The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-06-10
Riot Between H0utmen and
Erisssmen

a serious riot occurred l. 5 Saturday even
ing, between ten or twelve rishmcn belong
Ing to the state ScOw, "a boat lorrcpairng the
canal and seven boatmcn 1t took place
between six and seven o'clock, near the col
lector's Office, and resulted in four men being
shot. Brady Mcclure received very severe
wound in the abdomen. but he still lives and
there are some hopes of his recovery. The
other three were not severely injurcd-onc
being shot in the shoulder, one IN the neck,
AMI one had his hand very badly torn to pic
ccs
ltappcarcd in the evidence in the case,
that the difficulty first begun at La Sale.
where Capt Brown, of the "Flying Cloud, -
rather got the bcttcrof a couple of Irishincn
belonging to the state scow, in fight,
about dog of the captains, which they had
kicked into the lock and was drowned. The
state sccw's crew came here and Law in wait
for the Flying Cloud" About two hours
before this boat. came up, the boat Pierce
landed at BristoFs warehouse, when some
dozen lrishmen collected there for the pur
pose, as they said, of whipping Capt
Brown, supposing that he was IN this boat
Not finding him there, several persons pres.
'n' pursuadcd the Irish to diSrcrsr, having
threatened to have them arrested. Can't.
Brown was informed bya boat goilc down,
that the state scowS crew were living in wait
for him at Ottawa, and he and his crew came
prepared TO defend themselves. When the
Flying Cloud landed in front Of the collcc-
tof once, not single man of the state
scows crew was to be seen, and it was sun
posed that they had left and there would be
no disturbance. Capt Brown Immediately
lett his boat and started for his stable to get
out his team. six boatmcn accompanied him
for fear he would get iutoa fight. They had
gone but few steps bcfo ten or twelve
freshmen rushed out Of Lcach's grocery.
aear by, and came towards them The head
man, as he got opposite Brown, seized him
by the left hand, and raised a hammer.
weighing five or six pounds, over his head to
strike him. Capt. Baldwin seized the ham
mcr, and with others took it away from
him.
Then commenced general melee. Three
men attacked Brown, got him down, and
tore of most Of his clothes, when one Of
Browns hands, by the name ofJamcs eros
by, drew n revolver and shot Brady Ne
CURE. This shot released Brown so as to
enable him to use his revolver The fire be-
ing now pretty brishly and earnestly begun,
the Irish beat quick retreat.
As soon as the state scow's crew fed,
Brown and his men passed directly on to the
able, about their business.
Most of the Irish concerned in the riot,
were badly beaten and bruised. There were
six or seven shots fired, but only four of
them took effect. Aliens rcyoycrs were the
kind of pistols used.
Capt. Brown and Roht. H. Bowers were
Immediately arrested. On Monday they
were examined before Esq Fisher on charge
Of an assault with deadly weapons, with in
tent to kill, and were released from custody
having shown by the evidence that they
were justified in their conduct, as a matter
of sclf-dcirncc.
There was no evidence intending in tie
least to crminatc Bowers. He had no wcap-
ons, nor did he use any but, as the witness
sad, she knocked the Irish right and left"
Capt Brown shot several times, but there
was no evidence showing that the shots took
ClIrrI