The Weekly comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1853-1855, 1854-04-09
The slscilsa nioain new orleans.
4 STATEMENT ron rns UoxRr, NJ An srs WITNESS.

The occurrences Of the week in
this city, and especially those incident
upon the election. will DO long re-
membered by our citizens, 40 being
anything but fatteripg 10 the good
name and fame Of New Orleans.----
There are a few facts which can
voueh for as being true, that | will
put upon record, as forming part Of
the history Of The disgraeeful scenes
in The Seventh precinct, resulting in
the death Of two men, aud the des-
truetion of the ballot box, and place
them alongside Of the other statements
that have already appeared from both
sides by interested parties. Justifioa-
ton and crimination | will leave out,
altogether, for the reason that was
but mere "looker on in Venice aud
therefore not concerned. | went to
the polling booth Of the It'll Precinct,
near the West end Of Poydras market.
at about 10 A. NJ, at which time there
was the usual crowd of voters, but to
appearances, all was going on quietly.
An hour later | returned and took a
position near the polls, where / could
observe all that was going on, and !
noticed that there was q good deal Of
ill.feeling among the crowd. There
were SOME fifteen or twenty persons
standing near and around, who seemed
to be intent upon scrutipi5ing every
person who offered to vote, but noue
were challenged, unless there was to
all appearances, u want Of legality in
the voter. The commissioner who
received the votrs, appeared greatly
excited whenever challenge was
made, and seemed to act an II he were
appealing all the time to the crowd
outside the bar, and administered the
oath in such manner that it amour
ted to no auth ut aW Those who
challenged seemed TO be gentlemen,
at least their bearing was anything
but rowdy-like. | saw with my own
eyes, q fellow fold two tickets in suoh
a shape that they appeared to be but
one, and when he offered bis vote,
being challenged, Mr.. Sullivan The
commissioner, first took the tickets,
aud then instead of administering the
oath, NEARLY asked The man If he was
a voter, and The fellow seeing that his
vote was in the box, replied "No."--
Soon after this, one person who bad
been tenacious ofhis right to challenge
was seized by the lowering md ex-
cited police. and borne off to prison.
The crowd were now getting excited
to pitch that | thought betokened n
fight, and | turned away, but as |
passed out heard ragged fellow
boasting to his comrades, TINT be
Ind ''made three hops already, and II
they would only clear out them id
natives he would get III three moyc.'
Soon after rush was made by the
police and others, ut those who were
in the room, and short struggle en-
sued, but nothing was effected. As |
did not know the 'Know Notbings'
from the others, ] could only guess at
who the actors were. Tho voting
went on again, md soon it WINS buzz
,ed about that there were illegal votes
going in by the handful, and soon
beard loud angry voice within the
bar appealing to the boys to know
# they would tolerate the man who
was continually challenging the votes ?
It was Mr.. Sullivan's voice. / soon
after heard a gentleman warning the
commissioners, that q party Of twenty
men were coming to vote, who had
voted at his precinct, and just then
.hese very men came up and one by
me they poteI--the commissioners
,aking no heed Of the warning. It
was now noon, or little after, and
here was ''hurrying to and fro," and
excitement on all sides. Soon rush
was made, and clubs were brandisbed
n the room, and Ibeard shout,
down with the Americans" "Out
with the Know Notbings.' The
,rowd became dense for q few minutes
md then it opened here and there, and
men with torn shirts and clothes, and
,lubs we're flying, and the cry was
he is killed. "he's killed. In the |
melee, two men had been stabbed
80 &C ...Lar, ,uaa MonL1ar a xa1;aa