Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-04-22

hgeRcer, the following account OF the
riot in that city on the 5th inst:
Mob at the First ward PoIIs-DeasA and
DestruesIon OF Property
As was generally expected, the
First Ward was yesterday the scene
OF the grossest outrages upon the
ballot box and the rights Of native
born citizens. At an early hour in
the day, it became evident that a
large portion Of the German voters
in this ward were determined to pre-
vent those entertaining views dis
similar to their own from voting, and
before noon, number Of peaceable,
quiet citizens, who went to the polls
for the purpose Of depositing their
votes, were driven off with sticks
and stones, and prevented from ex.
ercising the elective franchise guar
anteed to every citizen. DR.. Mitch
ell, highly respectable gentleman,
had every indignity cast upon him,
and only escaped by the merest
chance from the crowd that followed
him, hurling after him every imagi-
nable missile.
Later in the day, Mr.. Steitz, a re-
spectacle German resident of the
First Ward, was assailed while pas
sing the polls in his buggy, and gross
ly abused. Mr.. c. w. Coote, Assis>
tant City Engineer, was assailed
without cause or provocation, knocked
down and beaten, and the mud and
filth in the street heaped upon his
PROSTATE body. The Wings as a
general thing were beaten off from
the polls and dared not show their
faces.
News Of these outrages reaching
the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth
Wards, about 3 O'Clock in the after
noon a body Of native born, as well
as adopted citizens, to the number of
some five or six thousand, went
down and efectually cleaned out
and drove the First Ward bullies
from their position, and from this
time up TO the close Of the polls, the
purity OF the ballot box was main-
tanned.
The abuses heaped upon the native
born citizens, however, enraged the
crowd TO such a degree, that the
mere fact Of retaking the polls did
not satisfy and appease them. Some
seven or eight beer and coffee houses
in the vicinity were broken up, and
the bar furniture and fixtures efec-
tually demolished; not, however, un-
til a number of shots had been fired
from the windows and doors upon
the unprotected crowd in the street.
The Soulard Market Coffee House,
directly across the street from the
polls, was first demolished, and the
others followed in rapid succession.
The Germans Qor we have every |
reason TO believe them such) all The
while keeping up running fire.
Several persons were shot and slight
ly wounded, among lhe number, Mr..
James Harper, Captain Of the Mis-
souri, Fire company, and German
in the employ Of Hem, boot maker
on Chestnut street.
Late in the evening, and after the
polls were closed, the uptown crowd
started back, and when at the corner
Of Seventh street and Park Avenue,
two or more shots were fired from
the second story windows at Neiho-
meyers tavern, upon the crowd, and
Mr.. Jos. Stevens, a wire worker, in
the employ Of Mr.. Hough, on Second
street, killed outright. The windows
and doors OF the house were almost
instantly broken in, and the crowd,
gaining access to the interior, fred
the building and burned it to the
ground. The body Of Mr.. Stevens
was taken into drug store on Car
ondelet Avenue, where it remained
until a late hour last night, when a
1eputation from the company went
down and brought it up 10 the engine
house.
At the corner Of Park and Caron-
1elet Avenues the crowd was again
fred on, and Mr.. Edward OHarra.
4 member Of the st. Louis Grays,
dangerously wounded in the leg
The ball passed entirely through and
broke the leg of a gentleman walking
hear by, whose name we did not
earn. The house from which this
hot was fired was also riddled, and
hose found within roughly handled.
The crowd then pursued their way
lp town without further molestation,
md quietly dispersed. However
much we deprecaie mob violence in
III its bearings, the closing scenes oil
yesterday were brought about and :
Urged by the party that suffered most '
everely from IFS consequences, and
We trust in future all native as well
IS foreign born will learn TO know Il
hat qualified voters are not TO be r
Iriven from the polls without the &
'arty attempting it me5iipg with the L
most fearful rstribution. c