Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-12-01

The Affair Osi tiic Steamer Drcs-
den--A IEan ;ssid WOnaasa kill
cd, and three Persons badly
Wounded. ...
A day or two since we copied from
Memphis paper a statement to the ef
/ ieci that there had been an alrray on the
steamboat Dresden, near lleIena. Ark.
III which ,wn nen were killed and three
others wounded. An esteemed friend,
who was Il passenger on the Dresden a,
the tine of the occurrance OF The affair,
arrived here Saturday afternoon Oh the
Pike, aud furnished us fdll particulars
/ of IL.
I Ii appears that abou, 100 lrishmen,
| who had been mploy ed to work on the
ieHees in Arkansas, were deck passeu.
gers on the Dresden. An old Iady from
Kentucky, with her two childreu, who
were also deck passengers. was greatly
imposed on by some of these Irishmen
Her children were abused. aud the pro.
sisinns she had provided herself with
were taken and stolen.
On one. OCCASION, when one of her
children was struck by an Irishman, Il
Mr.. james Sullivan, of MAysviIie, in
this State, cigar maker. and a worthy.
steady aud respectable gentleman. look
The part of the lady and demonstrated
with the men on their cnntuct. The
Irish forthwith commenced an attack nn
Sullivan, one OF them striking him vin.
ien'iy on the head with poker. lie
instantly drew his revolver aud defended
himseit as he best could. One man
was shot through The hears and fell dead
Ia his tracks. Another was sho, in The
mouth, The ball knocking out his teeth.
cn'iIng oil his tongue, and lodging in
hIs thraai. lie was not expected To re.
cover. A third was shot in the arm,
which was badly shattered aud broken.
An Irish woman, who belonged to the
party, and WIN was far advanced in
pregnancy, was shot in the abdomen, and
she died the same night. She WIS Shot
BY stray ball as 1t was not aimed al
her. By this time Sullivan was over
powered by the numbers who opposed
hun. was Knocked down. stamped upon.
terribly beaten, aud was badly cut, and
lett for dead.
He was taken 10 the forward part of
the boat by some oi the cabin passen-
gers, Who then thought hin to be dead.
lie was badly cul in five different pla.
ceS, one on The throat aud one or two os
the bndy being severe wounds, and his
head was very badly hurt by the blow
from the poker. After he had been
washed, he gradually revived, aud was
able To tell his name. HIS Injuries ap.
Peared to be 80 severe that i was tho'l
lmposslble he cnuld survive during the
night, but mex, day he was better, and
waen he was put oil the boat at Napn.
leon, accompanied by friend, where he
coniG secure proper MEDICAL attentions,
there were strong grounds for hoping he
might recover. Durins the night he had
Ia be guarded by The passengers in or.
der To prevent the Irish from again al.
lacking him aud finishing lnelr work by
killing hun.
The man killed was buried al The foot
of CIdtk's bay. The wounde,l men
were taken 10 Vicksburg for medical at
leniInn
The affair occurred shortly afler leav
lns Memphis, and when only four miles
below thai city.
As may well be imagined. the affair
Produced the most intense excitement
on the uDat and the vrantpst cons,prn,
tnn prevailed among The lady passen
gers IN The cabin, in full view OF whom
the occurrence took place. Taere WAS
great sympathy fur The brave sullivan.
! who came near losing his own life IN his
manly eltu.is To project deien,e ess
mother from insult anl outrage. The
only regret among the passengers seem.
ed 10 be that he was nnl able lo do more
I execution among the outlaws who So wi.
lalnou,iy attack 4 hum. We hope soon
TO hear vi his recovery.