Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-04-12
Riot and BiOOdshed Last
Night.
One Man Killed and Five wounded.
BARRIcADEs ERECTED IN THE STREETS
OVER THE CANAL.
THE GERMANS PREPARED FOR wAI
Terrible Excit EN- ent Throughout tn G
City.

we have succeeded, as the terrible excitemen
prevailing throughout the city, and the count
less rumors flying, rendered it extremely hare
to obtain accurate information.
As near as we can learn, the facts are these
The Germans borrowed brass cannon of the
American Military Companies, with the pur
pose of firing it on election day, in honor o
the birth day of Jefferson. The cannon wa!
taken from them while they were using i
on Jackson's hill, by body of excited Anne
ricans, during the trouble at the Eleventh
Ward; and after being paraded through the
streets, and once fired when loaded with boul
ders, in the Thirteenth Ward, was deposited
in the armory where It belonged.
The Germans, it is said, took this cannon
or same other one from the armory, and placed
it in a shed near Vine street, some foul
squares above the canal. There is disputed
cannon, but what one it is we do not know, and
perhapsi is not important. Gen. Sargent was
highly indignant at the proceedings of the
Germans in regard to this disputed property,
and demanded that it be returhed. To this
the Germans refused to accede, and the news
of the difficulty spread through the city like
flame in dry stubble. What claim the Ger
mans had on the gun, or what was Gen. Sar-
/
" understand. It may be sufficient to say
that there was dispute abqptsa piece of ar
tillery, and an immense accu ntion of feel
ing in the city, which tendee spontaneous
combustion.
THE rumor that caused most excitement
down town, was that the Germans had loaded
the cannon, and proposed to use it against the
/ Americans Gen. Sargent, we are told, made
an effort to get the cannon into his possession,
but failed, and in the afternoon great crowds
collected in Vine street Between three and
four o'clock the street was thronged from the
canal bridge to the foot of the hill There
were four crowds, each of which might have
been styled an immense mass meeting. Two
of these were of Americans one on the
bridge, the other couple of squares higher
up-and the other two were Germans.
The sidewalks were thronged, and thou
sands of women and children looked on from
the windows. The aspect of affairs were de-
cidedly warlike, The Americans were in a
state of ofexcessive excitement resolved to have
| the cannon at all hazards. We passed tho
the street, and heard enough conversation to
/ gather the prevailing sentiment correctly. The
most current remark was Let them give
up the cannon. and we will let them alone !;
bat sirs it ~, they.islist - We Ar Cox
the Prosecuting Attorney begging the Amer
leans to return to their own side of the Cana,
and settle the affair in some way other than
BY force of arms, but his words seemed to be
wasted.
Or. Fries was passing along the street. and
pausing to make enquiries, was surrounded by
a multitude of Germans, and addressed a few
words to them in their own language, and al
so in English. AS this gentleman's name
was often used, and that which he said has
been much misrepresented, it may be we'll to
give his exact words. Speaking in English,
/ he said
"I want you all to keep the peace-for
Gods sake keep the peace-butif your rights
are asssiled, shed the last drop of blood in
your veins sooner than submit. But if pos
sible, for Gods sake keep the peace"
/ Passingup the street we saw unmistake cable
evidences of preparations for a desperate con-
test Pistols were being loaded publicly
Nearly every German was armed. The ham
dies of pistols protruded from their pockets,
and many hod swords by their sides.
i We met a party of about a dozen sturdy
fellows, carrying rifles, upon the tubes OF
which the glistening OF percussion caps showed
Indl lueN were IfcpdIcUl stCIlNc SeTNlCe, anu
to the rifles were attached sabre bayonets-
making altogether terrible weapon, at once
a rifle and a spear The German women kept
up a constant chatter, in which the word:
Know Nothing" and Democrats were
frequently distinguishable.
The street. viewed from the upper portion
appeared black with men as far down Us the
eye could reach, and through the dust, above
the dense throng of hats, the flash of stee
was at intervals perceptible. Meeting Ger.
man acquaintance, he informed us that the
halls of the FREEMEN and TURNER'S, were
each filled with men armed with lfles, who
Z swore to defend the disputed cannon to the
last gasp.
Returning near sundown the street was
even more densely filled. The Sheriff with
view Of removing the cause of difficulty
was endeayoring to get possession of the gun
which was the immediate cause of conten-
tion, and no resistance was made by the
German Officers, but the multitude pressed
: about the shed where the cannon was sta.
\ toned, so that it was entirely impossible tc
get it away, and the Sheriff left the ground
on receiving assurances from Capt. Moore
: and other German Officers that the gun
should not u improperly used, and shoulC
be surrendered to the proper authorities a
! any time.
!. about this time the Germans detected il
their midst >or thonght that they did, one o
the persons who destroyed the lallot box il
! the Eleventh. Ward cry of "Know Moth
ings' was raised, the individual in question
fed, and the boulders flew about in name
quite obnoxious to peaceably disposed per
sons. The Germans, we then understood
were expecting grand attack in the even
ing, and making resolute preparations to re
: pelit- Coming down town, we saw, scattered
; profusely about the corners of the street
Triangular BITS Of red paper which were sup
posed by outsiders like ourselves, to be tn
distress sign of the X. Ms. calling for
meeting at once. These scraps of paper
5 taken in connection with other matters
. seemed indicative of war-signs that bloc,
might be expected to tlow But it would b
useless to speculate on the probable sgnifi
cance of the red paper-certainly it had
meaning.
Soon after dark there was an immense gath
ering Of people in Fifth street market space
A slight platform was erected, and sewers
speeches made. We did not hear Gen San
> gents remarks They were pronounced ''con
ciliatory" by friend who did hear them-
' He is reported to have said that the canno
n would be taken from the Germans by correC
( authority, and not by mob violence. q
;. Thos. Spooner, Esq, addressed the multi
tude earnestly advising quiet dispersion
a The speakers were constantly interrupted b
! the cries of those who were anxious to "pitc
Y into the Dutch" Such expressions as com
on-go loasuEhy don't you go go if yor
going"-v eessantly and loudly yoci
- Grated. -
if In the meantime the Gemanss De
i themselves most formidably, erectIb9 zehre
v strong barricades of wagons, carts, drays, an
n whatever vehicle or available material the
5, could manage to get hold Of These wer
erected-one across Vine street at the crossin