OF the former
attempting to carry their threat into execution
During the day, the probability of such collision
was much discussed by all classes OF The community,
and great and anxious interest ie in the result.
As early as halfpast six o'clock, persons began to
assemble around the theaire and, at abont seven,
crowds were seen vending their way TO the theatre
from all parts of the city BY hnlfpost seven, there
were seyeral hundreds In the street, In front OF the
Opera House and the rushed TO get admlttance was
tremendous Tickets for sufficient number to fill
the housc, were soon sold, and the announce
ment was made on placard that no more would be
sold. Meantime, the crowd outside was increasing
every minute.
Every avenue TO the theatre soon became densely
crowded. Aston Place was occupied by IN immenco
assemblage, almost oil of whom Ind apparently been
attracted by curiosity The portion Of the Bowery
adjoining the theatre WIS also crowded, and, in
Broadway, which had al that point been opened FOR
the purpose OF constructing sewer, hundreds OF
persons were seen crowded together on the top OF
the mound Of earth thrown up from the centre of
the street
The house itself was filled TO the dome A great
portion of the assemblage in the theatre consisted OF
policemen, who had been distributed all over the
house in detached parties. There was not any APP
pearance Of an organized party of rioters in the
house. When the curtain ross, there was an out.
burst OF misses groans, cheera, and mscell neous
Torrance on Monday night. The opening scenes,
however were got though with after fashion, sew
eral persons who Missed and hoored having been
seized by the police and Immediately conveyed to
apartment underneath the box.a, where they were
placed in cofnement under the charge of posse
of the police officers. Mncready's appearance was
the signal for great explosion Of telling. Kisses,
groans shouts Of dcrison assailed him, nermingled
with loud cries of ''Out with him f Large mum
bers Of the auditory started their feet and called
on the police 10 eject the individuals who had ex-
pressed their disapprobaon and severed arrests were
made in the manner we have described, each arrest
being followed by ond cheers and applause all over
the house. II was speedily apparent that those un
friendly 10 Mr. Macready were in the minority.
There had been great deal OF irepidaton, behind
The scenes, bui the heroism with which the actors
and actresses sustained themselves the stage, is
worthy Of oil praise The manner of Mrs Pope HE
Lady Macbeth of this melancholy night deserves he
most honorable mention. IL was, indeed, trying
scene. MIR. Macready repeatedly expressed TO Mr..
Hackett, his wish to desst, and his desire TO avoid
any further collision with those who were opposed
20 his appearance; but amid the shouts, groans
misses, and arrests by The police the play, as we
have said, went on, much Of i in dumb show, but
portions of 1t without much interruption 1t was
supposed, at this moment, that the iumut wonld be
effcctually quclled, for the disturbance in the house
became less and less, and even some passages Of Mr.
Siacreadys part were heard with tolerable degree
of order.
The first persons arrested In the parquetc were
four young men, who were locked up in the tempo
rary prison under the boxes which we have already
described; In this apartment was gas-light bur
ming, and the prisoners, pulling up some shavings
and pieces OF wood, set fire to them. When the POI
icemen opened the door the place was full Of smoke
but the officers speedily extnguished the fire. The
prisoners who had attempted this airocions crime
were Immediately put in irons. Al this moment q
shower OF stones assaied ihc windows ofthc theatre.
News then came in from the street, through Captj
Iilley, Of the 18Th ward, that man, known be
Edward n. Q. Judson was heading the mob onlsdc
and calling upon them to stone tho building The
Chief of Police Immediately ordered his arrest,
which was promptly effected. In the meantime the
assault upon the doors ART windows continued ~
voey after yolley Of large paving stones was dis
charged against the Windows The glass wns, Of
course in few moments, all smashed TO atoms
but having been baricaded the windows resisted the
attack for some minutes; at last yielding, however
fragments OF glass, and blinds, and baricades bein.
driven with violence into the body OF the house,
great alarm began TO pervadc the audience. Runors
Of all kindsthat the house was TO be hred-that II
was TO be blown up, and so on, were circulated -
The ladies' seven In number who present, and
who, with heroism that did infinite cIedit to their
sex, had till this moment preserved their eIuanimty
now became alarmed, well they might and shifted
their seats 10 the part oil the house not in the range
OF any OF The windows through which The stones
and fragments OF glass and wood were now flying.
Az this time, the scene within the house was in.
deed most exciting. In front and rear tho fierce as.
saus OF the mob, as they Numbered at the DOORS
yclls Of the assailants terrific. Inside, how
ever, oil was comparatively quiet. The admirable
arrangements Of the Chief Of Police and the Re-
corder, and the fidelity and intelligence with which
their orders were carried out by the force under their
command, secured the peace and lfety Of the n,e-
rior Of the building We cannot award TOO much
praise TO the police force for The manner in which
they arrested the leading rioters in the house and
making sorties among the crowd outside, secured
many Of the ringleaders Of the mod.
As the mob increased in magnitude and In the
frocity with which they assailed the building, The
cry arose inside and also outside among tho pcacea-
Ole citizens attracted by curiosity, which, In such
Q case, was mos, culpable--" Where are the militia
Can nothing be done 10 dispense The rioters "
sent 10 the City Hall where the military wero sta
uoned AZ length, about nine o'clock, the sound Of
troop o. cavalry coming up Broadway was heard
sno IN q lew minutes afterwards two troops Of cav
airy Of the First Division Of the slate Militia, and
2 osIalon Of the National Guards, were 1een APP
preaching the scene Of the riot
APPEARANCE or THE MILITARY
4 troop Of horse then turned from Broadway into
Aston Place, and rode through the crowd 10 The
Bowery receiving showers Of stone- and other mis-.
.iies, on their way. The horses bee me nnmanagea.
be and the troop did not again make lis annearance
on the ground; In few minutes ofterworda The
National Guards one Of our Independent volunteer
companies, made their appearance on the ground
and attempted to force passage through ,he crowd
TO the theatre. The mob his1ed and hooed al them
and hnnlly attacked them with stones which were
Ut hand In consequence Of the building Of ae,vey
In the neighberhood The company were al ths
period thrown into disorder BY The attack made anon
Them, and retired TO Broadway, whore they rallied
and made another attempt 10 reach The theatre
They were hissed and pelted as before, with clones
but they succeeded In reaching the desired POM,
They then endeavorcd 10 form in line on The side.
walk, and while doing no. five NJ ak Of Them were
ieied to The ground by paving stonas and taken INTO