The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-11-21
Terrible Riot ut Williamsburg, N.E.

At an ea,ly hour on Thursday evening 'ru:,
mors were sAoat in New York that afenrf1l.
riot would take place in Williamsburg, inccn.
sequence of the death of Mr.. Harrison, who
Was klIedat the riot on Tuesday. Up to do
o'clock quiet prevailed, and to all appearance
no trouble was likely to occur The Tribune.
says: .5,.a..-, =. 80 s,...
About ii o'clock procession of men, ~nHm-9
bering. about five hundred, came marching; ;four8
abreast through Fifth street, in quiet and orr &
derly manner. At the ,corper Of, Grand and
Fifth streets they, were met by Mayor Wall.
who .exhorted them to disperse.y Mr. George
H. Andrews, of the Courier and Enquirer. also,
addressed them, and. quite a number left the
ranks. Some twenty, special deputaton, then;
proceeded to the corner. Of Second and North
Sixth streets, where the riot occurred, for. the
purpose of arrestng some ten or twelve of the
men charged with being engaged in the elec:.,
ton riot, lfassistance was required theysWere:
to send up two rockets. - ~ z:s.!Sy.
The procession then proceeded down Eiftha
street, in front of Alderman Ainsky's house,
Some twenty shots were fired iu the air. They
then moved down North Fifth toSecona street.
where an Irishman was standing in the. lot.
with a loaded musket and bayonet; he said he !
was on guard; when a spumber.of pistols weres
fired, and the man, ran away, leaving the guns
as booty. Atthe corner Of ofSecond.and North
Second streets two more Irishmer were met,
with puskets; they were badly beaten and. the !.
muskets taken from them. =; The procession.
then marched up and down various streets, but
met with no oppositon--the houses all; being.
closed and no person III sight. A cryswas then.
raised to down with the church, = Mr.. Geo ~
Fl. Andrews here addressed the crowd, advising
them to retire. He was loudly cheered, and
many needed his advice < 3 -
A firing was kept up throughout the line, Of
march,. In Second street, between North Sixth
and North Seventh streets, some persons fired
from an alley way upon the procession without. t.
effect - =. I. !.
: young man named Bennet narrowly es,s,
capped being shot. A ball struck bis left shoul-
der, but, having nearly spent its force, lodged,
in the coat sleeve without causing. q wound IS
About 12 o'clock u party Of about one hun.
dred men made an attack upon st. Peters and
St. Panls Catholic Churches, in Second street,
They first tore down an iron cross over the gate.
entrance way, stoned the front windows aud
broke in panel of the door. A cry was rais-.
ed for straw and matches to FIRE the edi6ce.--e'
At this moment Mayor Wall, Sheriff Lott and
Mr.. George Andrews appeared, and prevailed
upon the crowd to disperse:. .5z' ~ -
About this time the Jefferson Blues, Captain,
Kiehl, and Capt. John Gaus' company oftroops,.
under Col. Abel Smith, arrived at the City Park,
in Fourth street, and were drawn up to avail"
the orders Of the Mayor. - 20 Ef'e2s2
About o'clock this morning another party
had gathered around the church, with the avow!!g
ed intention of burningi down. The military.
were furnished with ball and: cartridge aud
marched at once to the scene. The rioters,
however, had quietly, dispersed. Spies were
stationed throughout the city, and the moveS
ments Of every man in the streets was closely
scrutinized -
At half past 2 o'clock this; morning the
streets were nearly deserted; and no fears of
the riot being resumed, the military retired,
and so The riot ended without bloodshed. .,S