The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-03-21
IFor the Gazet,e.1

DAVENPORT, March 9th, 1851.
Mr.. EpIToR To-day an outrage has been
committed upon the rights and feelings Of private
citizen, and an injury inflicted upon society by a
mob, which has no parallel, even in the insane
| and brutal proceedings OF these unlawful assem-
biies. A sense Of duty 10 the peaceable portion
OF the community. as well as desne To yindcate
my own reputation from The sIanderous aspersions
which have been SO industriousiy circulated, i'm
pei me TO give to the public, an impartial account
| Of he transaction.
On the 9Th, Of January last, young ladyz-Niss
Holland-belonging 10 respectable family re-
sldlh ID Ste County in this state died at my house
in Davenport, after an Illness oil six weeks
Every attention which we were capable OF bestow-
ing, was given her, and when she died, we buried
her according 10 christian usage. and the religious
ceremonies were performed according to her
family faith; some twenty or thirty persons saw
her in The coffin after the service was over, ard
several attended her 10 the grave. Tnerew we hoped
she would repo-e in peace, and we were not aware
that any individual II the world had charged US
with the high crime of having denied her burial
until to-day when we were informed by a friend,
that a mob, had gone 10 the grave yard, armed
for blood, and with oaths and imprecations, a
yowing their resolution tc verify certain ISLANDERS
which had been rife against myself and family,
in reference 10 this young lady's death.
| With eager haste they opened the grave, ard to
their sorrow no doubt, found her remains as we
had deposited them.
have said that therecords Of mobs. furnish no
PARALLEL TO this outrage. The unthinking multi
| taae, led on by some yn6ctve spirit, have de-
| mo!shed the poblest achievements OF man, they
have invaded and despoiled the sanctuary of re-
| ligion, have shed the blood OF fathers and moth
| ers aud turned their deienceiess orphans naked
upon the charity the world, bat it has fallen TO
the lot of no one TO record an instance in which
the fiendish spirit ola vindictive man. has sought
| qualification in exciting mob, 10 exhnme from
The ,ieep Of death, the remains OF female s'ran-
ger, and that too, in the light OF day, and with
curses Of vengeance after she had been laid there
\ in the presence of christian community.
| Il there any thing 10 mitigate the guilt Of those
who melted this barbarityl For there is no
doubt, that one or two individuals are guilty Of
the whole transaction. The mob was composed
principally of germans, people whose peaceful
disposition, and peculiar habits and Temperament:
render them slow to break the order of society
There are two or three persons in the community
whose lying tongues have done this wrong. and
in whose hearts the blachest crimes may find a
resting place, and we ask, ifthere is any apology
for the misrepresentation which led 10 this dis
graceful transaction. These fasehoods were as
| follows: ist. That a german girl had lived at my
| house whom had brought from ST. Louis; I'd. That
she died suddenly; 81. That we had not buried her
but consigned her to the dissecting knife, at the
Medical College. Let US see what foundation
these ISLANDERS rest upon. In regard to the first
it is sufficient TO say, that this young lady was
not german, neither was she descendant o.
germans, her parents have been residents Of Iowa
| for The past twelve years, nine OF which. have
been their family physician. When removed
TO Davenport. they entrusted their daughter to my
care and protection. and she lived and died as one
| of my own household.
| The second SANDER admits Of easy refuation
She did not die suddenly. For six weeks before
| her death she was confined 10 bed, and my anx-
| iety for her was such as led me 10 ask the coun-
selof Drs Armor and Knapp, the former of.whom
expressed week before, appirehensions OF this
| event. In regard 10 the burial, the falsehood is
still more glaring, and we would have given 10
any one doubling, themost satisfactory evidence.
MI Hall opened the coffin moment before i
left nv house, and twenty or thirty persons
eazed npon the corpse, amongst those, were The
Rev. Kelly and the Rev. Mr. Reed, the coffin was
then closed by Mr.. II. who went with 1t 10 the
grave, and saw It deposited there.
IN short, the author or authors OF these calum.
nies. guilty Of malicionsy fabricaing and cir
culating faisehood which should consign them
to state prison, for its effect might have led TO
the destruction Of property, the shedding OF hn-
man blood, and the innumerable curses which
mark the progress ofthe mob spirit.
How long shall the silence Of generous and
peaceful community encourage the morbid appe-
tite for blood and Iun, which now skulks amidst
its beautiful places and which in two or three in.
stances, in as many months, has nearly realized
the most awful results!
Hereis ease in which common circumstance
might have led to these results. for heard a mar
who was there say, that If the body had not beer
found, the Medical College would have been de-
molshcd and the Professors attacked. Nos, OBJ