The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-15
The Riot at Sc. Louis.

The ST. Louis fnteliigsncer Of the 9th instant pub
lishcs the following particulars Of the lawless pro
cccdings which took place in St. Louis on the day
previous:
Mos AT THE FIasr WARp PoLLs-DEArH AND
DEsTKUCrIos OF PRoPkRTy As was generally ex-
peclcd, the Fret Ward was yesterday the scene OF
the grosecet outragcs upon the ballot-box and the
rights OF nativc-born citizens. AZ an carly hour
in the day 1t become evident that large portion oil
the German voters in this ward were determined
to prevent those entertaining views dissimiar to
their own from voting, and before noon a number
Of pesceablc, quiet citixenr, who went TO the polls
driven off with sticks and stoncs, and prevented
from exercising the elective franchise guaranteed
to every citizen. DR.. Mitchell, highly respect.
able gentleman, bad every indignity cast upon
him, and only escaped by the merest chance from
tho crowd that followed him. hurting after him
every imaginable missile.
Later in the day, Mr.. Stcitz, a respectable Ger
resident Of The Fret Ward, was assaulted while
passing the polls in his buggy and grossly abused
Mr.. c. w. Coote, assistant city engineer. was az
sailed without cause or provocation. knocked down
and beaten, and the mud and filth in the street
heapcd upon his PROSTATE body. The Whigs, n
general thing, were beaten of from the polls and
dared not show their faces.
News OF these ouiragcs reaching the Second
Third, Fourth. and Fifth Wards. about o'clock
in the afternoon a body Of native born. ms well as
adopted citizens to tho number Of some 1--WE or
six thousand, went down and effcctually cleaned
out and drove the Fret Ward bullics from their
position. and from this time up TO the ciosc OF
the polls the purity OF the ballot-boH was main
tsined.
The abuses beaped upon notvc-born citizens,
however, cnraged the crowd 20 such degree, that
the mere fact Of relaxing the polls did not satisfy
and sppcssc them. Some seven or eight beer and
coffee houses in the vicinity were broken up. and
the bar furniture and fixtures effectually dcmol-
ished; not, however, until number OF shots had
been fred from the windows and doors upon the
unpr detected crowd in the street The Soolard Mar
ketr "a, he att Iron ~
pos, was first demolished, and tho others followed
in rapid succession; the Germans Oor we have
every reason TO believe them such) all the while
keeping up a running fire. Several pcrsons were
shot and slis h,ly wounded; among tho number Mr..
James Harper. captain of the Missouri Fire Com
pany, and German in the employ OF Hem. boot
maker, on Chestnut street
Late in the evening, and after the polls were
closod, the up town crowd started back; and when
at the corner OF Seventh street and Park avenue
two more shots were fired from the second story
windows al Ncihemcyer's tavern upon the crowd,
and MIR. Joscph Stevens, wire worker, in the
employ Of Mr.. Hougb on Second street, killed out
| right. The windows md doors Of the house were
instantly broken in, md the crowd gaining access
TO the interior, fired the building and borncd II TO
the ground. The body Of MIR. Stevens was taken
into drug store on Carondclet avenue, where it
remained until late hour last night, when n de
putstion from the company went down and
brought II up to the engine house.
Al the corner OF Park and Caroudclct avenues
the crowd was sgsin fired on. and Mr. Edward
OHsra, member Of the st. Louis Greys, danger-
ously wounded in the leg. The ball passed en-
tirely through and broke the leg Of gentleman
walking near by, wbose name we did not learn.
The house from which this shot fired was nlso
rddled, and those found within roughly handled.
The crowd then pursued their way up town with
out further moicststion, and quietly dispersed
However much We deprccste mob violence in oil
lie bearings, tho closing Of yesterday were
brought about and urged by the party that suffered
most severely from its consequences; and we trust
IL .s.. iii 49,.
learn 10 know that qualified voters are not to he
driven from the polls without the party attempt
Jog it meeting with the most fearful retribution
Young Stevens, who killed in the First
ward yesterday, was a native of Williamsburg,
New York. lie il about twenty years OF age land
has been in the city but few weeks. The fatal
charge took effect Immediately in his breast, caus-
ing instant death.
Rumor has IL that several Germans and others,
whose nance we have no, learned we're shot in the
Fret Ward last evening. When the smoke Of the
battle clears up, We hope TO he able TO furpish q
moro correct report than can now be prepared,