Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-05-25
VERMONT PHOENIX.
Brattleboro, Friday, May 25, IS4s,
Editorial Correspondence.
NEw Yonk, May IA,

l0fk. we nnNt hto JUG W htp1o - Iithfloh1 W
popular excitement, which, In one form or an
other, aud with moro or less violence, occur pc
riodcaIly here, and which, like spontaneous com
busiion seem to arise from the character of the
materials thrown together. There has been in
this city longer interval Of quiet than usual,
but Il has rendered tho recent outbreak Of pop.
ular excitement more intense and destructive.
The papers have furnished you with the gem
eral history Of the riots Of the last week but Il
NAV be interesting to the readers Of the Plonir
to hear something further from an eyewitness.
A personal quarrel, growing out Of sharp and
bitter rivnlry, has long existed between the /
American tragcdian, Forrest, and Macrcady, IN
English actor-which, for some time past, has
taken the form OF a newspaper controversy
The quarrel was altogether a private affair, but
Il served TO add fuel aud luminosity TO the Ndfire
american feeling that exists here, and nm extern |
siyc combination was formed to drive Mncrcady
from ihe stage and from the city. Tuesday eve |
ming, sth, the first night Of Mr. Mncrendy's en- |
gaccmeni in the city, was the time fixed for the |
demonstration. The conspirAiors took possess
ion OF the theatre, and contaminated their OBJ |
icci, driving Mncrcndy from the stage, and
breaking up the performances. The conspira- |
tors were composed mostly OF rowdies OF the |
loves, class who live by preying upon commu-
nty and hang about theatres as dead heads,
TO make up for a thin audience; but they found
large achievements in the idle and di,solutc,
who arr always in for fight or n riot
On Wednesday, some partzAns Of Maeready,
who fel, indignant at the treatment he met with,
published a card, inviting him to make another
attempt, and promising him protection. lie as
scn,cd, and was announced 10 appear ON Thur
day night. This was open defiance to the row.
dies, and made an issue between them and the
supper tendon aristocracy," a. the friends OF
Macrrady were called. II was whispered around
the city on Thursday afternoon, that the rioters
had perfected an extensive organization, 10 mob
Macrcady and tear down the theatre. Thus
warned, thu police were marshaled and the mil
iary called out 10 preserve the peace Of the city
/ Long before night on Thursday, the theatre was
| filed, and masses were ssscmbied outside, una
he tn ga,n nftuiffrnaa n. tls sa.a-L;saa. ,s@-~
mnttndes q people, drawn together by eurios-
ity to see the result. In the meantime, the po-
lice occupied the theatre in grca, fore, and bar
ricaded the doors aud Windows About 7. NJ.
the serious part Of the business began, by show
crS Of stones against the doors and Window
This continued moro than an hour, the nutpbers
and violence Of the riosers increasing constantly,
with M occasional sally from within by the po-
lice, to capture some Of the ringleaders. The
/ rioters, however, were the strongest, and At ,
o'clock had pretty much demolished the doors
and windows, and were in fair way TO force an
! entrance. At this time the military appeared
on the ground. A corps Of cavalry preceded a
regiment OF infantry, and turned into Aston
| Place from broadway. As soon as they appear
| cd, the mob turned upon the cavalry, and in i've
4. minutes completely dispersed them. Those who
were not knocked from their horses were glad
to escape. The infantry was soon hcmrned in
ON all sides BY the masses, who pelicd them with
stones. and in many cases dragged the men from
the ranks and disamed them. The military
| bore tho insolence and peliing Of the mob with
admirable patience and for,itnde, and slowly
forced their way through them into Eighth 81
As they passed. the mob closed behind them,
and again renewed their assaults upon the the
atre. The military passed through Eighth st.
! into Broadway, and again into Aston Place,
opening passage in tho middle Of the street,
and attempting now. by facing to front and rear,
TO push the mob out Of the street at the point Of
the bayonet. But this was found impossible, foI
the rioters pressed against tho ranks and turned
ss es s s e 81 sSs o iss. and III.
| iers were wounded and carried from tho ground
the general was knocked down by stone and
| il became evident that unless some decided
measure was TAKEN the military would be over
| powered AT this juncture, the soldiers were
7 ordered 10 fire over the heads Of the mob, and
most of them did 50; but some shots took effect
uPon .pes'a,on psnse1 upon inc fences, asu
one or TWO ~eie Aii,eu' me moo, enechee ior
moment oy the nre, seeing none snot down
took courage ana renewing me military dare
no. nre WIN na'is lcl ny sno'ner shower o.
ssones, WIN yei's. curses ana imPrechuons Inc
o,uer vas now gwen 70 yre IN earnest, Ano
vpe)eu WIN aiacHv, 'ot .he soiuieIs nad Justiy
LEONE n:a outraged anu indignant Two or three
! .on'es were hreu IN succession and the moo ned
~ r.ery a.i.,'ioii.
inere eoulu not nave oecn less than $4,000
persons Anous the 'neaire' most o. whom were
! spesuon' aud quite number Of the latter lost
'nsl, ives IN tne grahucauon OF the'r curiosity.
! = me military kept possession all night without
i"rsaef disturbance.
ine morning hight revealed a melancholy spec.
.seie' Inc pools oil blood, sun visible, Indicated
,nc p'acss where some were Killed or wounded
eou.'e. zen uuietnafAs upon Tue DITCH mouse
oppoA1e . .he theatre IN Astor fi.ce' i ieh IN
Nln inena, who was among the spectators
.neh INC hring commenced ne tocd py the
src % .he ,irst man siiot down the ball took
enee. near n's eye aud passed throngh bis head
INTO tue wan beyond lie pointed out to mo the
! pace where ,his man felt ana the marx Of the
| pnhe'i anu tne blood winch spaitered IRON II