The New York herald., 1849-05-14

fire. we crossed the street and faced toward. tho
Bowery; at the second fire. the order given three
times before executed; II bad have fred think
should have been all knocked down. we had no
retreat; facing towards the Bowery asked the
corder, or some Of them. to GO aud request them
leave; the Recorder requested that they would
not fire until his return | answered | should not
few minutes. they assailed with stones
&c; upon his return. the crowd would not leave
the order to fire execrted upon this fire the mob
dispersed in few minutes; several Of our mon
then knocked down. the Recorder said they must fro
again the left wing to fire oblquey to tho right to-
wards Lafayette place and the right wing obquey to
the left towards Eighth street. this fire dispersed the
mob completey upon looking at our ranks. we found
had lost about fifty men; there four distinct
rngs; all the firing done by the first battaion the
rioters appeared to be boys from fifteen to eighteen aud
twenty years of age and don't believe there
thousand but the vast number of citizens who visited
the scene tended to make the dense crowd aud give
cOuntenance to the riotors; not that any
persons were killed at that time, until an hour afer
fired except by the order Of the civil autho
rites magistrate; applied to the Mayor for per-
mission to fire to defend ourselves or must abandon
our position and withdraw our troops.
SYLvEsTER L. WYLIE, piano forte maker, residing ut
No 342 Third avenue, being sworn. says IL was ut
the Astor Place Opera House. on Thursday evening
last there at half past six O'clock saw about
twenty five persons when arrived; went up Eighth
street into Astor place saw number of policemen in
Eighth street. crossed Asor place and took seat
the railing Of Mrs Langdon's house, and remained
there until after the first discharge of musketry Geo w.
Gedney the deceased standing the inside of tho
railing looking around he had in hand; he
killed at the first discharge of musketry;
ii,
hold of his head and found all blood; let
go Of him and went to the corner and asked some
to come and help mo take out dead man. 1t was about
twenty-five feet from the of Lafayette place;
when returned two had raised him up; then, with
the others picked him and tried to got him into Mrs.
LaDgdons hoase we knocked at the door, man opened
it, and as he saw what we wanted he pushed
too the door, but did not succeed got into the
hall when three four forward, one po-
liceman; struck me the head, and kn0cked my hat
off into the hail. then called the crowd to give
way that we could not get in thore; we then took
i'm IN he qfaf afinnh hA
was II O'Clock that night before he was recognised;
the persons who engaged in throwing stones
where was standing the crowd was so dense that IL =
had stone in his hand he could not have thrown
it, before the shooting did not hear any order given
to disperse it might have been given but the noise
great 1t could not have been heard, except
very loud voice; others wounded ut the dis
charge of muskery at the time the military levelled
their muskets, 1t about half minute before they
fired; the crowd then opened each way; when thcy
fired soldier took down his musket and did some
thing to his lock- then took aim at mans breast, ap-
parenty and then fired; this after all the rest had
discharged their muskets; took part in the riot
any than went there to what going on
after took the deceased to the station house, did not
come back; saw some four or five others shot by the
same discharge.
STEPHENS W. GAINES, sworn, says:-I q counsellor
at law, residing at No 1S0 East Broadway Thursday
evening last was ut the coruer Of Astor place aud
Lafay yette place. stood upon pile of boards; stood
there from half past eight O'Clock until after the last
discharge of musketry; from the place where stood
had fair view of the opera house; when first got
there the space between and the theatre filled
with people, but not densely crowded at that tmc
persons throwing stones at the principal entrance
and ut the windows Of the opera house; they were
nearly in front Of the opera house; sometimes single
stone and at other times voey about fifty feet in
front Of the house the principal of action;
the street towards the Bowery filed with people;
there stones thrown from the quarter where
stood and there was 80 few engaged in actually stonn
the house that it surprise those witnessing it
why the police did not stop it, the first saw of the
military was the horse, and then followed the in
fantry; they came from Broadway, passed the opera
house In Astor place, and took their stand the
opposition; In about half hour troops
pass up Astor place. towards Broadway; shsuld have
coming upon the side " walk could not 90 ret out:
within a short time after, the infantry passed up
in front of the house, saw the fire from the discharge
Of the muskets 1t left the barrels tho lamps
out; some OF them were nred nearly perpendicular,
some on an inclined plane towards the house Of Mrs.
Langdon and others horizontally; this was the first
discharge; we had no intimati0n Of firing where
stood until saw the fash several other voleys
discharged Immediately previous to firing the last vol
ley tho street nearly cleared; most of the people
had left the Enclosure where was there were, por
haps half dozen the sidewalk in front Of where
was still standing the boards when the last
discharge took place Astor place towards the Bow
cry between me and the soldiers the space clear;
positc Mrs. Langdons house; they were out Of the
range OF the fire this fire nearly in the range Of
vi where hs was % standing stepped back pace Of two
another discharge took place, that being part of the
previous discharge; upon the discharge. man fell ON
the sidewalk in front of us; there but per-
him at the time after he fell he remained
on the ground half a minute, some supposng he
snamm,ns being shot, on picking @ S him up wound was
the wounded down to the drug store Fourth
street and Wooster street, examining the body,
found wound in the lower part Of his stomach; his
name Henry Often, residing at the of Hes
ter and Orchard streets; he standing the side
walk at the time he was shot, taking part in the dis
turbance after leaving him learned that others had
been shot have been informed that he has since died
JESSE Z. HAvI.ASD, residing No. IA Wooster street,
sworn; says he is contractor by professon.-I was
standing on Thursday night a pile of lumber, at
the of Lafayette place and Astor place; there
hundredj throwing stones at the Astor Opera
House, at the box Office and windows about half
past nine o'clock the military came; Thought they
position, and was going to pass towards Broadway;
bring towards Lafayette place; then
corner Of Fourth street and Broadway, where saw
man dead, said to be Mr.. Corncll at the time the
should Fay onethrd Of the military red horizontay
each time the military came around, the boys who
were throwing stones ran towards the Bowery; the
crowd in the streets dense anywhere except
the Sidewalks but what could walk through any
where with out much trouble.
THOMAS j. BrlyrS, residing No 13S King street. boat
man:-On Thursday evening last was at the disturb
ance at the Astor Place Opera House, stood the
corner Of Lafayette place, by Mrs. Langdons house;
lot Of half grown boys throwing stones the Astor
Opera House; passed the opposite corner and was
traing this some Of their riots stayed there
until the horse soldiers came and then the nfantry
then there was rush with the boys, and started
back and then returned again to see how the military
operated: was standing the corner Of Mrs Lang
don's house when the first firing took place. when TIA,
military left, the boys lwent back and commence
throwing stones again. stood there when the first dis
charge took places man fell ! laughed, and so die
Others as we thought it only blank cartridges to
scare them; heard say, my.God. look at this
he's shot' this at the first discharge of musket
~; heard no notice given to disperse; they might
have done so after this started ran down to the
church on the Of 4th street. and there stood
don't know how long stood there was SO fright
ened; stood there until heard another banging Of
muskets, and then started and ran home quick
could should not have gone there, il had known
they were going to use lead; went to what
going on like many others; don't know how long
stood at the church before heard the second firing;
was glad to get there jumped several people In
making my way to the church. [This created laush1
After taking tho above testimony the day being far
advanced and o'clock In the afternoon tho
Coroner found It impossible to conclude the evidence
to give the to the jury some twenty wit
yet to be examined. Therefore the Coro-
adjourned the investigation until ten O'Clock
this forenoon. The following notice was issued